A Look at MRT, Lifting Weights Faster, and 10 Cardio Protocols that Don't Suck
Ah, the dreaded C-word: cardio.
It’s almost a dirty word in the fitness industry. Cardio is not quite, but nearly as bad as that other C-word. You know, the one that makes everyone look at you wide-eyed and think you’re a bad person. (No, not that C-word. I meant CrossFit.)
All joking aside, cardio really is regarded strangely in the fitness industry; coaches seem to hate on it specifically because your average, uninformed gym goers seems to love it and treat it like the only way to lose weight.
Smart trainees and educated peeps like you know that isn’t true, of course.
You probably also know that—if used correctly—cardio has a place. Depending on what you do, that place will vary…but there is always a place in a good fitness program.
There are a few reasons you should do cardiovascular exercise of some kind, not least of which is that it’s good for cardiovascular health. Sure, you can get that from weight training, but the benefits from cardio include increases to aerobic capacity, as well, which has a nice little bonus in terms of CV health—it’s easier to continue working on it. And, of course, cardio is an effective tool in terms of fat loss.
Having said all that, let me just go on record and say that I hate cardio. I detest it. I don’t like it, I don’t want to do it, and to be honest I suck at it. My conditioning and work capacity are both pretty decent, but neither is exceptional, especially compared to my strength levels and overall physique development.
But as much as I hate it, I need to do it, because I want to live longer—but only if I get to be lean. Thankfully, cardio does both.
In an effort to help you live longer and be leaner while doing it, I’ve compiled a list of my 9 favorite cardio methods—and by “favorites” I means the ones that I hate the least. I still hate doing these, but I hate it less than others I’ve tried. Further, to give you the most value, I’ve listed a workout for most of these methods, so you’ll have something to try, if any of these are new to you.
These are listed in the order they popped into my head, not in order of preference.
I’m starting with this one because I know that a lot of other fitness professionals are going to lambast me for it, so I figure if I put it early in the post, they might forget about it by the time they get to the comment section.
Alas, probably not. Haters gon’ hate. Just ask her:
y u mad, tho?
In all seriousness, I’m not joking—I really enjoy treadmill walks for cardio. Sure, this isn’t intense by any stretch, but sometimes that is exactly what you need. Often, I feel that I’m too beat up from my 5-6 weekly weight-training workouts to do any type of intense conditioning like sprints. This is especially true if my recovery is compromised because I’m in a hefty caloric deficit while dieting down for a shoot.
This puts me in an awkward position: I need to get lean for the shoot, and to do that I need to reduce calories. But reducing calories compromises recovery, limiting my ability to do conditioning, which I need to use to get lean. Yikes. The answer, as you have no doubt deduced, is slow cardio, or low intensity steady state cardio (LISS).
Now, you don’t need to do cardio to diet down for a shoot, especially when you’re doing 5-6 weight-training sessions per week; however, it does speed things along. In addition, this will increase blood flow to the legs, which will speed up recovery; very important if you’re trying to keep your intensity up.
Some LISS cardio is a nice way to enhance recovery and get a little extra caloric expenditure—after all, as I said in a blog post, cardio is like ketchup, and adding a little in never hurts.
Now, one final complaint people often voice about LISS is that in order for it to really have any effect, you have to do it for a while, and that takes up a lot of time. Well, that part is true. For me, that’s actually a benefit—hanging out in the gym for an extra 45 minutes keeps me away from food for an extra 45 minutes. And when you’re dieting down, that helps. I do this listening to podcasts and audiobooks, so I don’t really consider it time wasted.
Anyway, my standard LISS workout is a 30 to 45-minute brisk walk on the mill o’ tread at 4.1mph and an incline of 9-12%.
Definitely my favorite method of intense cardio, hill sprints are nothing short of magic. They’ll make you leaner, faster, improve the look of your booty, and of course increase your conditioning.
Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton—who I consider to be the greatest running back of all time—did nearly all of his conditioning with hill sprints. In fact, the hill on which he ran came to be known as “Payton’s Hill” and was recently dedicated to him.
All day.
Because hills vary so much in length and slope, it’s hard to prescribe a workout for hill sprints and so I have just one rule: run as many sprints as you can before you feel your body ask you to stop.
I have a hill near my old high school on Long Island that I use every single time I go home to visit. It’s a steep incline, and the distance from the base to the top is 34 yards—I normally get about 12 or 13 full out, balls-to-the-wall sprints before my hammies decide it’s quitting time.
Perhaps one day, they’ll call it Roman’s Hill. That would be sweet. Check out a full guide to getting the most out hill sprints here.
If you watched Rocky when you were a kid, you grew up wanting to be a boxer—or, at least, wanting to jump rope like one.
Note: studies show that playing this song while jumping rope burns 11% more calories.
