When you are doing workouts you expect to get better strengthwise over time but in cardio it is not so clear. I think that most people getting started doing cardio run into a few of the same problems and I would like to touch on them all here.
Getting tired fast
As you start doing cardio whether it is a stair machine, jogging, elliptical trainer or all of the three combined you will be able to get to a decent level, let’s say an intensity level of 6 out of 10 and then after 5 minutes or so you are winded and then after 10 minutes you need to give up. After all of this you know that you are going to have to do 20-30 minutes minimum and you will not be able to and wonder how it will happen.
My advice to you is to get started and know that you will be doing 30 minutes so start by walking or something where you have the most control over you intensity. Keep the intensity very low until 10 minutes are left and then go a little harder. This will force you to go for the right length of time and if you took it to easily then you can up the intensity for the first 20 minutes next time. I have always believed that you need to get the time in and worry about the intensity as you go along over the weeks.
Muscle soreness
You can expect that you will have some muscle soreness while you are working out but if you do not watch out it will become a great problem for you and you will not be getting started doing the workouts. It is important to get out 5 or 6 times a week so you need to deal with muscle soreness right away.
During your workout you can use a few pieces of equipment unless of course you are just walking outside. What is most important is to use as many muscles groups as possible out of your Quads (biggest muscles), back, chest, arms and hamstrings. This is the reason that elliptical trainers are so popular. Ellipticals will force you to work a number of muscle groups at the same time so that you do not tire as easily and get sore in any one muscle group.
After your workout there are a few things that you can do to minimize soreness. I like hot showers and baths. Also if you can drink a lot of water and stretch right after it will help force that lactic acid out of your muscles, and finally if you get to sore to workout the next day you can try using a pain reliever like aspirin.
Building intensity in cardio
I said earlier that the goal is soemthing like a 6 out of 10 for intensity but if you think forward a few months you can believe that you will be working a lot harder than you are now. Lets say right now you can do 12 minute miles for 30 minutes. In a few months you will be fitter and able to do that same intensity and get a 8 minute mile out of it. At that time however you will be able to be even more intense so your future self will be able to run harder for 30 minutes maybe at a level of 8 out of 10.
So you need to realize that even if today you feel like you are crap in working out that in a few months, maybe as little as three months you will really feel like an athlete. I try to concentrate on seeing myself as being very strong in my future self and you should too.
The key to getting to that fantastic future self is to have workouts no matter how you feel and just change the intensity to being harder on most days and a bit easier on days you feel crappy but make sure you never miss workouts
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