Q: I am having a hard time fitting in all of my cardio and weight training sessions. Can you give me some ideas on a program that could save me some time?
How about killing two birds with one stone?
Cardio training is basically any activity that elevates your heart rate. I remember someone asking an Olympic weight lifter, “What do you do for your heart?” Huh? Those of you that weight train know that large body movements such as dead lifts and squats certainly increase your heart rate. It is not necessary for you to perform separate cardio session to have a healthy cardio system. Now, if your goal is fat loss, you will burn additional calories by performing any additional activity. The more intense the exercise, the more calories burned.
At our facility we use circuit training for cardio and strength purposes. This type of training involves moving from one strength exercise to another with little or no rest. The result is an effective strength training workout with the added benefit of a high-intensity cardio session. We encourage additional high-intensity cardio but it is not a necessity.
Here is a video of one of my favorite conditioning circuits using various tools. I prefer this type of workout vs. a jog on the treadmill any day. One is no better than the other….just do what you like and work hard.
Rick Mayo