Hopefully, that desire has lasted into adulthood, and you’re somewhat proficient on a rope. If you are, you should use that awesome tool, because jumping rope burns more calories per minute than nearly any other physical activity.
There’s really nothing else I can say that is going to be as interesting or impressive as that Rocky video, so let’s just move on to the workouts.
There are two ways I like to use a rope for cardio:
As a related aside, we’ve got an entire article on how to incorporate jumping rope into your program.
I’ve written about kettlebells before, and while I am not a kettlebell guy per se, over the past few months, I have been using them a lot more frequently, particularly for pressing and conditioning.
When it comes to conditioning and cardio, KBs are hard to beat in terms of their versatility—but, apparently, that is lost on me, because I’m boring and I just like to stick to swings. Again, I’m no KB expert.
A good swing is all hip hinge and power, and since mine isn’t pretty enough to film, here’s a video of Neghar Fonooni doing swings with a 48kg ‘bell:
For my swing workouts, I normally just do this:
Like Neghar in the video above, I have been doing this with a 48kg kettlebell, but I have no idea what that equals in pounds because I’m American and we fear the Metric System. (That’s a joke, but please don’t ruin it by doing the math and posting it in the comment section.)
Basically, long ropes that you use to…battle. Sort of. This is a hard one to describe, so here’s a video of my boy Jason Ferruggia doing his thang.
My favorite way to do this is 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off. Simple but effective.
Stair sprints are one of my absolute favorite ways to do cardio in NYC. Generally, the streets are too crowded for sprints, and it’s too cold to run hills in the winter, so I like to stay indoors. And when I want to do some indoor cardio, I do sprints in the stairwell. Most people take the elevator, of course, so there are very few people on the stairs.
There are five floors in my apartment building, which means that there are eight short flights of stairs (two for each level, with a small landing that allows the stairs to turn) leading from the ground to the top. This is pretty much the perfect distance for sprints–enough to make it worth it, but not too much so much that you’ll lose speed.
I usually do these in an ascending/descending pyramid, for a total of 8 sets.
Rest 30-60 seconds as needed between sets, but, as noted, do not rest between sprints up and down the stairs–that “rest” will come on your way down, which is easy enough to allow you to recover. I generally recommend resting an extra minute between sets 5 and 6, especially for beginners.
This is a lot of fun, and a great change of pace from most types of sprinting.
Pushing and pulling sleds serves two specific purposes:
Very few things look more badass than pushing a sled loaded with a few hundred pounds, or, if you don’t have a sled, pushing your car around the parking lot.
Sleds have risen to popularity of late, and for good reason: few conditioning tools give you the challenge of the effect of this full body beast. While the standard exercises are pushes, if you have rope attachments, you can do pulls and drags as well.
Using my wife as added resistance.
In addition to that, there are ways to use sleds for variations of traditional exercises like chest presses and rows–these allow you to get the benefit of the concentric while eliminating the eccentric; overall, this allows you to recover faster.
Here’s a beginner sled workout:
Many people experience something called “prowler flu” or sled flu, which essentially means you might puke. Happens to the best of us, I’m afraid.
Sometimes, it’s a marathon; other times, a sprint. No matter how you do it or how long it takes, sex is probably the most fun way you can break a sweat. Except laser tag. Nothing beats laser tag–that shit is boss.
I don’t have any articles about laser tag, but here’s one about sex.
Complexes, for those who do not know, are exercises done back to back with the same piece of equipment, generally done without putting it down. They can be done with any piece of equipment, but I almost always choose to do these with a barbell, as that generally allows me to do a number of exercises that I enjoy.
I wrote an entire article on how to make complexes even more potent, so there’s no need to rehash overmuch in this piece.
However, in the interest of making this post more awesome, here is complex I default to most time:
Each of the exercises is for 8 reps, and you transition from one to another without resting. Perform 5 total complexes, resting 120 seconds between each.
If you’ve never done complexes before, be fairly conservative with the weight – dudes don’t generally need to go above 95 pounds.
In general, sprints are pretty damn boss for fat loss. Doing them on a beach makes them even more so.
And not just because you can do them shirtless with impunity. The real reason is that beach sprints allow you to reenact the most bromoerotic training scene in the history of cinema.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ylv89_oCCjE
OMG I want to run on the beach so bad right now.
Beach sprints are also great because the sand forces your calves, legs, and the everything in the foot-ankle complex to work different than the traditional sprint. The slightly unstable surface can have pretty profound effects; after a few sets of beach springs, you’ll be sore in ways you can’t imagine.
But, it’s worth the tradeoff, because beach sprints can actually make you faster. And then, when you race people, they’ll be like:
This is a new fad where you run for an extended period of time. I first heard about this from my Ron. Please see below:
Now, look, for my part, I personally hate jogging. Running for an extended period of time seems like just about the worst fucking thing on the planet, second only to being forced to read Twilight again. Or, even worse, being forced to listen to Twilight on audiobook while jogging. Holy shit that’s a terrifying thought.
