5 Killer Cardio Workouts That'll Improve Your Conditioning & Torch Fat
Whether you want to increase your gas tank for an upcoming boxing bout, Spartan race or perhaps you just want to burn a few extra calories during your cutting phase...
Whatever your end state goal is the below 5 intense killer cardio workouts have got you covered.
Cardio Workout #1 - Medicine Ball Slams
Medicine ball slams aren't a particularly new exercise, however it was only a few months ago that I decided to give them a try, up until then I dismissed them as a CrossFit fad style exercise.
Was I wrong...
The medicine ball slam has a number of fantastic benefits, whether you're looking to burn fat, increase strength or explosive power medicine ball slams can benefit you too.
Tabata
8 rounds of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off of medicine ball slams (total 4 minutes)
Perform as many 4 minute blocks of Tabata as possible with a 2 minute break between blocks.
How To Invent Your Own Medicine Ball Slam Workout
Intervals
Use a timer, perform constant drills and rest for predetermined intervals.
20 seconds on/20 seconds off for 10 rounds
10 seconds on/10 seconds off for 10 rounds
30 seconds on/30 seconds off for 10 rounds
Tabata (8 rounds of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off)
Max rounds
Set a timer for 5, 10 or 15 minutes and perform as many rounds of a sequence or series of sequences within this time frame.
Turn based
With your training buddy take it in turns completing a set of slams with the ball. Go for rounds/time.
Circuit
Create a circuit utilizing the medicine ball slam along with other functional speed/explosive movements such as the jump rope and box jump.
Cardio Workout #2 - The Spin Bike
Cross trainers, treadmills, stair climbers, rowers... there's an endless number of cardio contraptions out there that promise, provided you put the effort in that they'll burn off that unwanted fat you've been carrying around.
If you're after a cardio machine for home workouts, you can't go past the spin bike in my opinion.
The 30/30 Spin Bike Workout
2 minute warm-up spinning at a low to moderate pace
10 rounds of:
30 seconds all out effort standing up
30 seconds of recovery, spinning at a low to moderate pace while sitting down
3 minute cool down spinning at a low pace
Cardio Workout #3 - HIIT Car Pushes
Running on the treadmill, doing round after round on the stationary bicycle... conventional cardio isn't everyone's cup of tea.
At the same time these boring, prolonged methods of cardio aren't even particularly efficient assuming burning calories, shredding fat and getting stronger are your goals.
That's where car pushes enter the equation...
Car pushes are an unconventional grueling form of high intensity interval cardio that'll require every ounce of exertion you have.
There's no fancy tips or tricks here, here's the basics of car pushing...
- Ensure car is in neutral with your training partner ready to steer/brake as necessary
- Lower your head, extend your arms and place your dominant foot forward
- Push while driving through your legs
- Attempt to build up speed as the car begins to move forward
- Push car for prescribed time or distance (see workout structure ideas below)
The Vehicle
The vehicle you use plays a huge role in how effective or ineffective you find your car pushing workout.
If you're a strong oriented athlete and you're pushing a Mazda Miata you're not going to be challenging yourself in the slightest.
At the same time, if you're a beginner or don't train for strength then you'll find it discouraging (and may even risk injury) trying to haul a Hummer from one side of the parking lot to the other.
I've personally found the Jeep Wrangler to be solid challenge.
If you're limited to a small/light vehicle your training partner can utilize the brakes to increase the resistance to get and maintain the movement of the car.
There's no right or wrong way to structure your car pushing workout, however here are a few structures and ideas I've tried that work well...
For time
Use a timer, push and rest for predetermined intervals.
20 seconds on/20 seconds off for 10 rounds
10 seconds on/10 seconds off for 10 rounds
30 seconds on/30 seconds off for 10 rounds
Tabata (8 rounds of 20 seconds on/10 seconds off)
Cardio Workout #4 - The 10/10/10 Treadmill
The 10-10-10 incline treadmill workout below requires nothing more than a treadmill - no apps or monitors.
It'll test you both mentally and physically when you're amidst the workout but afterwards the feeling of accomplishments and conditioning gains that'll come with doing this often are well worth it.
Hit the workout below 2 - 3 times a week and watch the calories melt off as your conditioning increases. I've personally found great vascularity gains too since I've added this workout into my arsenal.
Don't Forget To Apply Progressive Overload!
Pictured above is the standard routine, once you're able to smash through the 10-10-10 it's time to apply progressive overload.
if you want to continue to build your cardio you must challenge your cardio - if you're breezing through 10 rounds it's time to make some adjustments, there's a few ways we can do that.
- Increase the speed of your sprints
- Increase the incline of the treadmill
- Decrease the rest time between sprints
Which should you do first? That comes down entirely to your end state goal.
Want to get faster? In that case you're going to want to increase the speed of your sprints before you begin adjusting the incline or rest periods.
Cardio Workout #5 - Murph (CrossFit Hero Workout)
Murph is one of CrossFit's many benchmark workouts.
You don't need to know how to perform olympic lifts such as the snatch or power clean to smash this workout, all you need is a 20lb vest and some mental intensity!
Here's the workout... (you can partition the exercises as needed, however the mile must be run at the start and end of the workout).
- 1 mile run
- 100 pull-ups
- 200 push-ups
- 300 air squats
- 1 mile run