​Cardio and Conditioning Exercises
Are you ever bored with cardio machines? Or long-distance running? Here are some other options that are often used at Real World Fitness
- Prowler and pulling a sled
- Hill sprints
- Incline walking
- Hitting a tire with a sledgehammer
- Medicine ball slams
- Battle Rope
- Boxing pad work
- Burpees
- High knee dumbbell press
Prowler and Pulling the Sled
can push the exercise The prowler is my favorite tool for when I want to do conditioning work. It's can be an extremely hard workout, but at the same time is suitable for beginners and advanced people. It can be done with heavier weights for shorter distances or lighter for longer distances. The prowler push is great for conditioning and work capacity training and it can be modified for your goals whether your goals are, active recovery, strength, muscle endurance, weight loss, or muscular hypertrophy by changing the load used, length of sprint and rest periods.
One of the main reasons I enjoy pushing the sled is there is no eccentric park of the movement. This means you can push the exercise hard and you won't be very sore from it. It's very easy to recover from and there is much less wear and tear compared to many other options. This means you can use it often without it interfering with your other workouts. Another benefit is that it's so simple to do anyone can do it. I've had multiple clients in their seventies and clients recovering from a hip replacement use it without any problems. The injury risk is very low, and for people who have bad knees it's an exercise for their legs that they will be able to do and push hard.
If you have the option of using this I highly recommend giving it a go.
One of the main reasons I enjoy pushing the sled is there is no eccentric park of the movement. This means you can push the exercise hard and you won't be very sore from it. It's very easy to recover from and there is much less wear and tear compared to many other options. This means you can use it often without it interfering with your other workouts. Another benefit is that it's so simple to do anyone can do it. I've had multiple clients in their seventies and clients recovering from a hip replacement use it without any problems. The injury risk is very low, and for people who have bad knees it's an exercise for their legs that they will be able to do and push hard.
If you have the option of using this I highly recommend giving it a go.
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Hill Sprints
Hill sprints are my favourite conditioning exercise. It's simple to do, and you'll find it hard no matter how fit you are. They carry over to other activities very well. I've written an article about hill sprints here.
Incline Walking
I've written about incline walking here. It's a great option that is used for longer, zone 2 cardio. It's something that nearly everyone can do from complete beginners to advanced. It's another one that you can do it regularly and it won't impact your other workouts. It's so simple that you can watch videos on your phone while doing it to pass the time.
Assault Bike
This is great for interval or HIIT. The workouts can be short, but extremely challenging. It's the one where I often need to sit down and not talk for a few minutes after as it's so hard. It will build mental toughness as it's tempting to quit when half way through the workout!
I wouldn't normally put beginners on the assault bike, but it's great for people who are in good shape and want a challenge. I often create a table for my clients with all the different intervals they've done and their results. It gives them a target to beat for when they next do that interval. This can also be used a part of a circuit.
I wouldn't normally put beginners on the assault bike, but it's great for people who are in good shape and want a challenge. I often create a table for my clients with all the different intervals they've done and their results. It gives them a target to beat for when they next do that interval. This can also be used a part of a circuit.
Exercises that are useful as part of a circuit.
High Knee Dumbbell Press
The high knee dumbbell press is an exercise I first heard about from Ross Enamait (rossboxing.com), but apart from my clients, I've never seen anyone do it. It's a simple exercise. You sprint in place bringing your knees up high, while pressing a light dumbbell overhead. While the right knee is up, your left arm is pressing the dumbbell overhead, and then left knee up and the right arm presses it overhead. Done at a fast pace this will get your heart rate up quickly and is extremely challenging. I normally use these as part of a circuit.
Burpess
This were a staple of my training when I was a teenager and into my early twenties. A full body exercise that is brutal on your legs and will get you out of breath quickly. Great as part of a circuit, or done alone, I like used to like to to do 100 or 200 burpees done for time, or do as many you can in 10, 15 or 20 minutes.
It's not the best exercise to do it you have joint issues, especially knee problems as it is a very high impact exercise
It's not the best exercise to do it you have joint issues, especially knee problems as it is a very high impact exercise
Hitting a Tyre with A Sledgehammer
Another exercise that people tend to enjoy as they find it helps with stress. Sledgehammer training was popular with old school boxers to help get in shape for their fights and seems to have gained in popularity again in recent years.
Battle Rope
Great as a finisher to a strength workout, or as part of a circuit. Battle ropes are great for improving your cardiovascular fitness, and builds your shoulder endurance. Battle ropes are one of the few conditioning exercises that involves mostly the upper body, so is a good option if you don't want a conditioning workout affecting your squat or deadlift workout.
Dumbell or Kettlebell Swing
Swings are a great full body exercise with emphasis on the hamstrings, hips and back muscles that I often use on their own, or part of a circuit. They can be a part of a circuit or done on their own. When done by itself self I'll often do a certain amount of reps as fast as I can and try to beat that time next time, for example, 100 or 200 reps. Another option is having a set time and doing as many reps as you can in that time and try to beat that each time (eg 10 minutes). A good option for people with bad knees..
Medicine Ball Slams
I normally do these as part of a circuit rather than by itself. It's a full body exercise, good cardio and easy to add to a circuit. You simply pick a medicine ball overhead and slam it until the ground as hard as you can.