Long, boring cardio like jogging is, for most people, unnecessary. Further to that, if it’s done too often, in can lead to some catabolism. Jogging is what we call “moderate intensity steady state” cardio, or, appropriately enough, MISS.
This is a strange inverse-Goldilocks situation where the extremes on either end (high and low intensity) are kinda awesome for their respective purposes, and the one in the middle, instead of being just right is actually way wrong.
For most people.
There are people, however, who can benefit from doing MISS cardio at least somewhat regularly. If you ever need to run or maintain an activity for an extended period of time, then MISS has a place in your training. For example, if you are training for a Tough Mudder (some other relatively steady duration contest), you should do some yogging.
The main reason for this is simply that if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it–it being your muscular endurance. Put simply, if you don’t occasionally run for an extended period of time, you’re going to have a hard time running for an extended period of time.
I learned this the hard way: after doing HIIT exclusively for three years, I decided to run a charity 5K. I thought I would breeze through and perhaps even win. Embarrassingly, though, I had to stop every half miles or so because the muscles in my legs (particularly my hip flexors) just didn’t have the endurance for any distance above 200 yards or so.
It was ridiculous. Resultantly, at least once every two weeks, I go for a brisk jog of about a mile. In the summer, I try to hit a 3-mile run once a month or so. Keeps you honest.
That said, if you never plan on running again, skip it. Either way, this should be something you do for general fitness, not as your primary means of fat loss.
Comments for This Entry
metalheaddoc
When you do the stair sprints, do you use every step or every other step?February 23, 2017 at 6:08 am
John Romaniello Author
Typically, every other step; I try to get up there as quickly as possible.March 2, 2017 at 8:03 am
John Romaniello
Every other step, usually. Great question.March 2, 2017 at 3:38 pm
Greg Sparta
Try rucking, put on a 40lb weight vest and walk around Central Park. It's outside cardio and you look badass doing it.February 23, 2017 at 4:21 am
John Romaniello Author
That sounds awesome. Will def try it. Thanks, Greg.March 2, 2017 at 8:04 am
Lenny Richardson
Interesting. I've done kettlebell swings once but unfortunately the gym I frequent doesn't really have any in the main gym section. I might try those barbell complexes though. Thanks for the info!December 13, 2016 at 5:56 pm
Kelli Johnson
Great ideas for getting cardio in...I'm guilty of needing more! Ugh!!June 22, 2016 at 9:01 am
Krisandra Kellogg
First thing the interwebs sent me to when I begged Google for an alternative after another miserable, soul-crushing jog. I will NEVER understand how some people love that shit. In fact, I'm quite sure that they're lying. I suppose there are people who feel that way about lifting, but that's just crazy talk. Anyhoo. Informative, amusing read. Thanks!August 12, 2015 at 1:01 pm
christopher Debo
Steve - I had almost forgot about that beach scene with Sly and Carl (no this is not Lando from Star Wars people). As an aging ex-athlete, I prefer the elliptical machine myself. My knees cannot take running anymore. www.homegymanswers.comMarch 29, 2015 at 9:41 pm
pip
How about rowing machine? Either intervals or 20-30 mins. Full (ish) body workout and a heart thumper. Note - also good for warm upMarch 13, 2015 at 11:02 pm
the_boss
Plus you're spot on about Sweetness!March 13, 2015 at 12:47 am
the_boss
My fav cardio is ruck/weighted PT. 20-35lbs in a ruck while doing man makers or 8-count body builders will give you the flu for sure. Try 7 sets of 7 with 60 seconds between sets and make sure you have a bucket nearby.March 13, 2015 at 12:46 am
ChuckS123
Champion weightlifter Andy Bolton recently wrote that he'd ordered 92 kg (202 pound) kettlebells.January 20, 2015 at 7:04 pm
BrandonEllistv
Nice cardio tips here bro. And... now I'm going to have to watch Rocky III tonight. :) My fave is sprints for fat-loss. That and running. I do a few long runs a month, 20+ miles, and otherwise maybe 15-25 miles a week on shorter runs. Not so much for fat-loss as I've really just got hooked on running even though I used to hate it too. And I have a goal to run a 50k in a few months. I also enjoy swimming and mountain biking. And hiking. And Kayaking. Anything active I guess!! haha...January 15, 2015 at 12:56 am
Jianni
If you live close to some water grab an SUP(Stand up paddleboard) and paddle yourself to bliss. It's like walking on water with your hands... It is just awesomeJanuary 13, 2015 at 12:55 pm
