Get Some
MuscleHead
- Sep 9, 2010
- 3,442
- 648
Ok guys, from time to time all of us get caught up in a routine and forget that changing it up every now and then is important. I'm not just talking about adding some supersets or doing a 5x5 program. While those are good, you can also change up your cardio routine. Sure, you might switch back and forth between the stationary bike, treadmill, elliptical, etc.....but how much fun is that?
Respiratory Strength
One option that I use when my workouts are stalling is to try exercises that have the capability to expand my lung capacity. Most of these include short sprint like movements. This could be running sprints for 30 minutes with breaks in between each sprint. You could also run "lines" on a basketball court or similar facility. Many of you did these things in high school and wonder now why you can't keep up.... you're only as old as you feel so start training like you're in high school again.
Benefits:
Each of the aforementioned exercises serves to expand your lung capacity over time. After repeating these exercise for several months you should notice that you are out of breath less often and your cardio workouts are much easier than they were before. Improved lung capacity also helps you move air in and out of your lungs when pushing heavy weight. The added endurance benefit you'll get will enable you to lift more weight for a longer period of time.
Other Exercises:
Swing a golf club 50 times each day. This sounds simple enough, but back when I was doing this everyday I felt a lot better than I do now. Make it the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning. Stretch, take a few slow warm up swings and then let it rip! If you don't play golf or don't like it, that's ok. The motion of the golf swing is very good at strengthening core muscles and improving flexibility. Flexibility is good for injury avoidance as well as an aid to weightlifting exercises like dropsets.
This move can also be accomplished with a baseball bat. The goal is to feel all the muscles of your core working as one to stabilize the body. Learn which parts of your core work to stabilize secondary muscles like delts, bis, tris, etc.
Medicine Ball - Do not use a medicine ball with a "full speed" type motion unless you've done this a lot already.
Cable Machine - attach a cable at the 3/4 mark of the machine so that it's above your shoulder but not out of reach. Stand with your right shoulder facing the cable and grab it with both hands. You can interlock the hands or use a baseball grip here. Pull the cable down through the "hitting zone" (think baseball) and hold for a second before coming back up. Repeat this with the other side. Do not use too much weight when you're starting out or you'll likely be very sore the next day and not want to do it again or God forbid sustain an injury.
Hope that gives you some decent ideas
And always remember that if you're in your "comfort zone"...then you're not working hard enough.
-GS
Respiratory Strength
One option that I use when my workouts are stalling is to try exercises that have the capability to expand my lung capacity. Most of these include short sprint like movements. This could be running sprints for 30 minutes with breaks in between each sprint. You could also run "lines" on a basketball court or similar facility. Many of you did these things in high school and wonder now why you can't keep up.... you're only as old as you feel so start training like you're in high school again.
Benefits:
Each of the aforementioned exercises serves to expand your lung capacity over time. After repeating these exercise for several months you should notice that you are out of breath less often and your cardio workouts are much easier than they were before. Improved lung capacity also helps you move air in and out of your lungs when pushing heavy weight. The added endurance benefit you'll get will enable you to lift more weight for a longer period of time.
Other Exercises:
Swing a golf club 50 times each day. This sounds simple enough, but back when I was doing this everyday I felt a lot better than I do now. Make it the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning. Stretch, take a few slow warm up swings and then let it rip! If you don't play golf or don't like it, that's ok. The motion of the golf swing is very good at strengthening core muscles and improving flexibility. Flexibility is good for injury avoidance as well as an aid to weightlifting exercises like dropsets.
This move can also be accomplished with a baseball bat. The goal is to feel all the muscles of your core working as one to stabilize the body. Learn which parts of your core work to stabilize secondary muscles like delts, bis, tris, etc.
Medicine Ball - Do not use a medicine ball with a "full speed" type motion unless you've done this a lot already.
Cable Machine - attach a cable at the 3/4 mark of the machine so that it's above your shoulder but not out of reach. Stand with your right shoulder facing the cable and grab it with both hands. You can interlock the hands or use a baseball grip here. Pull the cable down through the "hitting zone" (think baseball) and hold for a second before coming back up. Repeat this with the other side. Do not use too much weight when you're starting out or you'll likely be very sore the next day and not want to do it again or God forbid sustain an injury.
Hope that gives you some decent ideas
And always remember that if you're in your "comfort zone"...then you're not working hard enough.
-GS