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The benefits of high-intensity interval training and steady-state cardio are similar regarding fat loss. The only considerations you need to think about are time and preference. Not whether one burns more fat or calories. It’s how much time you are willing to devote to getting your heart rate up and your preferred way of doing it. That’s it.
Steady-state cardio for 20 minutes or longer bores me to tears, and that’s why Cardio 100 exists. Instead of smacking your feet on a treadmill, you’ll swing a kettlebell, slam a med ball, and use bodyweight exercises to increase your heart rate. This low-impact, high-intensity method is the perfect finisher for your strength workout when a lack of time prevents you from doing it.
Are you ready to strengthen your heart and muscles? Then, let’s dive into this hybrid cardio workout, which will have you sweating and smiling in no time.
4 Benefits of Non-Traditional Cardio 100 Exercises
Traditional cardio has its place, no doubt. But when you want more from it than just an improved cardiovascular system, these four benefits of non-traditional cardio 100 exercises are right up your alley.
Heart And Muscle
Using bodyweight, medicine balls, and kettlebell swings for cardio delivers a full-body workout that strengthens your muscles, heart, and lungs. This equipment recruits multiple muscle groups and becomes a workout that enhances strength, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness.
Burn, Baby, Burn
Performing HIIT with bodyweight exercises, explosive medicine ball throws, and kettlebell swings revs up your metabolism and keeps your heart rate elevated. These movements torch calories and promote fat loss in no time flat. The metabolic demand of these movements means you’ll continue burning calories after the workout.
Power Up
Exercises like kettlebell swings and medicine ball slams train your body to exert maximum force in a short amount of time. This benefits your regular strength training and translates to improved power, speed, and coordination in sports and daily activities.
Joint Friendly
Whether you’re throwing a medicine ball or performing kettlebell swings, they provide a joint-friendly alternative to high-impact exercises like running. They promote strength and cardio without unnecessarily stressing your joints, making them suitable for those who want to train hard but say no to knee pain.
Cardio 100 Guidelines
Let’s get to the good stuff.
Cardio 100 consists of two supersetted exercises performed for 100 reps each, with each exercise being done for either 10, 20, or 25 reps. Alternate between the two exercises until you get 100 reps of each.
You will use exercises like kettlebell swings, med ball work, bodyweight squats, push-ups, and high knees here. Any rhythmic exercise that increases the heart rate and can be done for 25 reps works. Performing 10 reps per set involves more switching between exercises, and the 20—or 25-rep sets test your muscular endurance.
Low-intensity plyometric exercises like high knees or jump rope work ok here, but higher-intensity plyos like clapping push-ups, box jumps, and squat jumps, although great, is hard to do for 100 reps.
Other recommendations include pairing a lower and upper body exercise because your heart works harder to switch between the two. That process burns calories and keeps your heart rate high. Cardio 100 workouts are great either as a finisher after your training or as a stand-alone training instead of traditional cardio.
You can create your own or take a crack at the examples below.
Cardio 100 Workout Examples
These look like fun because, well, they are fun. Good luck.
- Kettlebell Swing & Push-Up
- Slam & Push Up
- Squat & Push Up
