Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Three Exercises You Can Do at Home for a Killer Cardio Workout!

If you are like most people, sometimes getting in a workout can be tough. Life always seems to get in the way. Perhaps you're a student and it's finals week or you're working on a tough assignment at work that requires longer hours than normal. It seems that there is always something new every day or week that wants to impede your progress from your exercise routine. DON'T LET IT!! Be prepared to work around these obstacles. Have a plan "B" if you will. In fact, I will lay out a plan "B" for you right now! I will describe three simple (don't confuse simple with easy!) exercises you can do at home or just about anywhere that are guaranteed to produce cardiovascular, muscle conditioning and fat loss results. You don't even need any equipment! However, a simple aerobic step that can adjust heights would be recommended for progression purposes and for those who have a hard time reaching the ground. Or you could simply build a few sturdy (important) boxes on your own if you are handy. The Step F1004 Step Workout System is a light weight, sturdy, adjustable, box that is inexpensive and for the most part, it's portable. Now on to the workout...Exercise #1) The infamous Squat Thrust! Most of us did this exercise in either grade school or middle school as part of your physical education (PE) class. It's pretty simple. To do it, simply start by standing and then bring your hands to the ground or box, kick your feet back so you end up in a push-up position. Keep your abs engages to prevent your back from extending too much as this can be hard on your spine (vertebrae). Now just reverse the process until you are standing again.Exercise #2) The also infamous Mountain Climbers! Again, most of likely did this exercise in PE class. Simply start in a push-up position with your hands on the floor or box, arms straight and balls of your feet on the floor. Lift your right knee straight up towards your right arm, then back down and repeat with your left leg.Exercise #3) You have two options here: 1 - you can simply run in place as fast as possible or, 2 - you can step up and down on a box that you either made or bought. Either way is fine.Now you have the exercises. Here is how you piece it together with these three simple steps...1) Do the exercises in a circuit fashion. Meaning go from one exercise to the other with minimal breaks. However, if you feel short of breath you will want to take some extra time to catch your breath. Only wait as long as you need though. Start by doing 3 rounds (if you can) and work up to as many rounds as you need or have time for.2) To maximize your results workout frequently, typically, 3-4 days per week will suffice, and with a good amount of intensity.3) Use progression! Progression refers to progressively overloading the body's systems and increasing the training stimulus over time to increase fitness adaptations gradually. This is VERY important and will go a long way in injury prevention and overtraining. If you're just starting a workout program such as this, start off nice and easy and work up your intensity over time. Remember, your body will adapt the least amount of unaccustomed activity (Resistance Training Specialist Programs). This means that you do NOT need to start out going full blast or trying to keep up with your buddies who've been working out frequently and consistently for a while! Maybe start off by simply doing one round and slowly working up from there.Using a step box that can adjust in height is highly recommended. I've trained many clients using this routine and most of them prefer using a step box over anything else as it allows them to work faster and thus gain better results. It is also more comfortable and allows you to progressively increase the intensity of your workout by adjusting the height. I've found that 8 inches is a universal height that works for most people although more risers are sometimes needed for those with injuries and such. There is no need to spend a bunch of money on this though! For example, The Step F1004 Step Workout System is inexpensive and comes with everything you need.Give this circuit a try when you're crunched for time or perhaps are stuck inside due to weather and are unable to get to the gym.

Tim Arndt is owner of Matrix Fitness Consulting & Education and is built on over 10 years of fitness industry experience. The goal: to empower you with the facts and expose the myths that are so prevalent in the fitness industry. Consider Matrix Fitness Consulting & Education your personal industry watchdog! Tim specializes in biomechanics and motor learning and control and is also an educator to other fitness professionals. Check out http://www.MatrixFitEd.com today to get the real fact

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