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3-day cardio workout plan Cardio & Strength Mix
Three days pairing easy cardio with simple machine work. Hold a conversational pace on the cardio and add load to the machines week by week.
- Level
- Beginner
- Days a week
- 3
- Per session
- 42–47 min
- Goal
- Cardio
- Equipment
- Machine, Cable Machine

Workout schedule
3 days a week · 15 exercises · select a name for its video and how-to
Tick a box for each set you finish, or write in the reps you got. Every exercise's how-to is at gymvim.app/exercises.
Day 1 · ~47 min Mix A
-
Treadmill Run
Calves · Machine
1 sets of 12m
- Movement
- Cardio
- Primary
- Calves, Glutes, Quads
- Also works
- Abs, Hamstrings
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Leg Press
Glutes · Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 1:15 rest
1:15 rest
- Movement
- Squat
- Primary
- Glutes, Quads
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Chest Press
Chest · Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 1:15 rest
1:15 rest
- Movement
- Push
- Primary
- Chest
- Also works
- Triceps
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Seated Cable Row
Lats · Cable Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 1:15 rest
1:15 rest
- Movement
- Pull
- Primary
- Lats
- Also works
- Biceps
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Decline Crunch
Abs · Bodyweight
3 sets of 15 reps · 0:40 rest
0:40 rest
- Movement
- Core
- Primary
- Abs
- Exercise level
- Beginner
Day 2 · ~42 min Mix B
-
Indoor Cycling (Spin Bike)
Quads · Machine
1 sets of 12m
- Movement
- Cardio
- Primary
- Quads
- Also works
- Calves, Glutes, Hamstrings
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Pulldown
Lats · Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 1:15 rest
1:15 rest
- Movement
- Pull
- Primary
- Lats
- Also works
- Biceps
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Cable Rope Face Pulls
Rear Delts · Cable Machine
3 sets of 15 reps · 0:45 rest
0:45 rest
- Movement
- Pull
- Primary
- Rear Delts
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Seated Leg Curl
Hamstrings · Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 1:00 rest
1:00 rest
- Movement
- Isolation
- Primary
- Hamstrings
- Also works
- Glutes
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Hand Plank
Abs · Bodyweight
3 sets of 30s · 0:40 rest
0:40 rest
- Movement
- Core
- Primary
- Abs
- Exercise level
- Beginner
Day 3 · ~44 min Mix C
-
Steady-State Rowing Machine
Quads · Machine
1 sets of 12m
- Movement
- Cardio
- Primary
- Quads, Upper Back
- Also works
- Abs, Biceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Plate Loaded Front Military Press
Front Delts · Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 1:15 rest
1:15 rest
- Movement
- Push
- Primary
- Front Delts
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Leg Extension
Quads · Machine
3 sets of 15 reps · 1:00 rest
1:00 rest
- Movement
- Isolation
- Primary
- Quads
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Machine Pec Fly
Chest · Machine
3 sets of 12 reps · 0:45 rest
0:45 rest
- Movement
- Isolation
- Primary
- Chest
- Exercise level
- Beginner
-
Decline Sit-Up
Abs · Bodyweight
3 sets of 12 reps · 0:40 rest
0:40 rest
- Movement
- Core
- Primary
- Abs
- Also works
- Quads
- Exercise level
- Beginner
About this plan
Who it's for
For anyone new to training, or coming back after a long break. You'll need the equipment listed above.
Not the right fit?
- Training at home: No Gear Cardio Starter, beginner, 3 days a week, no equipment.
What to expect
Each week is 39 working sets across 15 exercises, about 2 h 15 min in total.
Sets run from 12 to 15 reps, with 0:40 to 1:15 of rest between them.
Main muscles: Calves, Glutes, Quads, Chest, Lats, Abs, Rear Delts, Hamstrings, Upper Back, Front Delts.
How to progress
Endurance builds by doing a little more work at the same effort.
- Change one thing. Add a few seconds to a timed interval, a round to a circuit, or a few reps to a set. Keep everything else as it was until the change feels routine.
- Volume before speed. Add volume before you add speed: a session you finish does more than a faster one you abandon halfway.
- Learn the movements. In your first weeks much of the progress is learning the movements, and it comes quickly. Keep the load light enough that every rep looks the same, and expect to add a little most weeks.
If you miss a week: Repeat the last session you finished rather than skipping ahead.
When it gets easy: Interval Cardio Builder, the same goal at intermediate level, 4 days a week.














