A 30-Minute Cardio Workout to Build Endurance and Speed

The workout below is for Day 27 of the Good Vibes Workout, a four-week workout plan. It’s pretty great on its own, but you can also check out the full program right here or browse the calendar here. If you’d like to sign up to receive daily emails of these workouts, you can do that here. 

You’ve made it to your final cardio routine of the Good Vibes Workout—and your last workout overall. We hope this plan has brought some feel-good movement, fun, and sense of accomplishment into these winter doldrum days.

That said, we’re not done yet, so let’s finish off this program strong: We have a cardio workout on the schedule today that’s going to challenge you, sure, but ultimately leave you feeling pretty damn fulfilled when that last drop of sweat dries. 

We’ll be doing that through varying blocks of work here. You’ll alternate between sustained bouts of moderate intensity work—crucial for building endurance–and shorter periods of hard, heart-thumping bursts. Your sustained work intervals here will be the longest durations of the program. But don’t worry: All the work you’ve put in before this has prepared you to crush it!

Whether you choose to run or walk, indoor cycle or power up the elliptical, this cardio routine is going to leave you with ultimate I-can-conquer-it-all vibes.

Remember, you’ll be basing your blocks of work on ratings of perceived exertion for this routine. Here’s a guide for how to pick the right effort:

• RPE 0: At rest.
• RPE 1: Very light effort. You can easily hold a conversation.
• RPE 2–3: Your warm-ups, cooldowns, and recovery intervals. You can speak comfortably in full sentences. 
• RPE 4–5: Moderate effort. Talking in more than a sentence or two at a time is difficult. 
• RPE 6–7: High, vigorous effort. You can only speak a few words or phrases at a time—not full sentences.
• RPE 8–9: Very hard effort. Talking is almost impossible. Maybe you can muster a breathless “yes” or “no.”
• RPE 10: All out, maximum effort. Talking is out of the question.

Once this cardio workout is in the books, bask in your accomplishment—and in the sweet, sweet rest day that’s in store for you tomorrow. 

As for what comes next? It’s completely up to you! But here are some suggestions to help you get started:

• If you’re looking to start another four-week workout program, you can sign up for another SELF Fitness Plan. There are several to choose from and they all follow the same format as this one. Sign up and be on your way to four more weeks of free workouts, delivered straight to your inbox.
• If all the cardio you’ve done has you interested in running, we highly recommend signing up for the #SELFto5K Challenge, in which you can prep for your first 5K with our six-week plan. It’s designed to be beginner-friendly (think walk-to-run intervals), and includes helpful advice and tips along the way when you sign up for our weekly newsletters.
• Looking to build your own workout program? We have you covered there, too. Check out this article on how to structure your weekly schedule, and then fill in the boxes with SELF’s upper-body workouts, lower-body workouts, core workouts, and cardio workouts to mix and match your way to a routine that excites you.
• You can also sign up for our Sweat With SELF newsletter for new workouts, expert tips, cool gear picks, and more. Get it bright and early every Monday.
• Finally, it’s also totally understandable if you’d prefer to take a break right now. Press pause with these articles from Rest Week, which focus on how to actually relax, unwind, and de-stress. 
• Whatever your next step is, we hope it keeps you moving, leaves you sweaty, and most importantly, makes you happy!.

Cardio: Endurance and Speed

• 5-minute warm-up (RPE 2–3)

Sustained Effort

• 5 minutes moderate intensity  (RPE 4–5)

Interval Circuit 1

• 15-second hard intensity (RPE 7–8)
• 45-second easy recovery (RPE 2–3)
• Repeat the above 3 times total

Sustained Effort

• 7 minutes moderate intensity (RPE 4–5)

Interval Circuit 2

• 15-second hard intensity (RPE 7–8)
• 45-second easy recovery (RPE 2–3)
• Repeat the above 3 times total

7 minutes easy cool-down (RPE 2–3)

Photographer: Katie Thompson. Hair: Jerome Cultrera for L’Atelier. Makeup: Steven Canavan for L’Atelier. Styling: Rika Watanabe. Creative Direction: Amber Venerable.

Keri Harvey wears: Top: Reebok Lux Racer Padded Colorblocked Bra, $40. Bottoms: Reebok Lux High-Waisted Colorblock Tights, $65. Shoes: Puma, similar styles.