There are a lot of ways to get your cardio in without the need for a treadmill or doing an aerobics class. Something as simple as carrying weight for distance can be great cardio, Step Ups are another. Some like to combine certain elements to get their cardio in and that's awesome. That's a favorite of mine where I can even combine exercises to make supersets and be able to keep going without stopping.
Whenever I need a pick-me-up for cardio or just in the mood for it, I love to carry my 50 lb Sandbell around the garage and superset that with 20 Step Ups. Now the real objective is to carry a weight around one revolution, put it down and pick it up again for another revolution and then go do the Step Ups without stopping. Pick the time you want to do this but keep in mind, there's no rest so be prepared to sweat and get your ass kicked. I would do this workout for 30 minutes without a rest. I may slow down during that time but often, there's that shot of energy that kicks in and you're just going and going.
I've done this workout a few times and kept it at around 30 minutes. If I'm short on time or just don't have the energy to go that long, I'll go for either half the time or no more than 10 minutes. It's about getting in the most of what is possible and carrying a total of hundreds to thousands of pounds total and hundreds of Step Ups. At times, it's quite meditative.
I have learned to get more out of my workouts during certain periods without resting or just mark off the set and go straight to the next set. It helps keep a level of conditioning that I want to accomplish and I'm training in ways that aren't the norm. Step Ups are a hell of a leg conditioner and carrying weight builds functional strength. You don't need to carry 300 lbs. around in order to get results, even 100 lb. is more than enough. When you carry and put down, pick up and repeat over and over, at some point during the workout, it's going to feel heavier and it's the same weight. A sandbell won't always have the same way to grip so you're working your forearms along with squatting and hoisting over the shoulder.
The key element here when you do this workout is to breathe and be as relaxed as you can. There's already a certain amount of tension being used whether it's carrying or doing Step Ups so learn to control your breathing. If I start to pant, I focus on my breath the way Rickson Gracie does it and within seconds, I'm back to breathing calmer and I can keep going. In a workout, I've only had to do that maybe once or twice during the workout so I'm in pretty good shape to do this.
It builds functional strength in the upper body, conditions the legs, builds incredible lung power and enhances your stamina. It could be a way to help with your conditioning for sports, a great workout that doesn't take long so you can do other tasks, it can be done just about at any time and requires minimal equipment which all it is is a weight to carry and a bench or step stool that's 10-16' at best.
Take a shot at this and if you don't have a sandbell, use a rock, a heavy hammer, dumbbells or a plate around 35-50 lbs. If that weight is too much, use something a little lighter around 15-20 lbs. Make it work for you. Focus on your breath and be sure to practice deep breathing before, during and after a workout. Getting in shape doesn't have to be complicated.
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