The best form of cardio is the one you can stick to
There's no point dedicating yourself to running if you hate running. You'll end up skipping sessions. Similarly, if you hate burpees, and a lot of people do, you don't have to include them in your HIIT workout.
This is despite what the trainer at the gym might have told you.
Movements such as burpees and long-distance running are high-impact forms of cardio. Although there's nothing wrong with moderate amounts of these, with high-impact movements, there's an increased risk of injury.
[caption id="attachment_220273" align="alignnone" width="7917"]
Photo: iStock[/caption]
Did you know you could get a cardio workout in without doing jumping jacks, burpees, high knees and endless amounts of pavement running?
According to Fitness Expert and Personal Trainer
Andrea Marcellus, there are several ways to increase intensity and up your heart rate without performing high-impact movements.
In fact, performing low-impact moves at a quicker pace not only strengthens muscles while simultaneously getting your heart rate up (multitasking!), it also helps to avoid injury and stave off conditions such as osteoporosis.
For a low-impact, highly-effective burst of cardio, Andrea suggests:
- Doing any standing movements with your arms raised, as this brings more muscle groups into the work, increasing the demand for oxygen—which forces your lungs to take in more air and your heart to pump it out to your muscles faster.
- Strategically using isometrics (holding positions) with large muscle groups (i.e. holding a squat or a lunge) or total body exercises (i.e. holding a plank or a down dog) in between concentric/eccentric workout moves (everything that involves movement).
[caption id="attachment_215445" align="alignnone" width="2121"]
Photo: iStock[/caption]
HIIT Workout For Those Who Hate Burpees
Andrea has put the following workout together, which you can complete at home or the gym. Aim to get through all exercises with limited to no rest in between.
Class that as one round. Aim to perform five rounds in total.
- Prisoner Squat to Mermaid - 15 reps
- Back Lunge with Rotation - 15 reps each leg
- Twisting Knee Plank to Downward Dog - 10 reps
- Kneeling Star Leg Swings - 20 reps each leg
- Leg Lift Down Dog to Plank - 10 reps each leg
- Push-Ups - As many as you can; any kind of push-up will give you a burst of cardio.
