Cardio Killa

My goals with my physique lately have been trying to lean out just a bit. Along with tweaking my diet I have upped my weekly cardio. When I was trying to put on muscle I limited cardio quite a bit because it was quite difficult to put on mass for me.

We all dread it. It sucks, that 20 minutes feels like 3 hours, but you gotta get it done! It is crazy to me to think that at one point that was all I did. Cardio, for an hour a day, every day. Yuck! And just to prove to you cardio isn't everything, I am in way better shape physically and mentally than I was then.

Anyways, what are other ways to get your heart rate up besides that dreadful treadmill or the boring elliptical? Well below are some examples for you all that you can use to switch up your normal cardio training.

Now to really make sure you are getting the benefits of that extra dose of cardio I recommend making sure your heart rate is 80-85% of your maximum heart rate. To find your maximum heart rate just take 220-your age, and you need to be within 80% of that to make that cardio beneficial. I also recommend investing in a heart rate monitor to keep track! A great way to do this is by HIIT(high intensity interval training) and I am going to provide a variety ways to do that here:

Sprints

I personally love sprints. I played soccer as a right wing and that anaerboic(short lasting, high intensity) exercise was always something I excelled at. I was always fast, but not for long periods of times. Sprints get your heart rate up, fast. And they burn calories, a lot of them, and that is the goal right?

An easy sprint routine could be 30 seconds on the treadmill/ 30 seconds off(I just jump to the sides of the treadmill, let the machine keep moving).But that 30 seconds on should not be a breeze. Towards 20 seconds you should be struggling. This will differ from person to person as everyones cardio endurance is different. And over time you will notice you will need to up that speed as your endurance spikes and those speeds you started at are all of a sudden quite easy. You can do these outside as well. I also like to do these on the stairmaster. Turn it up to about level 15 go for 30, then crank it down for 30 for 20 minutes. Trust me, you'll be sweating like crazy.

The sled, aka THE DEVIL

Not all gyms have one. Mine does and we have a love/hate relationship. It SUCKS, but boy does it get your heart rate up. Here is an example cardio routine you can try using the sled and a jump rope.(I did this on Monday)

I needed to finish off my leg day with cardio, but I was dreading the stair master, so I decided to keep the burn going on my legs and push the sled as well as adding in some jump rope.

Put that tall attachment onto the sled where it assists you so that your legs and lower body are doing the majority of the work. Add some resistance, I added two 45lb plates. To begin start jump roping for 30 seconds, then push the sled about 50 feet down and back. That is one set. Let your heart rate come back to ALMOST resting, go again. Repeat 7 times. If you don't die.

Jump Rope

Jumping rope was once so easy wasn't it? Yeah, when we were 9. This is such a simple way to get your heart rate up and easy when you're traveling as well! They fit in your suitcase! Jump rope intervals are easy. Start 15 seconds on/off and eventually work your way up to a minute or more!

Rowing

Today's workout was back workout for me. And once again I did not want to get on the stairmaster. So I went to the rowing machine and knocked out some intervals. The rowing machine at my gym you can add resistance, but if yours doesn't don't worry. Row as fast as you can for 30 seconds, rest for 30. Repeat until you reach time desired. I would shoot for 15-20 minutes.

Plyos

Plyometric exercises are great not only for cardio, but for building mass as well. You can do a whole leg workout worth of plyos and your heart rate will be racing. Some examples are jump squats, alternating jump lunges, box jumps, frog jumps, medicine ball throws, and chest pushes. Adding these into your lifting routine will not only make for a butt-kicking workout, but a great cardio workout too!

Hope these ideas help you get your next sweat on!!