Dann Shaffer
like tabatas for cardio (20 seconds of work, 10 seconds rest for 10 rounds) with either KB swings or a mma med ball complex that my friend and coach put together in a medball athletic conditions series. Great article! Loved it!January 13, 2015 at 6:14 am
Joseph Irons
+2 Charisma points for throwing in 2 Rocky references +2 more for saying the song increases calorie burn!January 13, 2015 at 1:30 am
Mindy McConnell
What do you mean by "come back" when you are talking about stair sprints? And then, how do you "come back twice"? Thanks!October 15, 2014 at 1:35 am
Interesting Health & Fitness Stuff, Volume 5 | Jeff Angus
[…] A great look at cardio (and its benefits) from John Romaniello […]March 25, 2014 at 8:07 pm
John Romaniello
Haha, fair enough. She's certainly distracting.March 21, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Daniel Colossus DiPiazza
Brb, gotta go yogg.March 21, 2014 at 3:57 pm
Tunya
Roman, lets be honest here. Using your wife as extra weight resistance, REALLY? She isn't adding any extra weight to that sled, but she is pretty to look at and gives you something to focus on other than the pain. :-)March 20, 2014 at 10:08 pm
Rolando Medel Villarama
Great stuff as always. I love MMA type conditioning with Battle ropes, kettlebells, etc. =)March 20, 2014 at 9:36 am
Matt Wilkerson
Biking like a mad man lol destination : nowhere find a trail make your own whatever's clever, the ex bought me a bike the day before she cheated (on me) lol nothing like that for some motivation to get out and enjoy other scenery... all ive gotta say is thanks for the bike works me better than she ever did haha cheersMarch 20, 2014 at 8:13 am
Sherry Chilcutt
I love contra dancing which is a bit like square dancing and second favorite is stairs.March 20, 2014 at 6:12 am
Jacinta Washington
My fav cardio is Spin class it's so much fun if you have a good instructor!!!!March 20, 2014 at 4:28 am
Conor
Kettlebell swings all the way! Is there any reason you never seem to include farmers carries in any of your workouts Roman?March 19, 2014 at 9:55 pm
John Romaniello
Actually they're in most of my coaching clients warm ups. I like them as part of a full body warm up, or as finishers.March 20, 2014 at 9:46 pm
Conor
Good to know. I have your Superhero fatloss, Zombie and Engineering the alpha programmes but they weren't in any of them.March 20, 2014 at 10:57 pm
John Romaniello
My one on one clients. I tend not to put them into my general programming.March 21, 2014 at 12:44 pm
Mary Moore Kane
I've "enjoyed" all of these with the possible exception of The Sled. I always feel like I'm going to slip and hit my teeth on the stupid thing and The Sled just seems like more of a man thing. Am I right, ladies? Ladies....???March 20, 2014 at 12:49 am
Jeff Adamus
Love the post John! Cyclingup long hills here in NorCal doesMarch 20, 2014 at 12:39 am
pixelzombie
The woman in the clip isn't bringing the kettlebell up high enough. Watch Pavel Tsatsouline to get the correct form. I usually start with 100 jumping jacks, 15 spine rolls and then finish off with 25 reps with a 35lb kettlebell, makes for a tough set.March 19, 2014 at 8:12 pm
John Romaniello
lol. I'll tell her you said so.March 20, 2014 at 9:47 pm
Deborah D. Jensen
Just moved to the mountains, so hill sprints are going to be my go to. But, seriously, they kick my ass .... HIIT on the bike is my fave alternate.March 19, 2014 at 9:19 pm
Mark West
Swimming?March 19, 2014 at 9:03 pm
Christy Salzwedel
I play dance dance revolution for cardio. I'm too busy not failing songs and not falling over to register the pain until I'm done. I sometimes forget to set a timer and end up going for 2-3 hours, then regretting it massively the next day. XD If you ever see me running though, rest assured I am being chased by something big and nasty looking...March 19, 2014 at 8:22 pm
Matt Storer
I've found running in snow works much the same way as running in sand. mostly-packed snow, not half a foot of powder. running up snowy hills is killer. love it!March 19, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Ryan Graczkowski
For me, it's finishers. It's so freakishly handy for cardio work that applies to martial arts that it's stupid. Although, having signed up for some obstacle races, I've had to find ways to integrate the dreaded 'yog-ging' (what is that, Swedish?) which hasn't been fun. I'm hoping, once I get up to the distance I need, I can drop most of it back out and stick to once a week for maintenance purposes.March 19, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Richard Gere
I do something twice on Sundays, too.March 19, 2014 at 6:37 pm
kanoache .
