Breakthrough Cardio!

Philip Nation, Nation Training

Look around you, on the treadmill next to you and in-front of you.   These same people are doing what you have been doing for their “cardio” workout.  It’s a sure bet that long and boring treadmill time reminiscent of hamsters on a wheel dominate their gym time.  If this worked then I would say have at it, but odds are those same people you just looked at still look the same month after month, so something needs to change if you want to change the way you look and feel.

A cool way to successfully give your body a kick in the butt is to combine cardio and strength training, or use a cardio-strength exercise in place of your treadmill time and after your workouts.  These types of exercises will skyrocket your heart rate and are one of the best ways to lose body fat and gain muscle simply because they are brutally hard and create a big metabolic disturbance in your body.

A good example of this would be the Squat-thrust- renegade row - push-press combination exercise.

 

STEP 1: THE SQUAT THRUST

Start off standing up straight holding two D-bells (anywhere from 5 to 20 lb D-bells).  Simply bend at your waist and put the D-bells on the floor.  Then kick your legs back at the same time so you land on your toes with your arms extended.   At this point you are supported by your arms and toes in the pushup position grasping both D-bells. 

STEP 2: THE RENEGADE ROW

In the pushup position brace your core and keep your abs tight and lift one D-bell off the ground keeping your other arm straight and glutes, abs, and core tight!!  Repeat with the other arm. Then, in one fluid motion jump your feet up towards your hands to a crouch position, and stand up!

STEP 3: THE PUSH PRESS

After you have finished the squat thrust portion described above you are now ready for the push press.  Simply curl the D-bells up to your shoulders and press them simultaneously overhead, then lower them to your shoulders.  Now you are ready to start over at Step 1.

Step one, two and three combined equal one rep. Repeat that process for as many reps as you can get (shoot for 10-15 reps).  

Compare this to your usual “cardio session” and let us know what you think.

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