Is Your Cardio Program Working?

Ok, I’ll come right out and admit it: I HATE doing cardio!  Fortunately, I’m a power lifter and that sport doesn’t require a high level of aerobic endurance.  It also doesn’t require low body fat which is why many power lifters tend to be “built for comfort.”  Still, it isn’t a good idea to do NO cardio!  As much as I dislike doing cardiovascular exercise, I also have a strong aversion to dying from a heart attack when I’m 50.  So the cardio must be done…

How do we reconcile the blah of cardio with the need for doing it?  Simple!  Find a protocol that you enjoy (boy, “enjoy” sure is a stretch) that also elevates your heart rate and gets you huffing and puffing.  No, running up one flight of stairs doesn’t count.  You have to elevate your heart rate for an extended period of time, generally speaking for about 30 minutes or more.  Depending on your level of fitness, this may be accomplished by a brisk walk.  For those who are a little more fit, games like soccer or basketball are an excellent way to get your cardio in while still having some fun.

In the video, I mention my loathing of jogging.  The reason for this is twofold.  One, jogging at a slow pace for several miles is a great way to reduce your limit strength (max strength for a single repetition).  Since I compete in power lifting, that would be very counter produtive for me.  For a marathon runner it doesn’t matter since they don’t have to carry anything while they run, they just have to GO (and go, and go, and go).  Second, since I’m *ahem* “plus-sized,” jogging makes my knees and hips hate me.

So how do I get my cardio?  Tire flipping!  In the following video, Parker and I flip a 260 pound tire for reps.  It’s not all that exciting, so we edited it down to one set each.  By the time we were through, we each did four sets of 16 flips.  It was a great full body workout and it was actually kind of fun.

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