Our gym has this cardio torture device called a Versaclimber (google it if you don't know what it is). I have a love hate feeling about that thing. Love because I can do a very effective HIIT sesh on it in about 7 or 8 min (20 sec full bore fast as you can; 40 sec active rest; repeat 6 or 7X); hate because I absolutely feel like I'm going to frickin' die afterword (and sometimes during). Your quads and glutes will be on fire afterward.March 19, 2014 at 6:37 pm
Matthew Schifferle
Totally agree with you about the lazer tag. I did 30 minutes worth in Montreal one time and felt like I had run up a moutian. The only other thing I would add is bag work. Going all Jet Li on a bag for 3 rounds of 90 seconds is great!March 19, 2014 at 5:14 pm
Sierra McClain
Biking!!!March 19, 2014 at 4:44 pm
Paula D'Ambrosio
I pick ropes - long or jump - either is fine. Or alternating between the two, even better. Also laughing at articles like this where you can't spell out "Oh my god" but fucking and holy shit are fair game. Love it!March 19, 2014 at 4:36 pm
Emile Jarreau
I was getting woried for a minute that you'd leave H.I.I.S off the list...then I saw # 8 and thought "Ok...so player still remembers!" Nice piece John.March 19, 2014 at 12:34 pm
John Romaniello
Ha! As if I could forget.March 20, 2014 at 9:47 pm
Agnelo Lubisse
Great post. One question though...you've made a very good case for jogging/yogging but unless I'm missing something I couldn't see the case against...March 19, 2014 at 4:18 pm
TommyZCat
Thanks for some great inspirational reading this morning!March 19, 2014 at 11:55 am
BobScott
Damn, so much hate for jogging. I run because I like to run.March 19, 2014 at 11:53 am
John Bruckerhoff
When I lived at home, I loved running with my dog. I would just sprint as fast and as long as I could trying to stay up with him. Living on my own I dont do cardio. :/March 19, 2014 at 3:29 pm
Daetwan Williams
I almost did the math and then I read the last line! ha!December 31, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Top Good Reads Weekly Breakdown: Nov 18 – Nov 24
[...] Training Methods: Re-Visiting the FMS in the Team Sport Setting – Sean Skahan 9 Ways to do Cardio That Suck Slightly Less – John Romaniello 4 Steps to Fix Your Squat – Tony Bonvechio Simplifying the Squat – Glen Hotte Women, [...]September 12, 2013 at 10:19 pm
Not Your Average Cardio | Path to My Future Self
[...] http://www.romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/cardio-1/ [...]August 5, 2013 at 3:55 pm
Anna Pham
The battling ropes is quite new for me I must say,I love rope jumping and I think it is the best form the suits girls for a better body.May 22, 2013 at 4:48 pm
John Romaniello
Fair point! Jumping rope burns more calories per minute than nearly anything else. Great choice.March 20, 2014 at 9:48 pm
peter
nice www.cardio-training.nlMay 13, 2013 at 5:25 am
Cardio Tips « EscapeThatFat.com
[...] 9 Ways to Do Cardio That Suck Slightly Less Than Most Forms of … http://www.romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/cardio-1/ Now, you don't need to do cardio to diet down for a shoot, especially when you're doing 5-6 weight-training sessions per week; however, it does speed things … [...]May 5, 2013 at 5:28 am
Loreto Paz Ansaldo
love this post! tons of alternatives and finally an answer to "why should I jog?" thanks! one of my favorite things I've read from you :)April 23, 2013 at 12:23 am
Body Athletics Blog
Ha great article! I personally do a lot of swimming which definitely SUCK but has some obvious benefits ---> http://www.bodyathleticsblog.com/2012/12/29/endless-youth/.December 31, 2012 at 8:34 pm
Ylwa Eklund Falk
I think jogging is to working out what Creed was to pop music.December 18, 2012 at 10:00 pm
Flottar greinar! | Sævar Borgars
[...] http://www.romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/cardio-1/ [...]December 11, 2012 at 11:34 am
Tom @ WhatWhey.com
Number 8... I don't know mate, 2 minute cardio may not be enough :)December 10, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Billy Brooks
So many people think running is the only acceptable form of cardio. In my opinion, jogging is a waste of time. If I need to get my heart pumping I like to do either barbell complexes (mostly front squats or deadlifts) or use ropes. I mean why wouldn't you? You get your heart pumping and you're building muscle at the same time.December 6, 2012 at 7:19 pm
Jason
