Cardio for Gym Bros: 5 lifters to train lifters

It's time for a cardio workout after the workout you promised yourself to add. But 30 minutes on a treadmill sound as attractive as getting a root canal. So, you have two options: to go through this or to go home early, knowing that you have interrupted your studies.

At JKConditioning, we are big fans of the number three secret option: replace this soft cardio workout with a simple, sweaty conditioning job. Think of the air conditioner as cardio for gyms. You certainly won’t use a treadmill or elliptical trainer for any of these complex finishers! You will do simple work, feel it from head to toe and know that you have done something significant.

1. Intervals of swing of the weight

Kettlebell swing is a fantastic conditioning tool and a favorite among our customers. Yes, some people initially experience some discomfort in the lower back when hesitating, but usually this can be corrected by correcting the shape. Here are the basics:

1. Set up the thigh-wide stand and grab the bell with your hand.
2. Hinge at the thigh (do not squat) and swing the bell a little back to give an impulse. Pull it between your legs (don't worry, you won't hurt anything).
3. Push your hips forward firmly, like blocking traction.
4. When your hips move forward, your arms should float up to the level of your belly button or chest, carrying the bell with you. Time is the key here. If the hip extension is not synchronized with the movement of the hands, the bell will not rise too high.
5. Go upstairs, but not leaning back. Control the bell height with your own hands. It should not go higher than your arms parallel to the ground.

The swing is well suited for a time-based approach. Nobody wants to count representatives of this explosive movement! For the killer air conditioner finisher, set the interval timer to a 20 second period of work and a 40 second period of rest. Swing 20, rest 40 and go 10 rounds.

2. Sprint rowing machine

The rowing machine is the most sophisticated cardio machine in the gym. This is easy to say, because if you go to any large commercial gym, the treadmills and elliptical trainers are always full and the rowers gather dust. Consider this approval! A well-trained rower requires intensive use of the arms and legs, creating a unique body problem that other cardio machines cannot match.

We like the distance intervals with the rower, not the time intervals. Get creative with this! Too much routine goes hand in hand with boredom, and boredom is definitely a problem that many people face when it comes to cardio.

To get started, try 10 sprints of 100 meters each. Do not worry, the machine will do the tally for you! Rest for as long as it took you to complete the sprint. Most likely, you will start to do this in 20 seconds or less, but time will quickly approach as you progress through the sets.

3. Loaded carries at a distance

Load carriers are a classic air conditioning tool that can be done in a variety of ways. The most common option is farmer transfer. With this carry, you simply take one or two heavy dumbbells, hold them on your sides, arms extended and shoulders tilted, and go. This can also be done using the traps panel, if you have space.

Other less commonly used media include:

• Zercher carry: The bar rests in the crease of your elbow. (An EZ bar might work well for this.)
• Top carry: Dumbbells or a plate are held above the head with full blocking of the arm.
• Clamp carry: A special setup called a yoke runs over your shoulders.

For any variant of the loaded transfer, you can program it for a time or distance. But given that the gym is usually a fixed space, time is a great place to start.

For a while, start with 30 seconds of wearing, then 60 seconds of rest and go through 8 rounds. If you're going for a distance, try 10 rounds of 20 yards (or so) with a break of 45-60 seconds between each round.

4. Fan bike sprints

Most likely, if something from this list makes you lose lunch, then this is it. It doesn't matter if you name a fan motorcycle, AirDyne or Assault Bike, this is a cruel piece of equipment. If rowers gather dust in your local gym, cobwebs grow on the fan bike.

What is good and bad about it? We spoke about this in detail in the article “Car of misfortune: 4 cruel trainings on a fan bike”, but the short version is that the giant fan is resisting this bike, therefore, the harder you push yourself, the heavier this element of equipment. going to push away.

A fan bike usually comes with two large intervals programmed into the bike software. The first is a 10/20 tabat style interval: 10 seconds of sprinting followed by 20 seconds of rest for 8 full rounds. Can't go wrong with this.

For the brave, the bike also has an interval of 20/10, also for 8 full rounds. If you feel ambitious, try this.

I know what you are thinking: “Only 4 minutes? It's nothing". Be careful: there is a reason this bike is a favorite among CrossFitters. Your lungs will burn out and no amount of water will help. And your legs will be ready to explode from the accumulation of acid and lactate. Enjoy it!

5. Sled pushing

There is a reason that people invented the wheel: it clearly facilitates the movement of heavy loads over distances. If you need a difficult training session, it will be easy for you. That is why you are going to throw the wheels, hug your inner bull and push the heavy sled.

Sleds push not only your lungs to burn, they will strengthen your buttocks, hamstrings and calves better than most other exercises – all without straining the joints of heavy dead or squats.

The push setup is simple:

1. Load a sled with some weights. When loading the slide, be careful about the surface you will press on. The amount of friction is of great importance. It’s much easier to press on a grass lawn than on a normal rubber floor or parking on asphalt.
2. Sit down and keep your chest swollen. You can push your arms with outstretched arms or approach the slide, bending your arms – whatever.
3. Start pushing, focusing on raising your knees high and digging your legs to the floor to generate a powerful jolt each time.

As with a loaded bag, you can program the push of the slide on time or distance. In the distance, try a 30-yard push, then 45-60 seconds of rest and go 10 rounds. For a while, try a 30-second push, and then a 60-second rest for 8 rounds.

Feel the good pain

Training, first of all, has two things in common: they will make you question your choice while you are doing them, but they will also make you seriously concentrate and engage in a task. This cannot be said of “normal” cardio!

If you are still used to them, try combining them! You could do kettlebell vibrations alternating with loaded carriers, sprints of rowers with loaded carriers, jerks of a sled with a kettlebell swing and many other combos. Be creative so as not to be bored, brother!

For a great, versatile fitness program that combines fitness, strength and mobility, jump to Total Fitness with Andy Spier, available only on Bodybuilding.com All Access.