Get a Quick Energy Boost With This Interval Cardio Routine

The workout below is for Day 20 of the Just Enough Workout, a four-week workout plan. Today’s routine is 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 featuring these workouts, you can do that here. 

After yesterday’s strength workout, the cardio routine on tap today is going to feel amazing! Unlike your cardio workout earlier in the week, we’ll be playing with different intensities and efforts here, which will make the time fly by.

If you’re looking for Just Enough, block off 10 or so minutes and create a short playlist of songs that fire you up: Pick three songs, each about three to three and a half minutes, and get ready to move. Songs 1 and 3 will be all about easy effort, while Song 2 is going to add a little more spice—consider it a slight pick-up, which will have you moving at a brisker, more moderate pace.

Want a tougher workout? Just a Little More will take your cardio intervals workout from Week 1 and flip it: Rather than picking up the intensity for two minutes and pulling back for three, you’ll now be holding the harder effort for three minutes and recovering for two. The time for the block of work is the same, but the makeup of work to recovery is going to feel more challenging.

And it’s a good time for an extra challenge if you find your body craving one: After all, this is your last workout of Week 3, meaning after today, you’ll have completed and crushed 15 movement routines. So if you’re feeling the pull to kick this one up a notch, you can feel confident that your body’s got it under control! Again, you can choose whichever cardio modality you’d like for this routine, whether you want to walk, jog, run, cycle, row, or use an elliptical.

Like in your previous cardio routines, you’ll be working with ratings of perceived exertion, or RPEs, to help you gauge how each effort should feel. You won’t go above a 6 on the RPE scale in this workout, but you’ll be holding it for a solid amount of time, so it’s going to feel tough. (Here’s a reminder of how to use the scale.) 

Just Enough Movement Directions:

• Song 1: Easy effort (RPE: 2–3)
• Song 2: Slight pick-up (RPE: 4–5)
• Song 3: Easy effort (RPE: 2–3)

Total time: about 10 minutes

Just a Little More Movement Directions: 

• 5 minute warm-up (RPE: 2–3)

Circuit 

• 3 minutes moderate to hard effort (RPE: 5–6)
• 2 minutes moderate effort (RPE: 3–4)
• Repeat 2–4 times total.
• 5 minute cooldown (RPE: 2–3)

Total time: 20–30 minutes

Photographer: Katie Thompson. Wardrobe styling: Rika Watanabe. Makeup: Monica Alvarez at See Management. Hair: Erin Piper Hershleb at L’Atelier. Creative director: Amber Venerable.

Jamie Song wears: Top: Athleta, similar styles. Bottoms: Lululemon Align High Rise Crop 23”, $88. Shoes: Reebok Nano X2 Women’s Training Shoes, $90.