hey John if i'm short on time and I can't get to the Gym, I like crack 150 burpees (my current PR 12:37min). It's a great full body workout that you can do in your bathroom on the way to the shower. If you got any other Ideas for bathroom body blasting workouts (I hope that doesn't sound too weird, now read it back....well anyway) I'd really like to try one out JasonDecember 6, 2012 at 7:18 am
Derby City CrossFit | Louisville | Workout of the Day – Thursday 11/29/12
[...] 9 Ways to Do Cardio That Suck Slightly Less Than Most Forms of Cardio Learn Yourself Lesson: Bursa Muscular Body Image Lures Boys Into Gym, and Obsession A Day in the Life of Calories In < Calories Out Re-Visiting the FMS in the Team Sport Setting [...]November 28, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Paul Corral
What's got me actually looking forward to the conditioning portion of my workout is what I call power circuits. I combine plyo's kettle bells, med ball throws, battle ropes and perform 40 seconds on 20 seconds off while switching between movements/ equipment. 3 exercises for 3 rounds makes for a great 9 minute finisher after strength training!November 28, 2012 at 12:49 am
Matt Feato
Been sticking with the yoga routines for my "cardio." Since bikram puts you in a 105+ degree room, a) you sweat non-stop, b) you get a good (max.) heart-rate kick for a little while. Downside is 90 minutes for a class (would like to be shorter), but does go by quickly....and definitely beats running any day of the week. Twice on Sundays.November 24, 2012 at 5:38 pm
9 Ways to Do Cardio That Suck Slightly Less than Other Forms of Cardio VIA Roman Fitness Systems « BachFitness
[...] For a direct link to the article click Here [...]November 23, 2012 at 1:37 pm
9 Ways to Do Cardio That Suck Slightly Less than Other Forms of Cardio VIA Roman Fitness Systems « BachFitness
[...] For a direct link to the article click Here [...]November 23, 2012 at 1:37 pm
Hewy II
I figured how to incorporate pushup-planks in my Post workout sex, making it better than M100's - Im panting and sweaing my @$$ off in les sthan 7 mins!November 22, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Sandra Sazdovska
...how would you categorize dancing?... let say a hip-hop style...Thanks.November 21, 2012 at 3:09 am
Amy Semelsberger Evilsizor
How about swimming? Do a few laps at full speed, just like sprints but its more fun in the pool.November 20, 2012 at 5:36 pm
Jim Trump
Power Walking by Super Man Steve Reeves , done with 5 to 10 lbs leg weights and 5 lbs dumbellsNovember 20, 2012 at 1:07 am
Articles You Should Read Numero 1
[...] http://www.romanfitnesssystems.com/blog/cardio-1/ [...]November 19, 2012 at 9:58 pm
mj1010
Thanks for the tips on cardio. I really enjoyed your sense of humor....yogging.November 19, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Matt Bona
Laser Tag! Also, I have gotten pretty amazing in my cardio since working with Roman for almost 2.5 months now. I started out like complete shit going half speed for my intervals and now I've been going at the max on my treadmill. While I cannot say I enjoy any part of cardio, Roman has made it less shitty.November 19, 2012 at 11:19 am
OliverT
It's been troubling me for a while but I've finally made my mind up, John you are the best fitness writer on the net, in my opinion you deserve such recognition for making an article about a topic as mundane as cardio actually entertaining and informative. Awesome work (but you already knew that right?) Sorry for this, but by the way 48kilos is just under 500 pounds, dont bother checking it out, i promise its true.November 19, 2012 at 7:03 am
kenid
Thanks for the post. Some twist on cardio workouts for me to consider, but like you, I detest cardio as I'm definitely past my prime. But I need a lithe/streamlined body to get on motorcycle taxis to get through traffic congestion in a city. I do HIIT and moderate strength training nearly daily. So far, I am happy with the outcome.November 19, 2012 at 3:36 am
Meat Mike Campbell Training
Definitely fuck jogging. Yucky. Hill sprints as a stand alone workout make a man. Kettlebell swings and sled combos for a finisher work every time. OuchNovember 18, 2012 at 11:06 pm
DiAnna Hudson
<--- these are a BLAST!November 18, 2012 at 9:35 pm
DiAnna Hudson
www.air-trekkers.com <--my new favorite form of yoggingNovember 18, 2012 at 5:34 pm
William Coulter
I like doing treadmill sprints, were you don't turn it on and just grab the front handles and run like mad to push the belt yourself.November 18, 2012 at 4:48 pm
Bree
2,3,6 are great but ill take #8 over the stairs anyday!(:November 18, 2012 at 4:30 pm
ruby
