Hey guys, by now I have come to the understanding that many of you are serious about your physical fitness and are interested in ways to continually improve and better your physical well-being. That’s awesome!
Since I don’t know the amount of knowledge you have on these topics, I’m going to keep things in their simplest form. I apologize if this material is redundant for some of you, please bear with me.
As much as we want to train, grow and get stronger, rest is just as important as hitting the weights. Remember that your body actually grows outside of the gym. When you are working out, you are breaking the muscle fibers down. It’s when we rest/sleep that they rejuvenate and come back stronger. You can’t go to the gym every day!
However, one muscle that some of us forget to include in our workouts, is the heart. Obviously a very important muscle for our ability to live and thrive. Cardiovascular activity should be included in every person’s workout regiment if they truly want to get into the best shape they can be. I personally, like to do my cardio on my “days off” from training with weights.
There are many different methods to attain a good cardio workout. Basically, you want to raise your heart rate by 65-70% if your goal is to burn fat. If your goal is to increase your endurance and stamina levels, you want to bump it up to 85% and keep it there for 15-20 minutes.
I’m going to show you 5 different workouts to help your heart and burn that excess fat that none of us want, from the privacy of your home. You can utilize these methods on the days you take off from the gym and feel better, knowing that you are vigilant in your efforts to become the best you can be.
J/P/C (Jack/Push/ Climb) Workout
Jump Rope
Time yourself each session so you can mark your progress. Shoot for 100 revolutions. As you progress, you can include different variations.
Plyometrics
Plyometrics, also known as “jump training” or “plyos”, are exercises in which your muscles exert maximum force in short intervals of time The goal is to increase power (speed-strength). The idea is to explode out of the bottom position of any movement, be it a push-up, lunge, squat, what have you. The increased expenditure of energy will have you gasping for breath in a relatively short period of time.
Shadow Boxing
Stand in front of a light, or simply workout in front of a mirror. Throw jabs, crosses, hooks, make sure you include plenty of foot movement, even if its just small hops, or shuffling. Try to do three 3 minute rounds with a stopwatch.
Burpees
These will definitely kick your ass! They aren’t fun, but they are highly effective. That’s why the military and law enforcement agencies around the world include them in their training exercises.
20 minutes of these movements, either done by themselves, or in combination with each other will ensure that your most important muscle, the heart, will get stronger. Plus, they will also help you to get rid of the excess fat that you don’t need. So grab a towel to wipe off the sweat, a big glass of water and get ready to condition yourself. Be strong, be healthy and be happy. Peace