wow, we do nearly all of these at the gym where I go (crossfit affiliate - bad 'c' word!) except treadmill (no machines except rowing machines), and of course, sex (and the trainer is so darned handsome - as handsome as you, Roman!) As a chubby 62 year old woman, I need to modify somewhat, so I do step-ups instead of box jumps (variant of stairs?). I call the sled 'the sled of death,' can't do but love to watch and listen to others do double-unders jump rope (fabulous sound!) Most of these we do after our weightlifting as met-con (which I call our 'torture circuit') but sometimes our warmup is 3 rounds of 8 each lightweight overhead squats, back squats, good mornings, barbell rows, deadlifts. Sometimes, turkish get-ups (not your bellydancing costume!) which also kick my butt. We've got the battle ropes, the hill to sprint. My favorite tho is kettlebell swings - they work so much of your body, including core, so effectively and simply (er, not to be confused with 'easy') I use a 12kg/26 lb KB, and that's heavy - I have one at home, too. I'm not going to give away the math on that 48kg KB, but holy crap! It's over 100 lb...November 18, 2012 at 2:34 pm
HeatherKirby
* Except laser tag. Nothing beats laser tag–that shit is boss.* made me laugh so hard I scared my hamster.November 18, 2012 at 2:30 pm
ron knox
my hamster hasn't been aroused in months nowMarch 19, 2014 at 6:40 pm
Amanda
Hmm, am I the only one having trouble accessing the JF link to buy Renegade Cardio? I've tried each of the links, always get an 'error 404'.November 18, 2012 at 2:12 pm
Fitness Black Book
I've always been able to get as lean as I desire walking on a treadmill after lifting...just like you described in point 1. I like to add in HIIT 1-2 times per year, if I have more than 5 pounds to drop.November 18, 2012 at 5:58 pm
David Jeshua-Whitt Webb
I do couple different ones that I like.. 1. Max-OT cardio... Recumbent Bike for 16-20min ballz to the wall.. Increase emotion or speed.. Record total calories burned in time and tryntombeat it each time after that... 2. HIIT on the stair climber- do 16-20 min intervals normal work rate around 125 and rest rate around 90.. Just try your best not to compromise form 3. Pick three different cardio machines, for example stair climber, bike, and treadmill and do 10 minutes on each do intervals for the 10 min then switch exercises..November 18, 2012 at 1:14 pm
Amanda Smith
Super excited to try out the stair workout! I hate sprints in cold weather, and tend to slack on a treadmill unless I'm "LISS" listening to podcasts. Wish I had access to a sled or prowler!November 18, 2012 at 5:10 pm
Cody Moxley
Treadmill intervals are my favorite because I can vary the speed and incline for progression. Plus the timer keeps me honest.November 18, 2012 at 4:36 pm
Ruby Faris
Running around the school yard chasing my kindergarten kids!November 18, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Markku Niilo
cross country skiing is fun, you can also expand your kettlebell stuff, if you take a class it might be a lot of fun. P.S. a great article, gave me many ideas how to do more cardio..November 18, 2012 at 11:42 am
Markku Niilo
I wonder why so many people hate running.. it is not really much different than brisk walking.. except you burn many more calories, strengthen your joints, bones, etc. I think it is just a matter of getting used to it.. Try to get out of your comfort zone and eventually you might like it. Of course it is not necessary but it can be a powerful tool in your toolbox.November 18, 2012 at 11:39 am
Dorian Mode
I hate cardio also, but I have been jogging, 4.2 to 5 mph or a thread mill,for a period of 3.5 miles this takes 45 minutes for No less than 2 days a week but, no more than 4. I know its slow but I'm 57 years old, after that I go to a 45 min. spin class.On odd days I add weight lifting to the mix. Push ups aided by weights. Is this an effective weight lost routine ? any help I can get would helpNovember 18, 2012 at 9:56 am
victoria Boer
This is awesome i grabbed it the other day and ive used some for my clients . pls thanks jason for me for thinkingNovember 18, 2012 at 9:31 am
John Romaniello
I will do so, Victoria =)November 18, 2012 at 11:34 am
Mike
What about swimming? How effective is that?i like to do length of breast stroke then length of front crawl as quick as I can for 15 minsNovember 18, 2012 at 9:05 am
John Romaniello
Swimming is fantastic - I just didn't include it because i'm not very good at itNovember 18, 2012 at 11:34 am
Stephen
If it weren't for hill sprints, I'd never even consider cardio. Hate it that much.November 18, 2012 at 8:53 am
John Romaniello
Because it's lame.November 18, 2012 at 11:34 am
Keith B.
Good article. I don't walk on treadmills, though (much worse on the knees). I prefer to walk outside if it is nice, inside on a walking track if it is not. I also like MMA style cardio (kickboxing, heavy bag, etc.) , and Yoga/Tai Chi for recovery or if I am just feeling mellow. And of course, sex ;)November 18, 2012 at 8:47 am
John Romaniello
MMA stuff is good fo sho'November 18, 2012 at 11:34 am
Alex
MMA training for me.. and some swimming and ocasional bike riding for endurance..November 18, 2012 at 8:23 am
Daniel Wallen
Fuck jogging. Favorite slow cardio: Walking my dog at the park / hiking. Favorite fast cardio(ish): Reverse Pyramid Set-up of Squats, Burpees, Push-ups, Pull-ups. That's a bitch of a finisher for the end of a workout.November 18, 2012 at 11:52 am
Roman Fitness Systems
seriously - fuck jogging.November 18, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Tom Corcoran
I think its pronounced Yogging...November 19, 2012 at 3:00 am
Cami
wicked ideas! I'm almost pumped to do cardio this week! If anyone lives near the beach...sand dune sprints- hill sprints at a whole new level.November 18, 2012 at 6:47 am
John Romaniello
dune sprints! what a great idea. I'll get on that.November 18, 2012 at 11:35 am
stan
Jogging on treadmills sucks initially but after forcing yourself past first 15 minutes, surprising I want to to force myself to run for another 20 minutes. I use HIT for running. One a while, to give my knee some rest, I do HIT using the machine that swing your legs forward and backward without weight bearing much on the knees. Though any people hate jogging/running, I managed to get 13kg off my weight though I use about 6 months.November 18, 2012 at 3:12 am
Clement
Best cardio article I've read this year! I especially like the idea of stair sprints. I used to do them when it rained, which is pretty often in my country. Do you take the steps 2 at a time like I do?November 18, 2012 at 2:06 am
John Romaniello
generally, yes, two steps. thanks for stopping by broNovember 18, 2012 at 11:35 am
Jason Maxwell
Damn....Laser tag is so boss.November 18, 2012 at 2:05 am
Anne Bione
Running sucks. I do my cardio by swimming or stair sprinting, but rope jumping is growing on me lately. KB swings and battle ropes are pretty awesome as well, but as for the rest... meh, boring.November 18, 2012 at 5:52 am
Roman Fitness Systems
I'm not a very strong swimmer, so for me it's less "cardio" and more "focus on not looking stupid"November 18, 2012 at 3:33 pm
Elaine Badejo
I am so glad you hate running as much as I do! My husband and I love to backcountry ski for our cardio, we use our Randonee skis and climb up to our destination and ski down! That is FUN!November 18, 2012 at 5:25 am
Roman Fitness Systems
running is the worst! The skiing sounds fun =)November 18, 2012 at 3:29 pm
Alejandro Pichersky
High Octane Cardio (HOC) or a sequence of 10-15 KB exercises (10 reps each) and in between you do the Around the body pass (10 reps each direction).November 18, 2012 at 5:20 am
Roman Fitness Systems
SHIT, shoulda added this one. HOC is baller. Good one.November 18, 2012 at 3:28 pm
Alejandro Pichersky
Thanks, I learned it from Mike Mahler.November 27, 2012 at 3:47 am
JD
For battling ropes for how long would you aim to do sessions of 30 seconds off 30 seconds on?November 18, 2012 at 1:14 am
John Romaniello
About 5-10 intervals =)November 18, 2012 at 11:35 am
Martha
I work at a high school, I run the bleachers.November 18, 2012 at 12:59 am
John Romaniello
YES! Oh man, that just made me miss high school football practice.November 18, 2012 at 1:51 am
Kevin Campbell
A heavy bag isn't a bad cardio workout either.November 18, 2012 at 4:56 am
Roman Fitness Systems
damn right. bag work is fantastic.November 18, 2012 at 5:51 am
Chad Howse
Great form of cardio. Heavy amount of trunk rotation as well - great for fat loss in the midsectione...November 24, 2012 at 3:48 pm
Pernell Jedd
I love how all the PTs put articals up that have some relation to an ebooks being put out.November 18, 2012 at 4:53 am
Roman Fitness Systems
Well...yes. It makes sense to do so. That's how you make sales.November 18, 2012 at 5:51 am
Tom Corcoran
thats how they make $$$... so whatNovember 18, 2012 at 5:52 am
Pernell Jedd
yeah i know thats why i said i love it SO WHAT!!!!November 18, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Tom Corcoran
oh alright lol i thought you were being sarcasticNovember 19, 2012 at 2:53 am
Kevin Stock
Boom! (SSI Cardio is my preference - it's a combo thing...)November 18, 2012 at 4:49 am
Taylor Rowley
Barbell complexes are my favorite, and in case you were wondering, jump roping like Rocky: number two! Classic, acssesible, yet distinct cardio workouts Roman. What are your thoughts on track sprints?November 18, 2012 at 12:29 am
John Romaniello
track sprints are great - I normally do 40's 50s and 100s. I prefer hills but a track is a good optionNovember 18, 2012 at 11:36 am
Rami
I just love hill sprints develops so much strength !November 18, 2012 at 12:26 am
John Romaniello
yup!November 18, 2012 at 11:36 am
Trish...
Sweeeet! I do a lot of these for my cardio conditioning.... TRX is a pretty awesome cardio workout too!!November 18, 2012 at 12:24 am
John Romaniello
trx is a great one =)November 18, 2012 at 11:36 am
Paul Burnstein
thank you I have tried the ropes and it is wonderful.November 18, 2012 at 4:22 am
Roman Fitness Systems
yeah they're a lot of fun--glad you're enjoying themNovember 18, 2012 at 3:29 pm