Cardio
training is important, especially
if you want to lose fat as fast
as possible and develop your cardiovascular
capacity. It also can be quite boring
and ineffective if yo uuse exercises
that allow you to plug away for
long periods of time without any
focus, attention or intensity.
That's
where THIS resistance-based cardio
exercise comes in...it's a kettlebell
(or dumbell) swing done at the same
time you're stepping up and down
on a bench, Step platform or stairs.
It works ALL the major muscle groups
in your ENTIRE body in one combination
movement.
It
sounds really complicated and complex...do
a one-arm kettlebell swing combined
with a step-up. But once you get
the hang of it, it's actually pretty
easy and pretty natural to do.
Bench
Step-Ups themselves are a great
low-equipment way to get some cardio
training done. This essentially
doubles the effectiveness of that
cardio by including an upper body
and core component to the exercise,
dramatically increasing calories
burned and the metabolic effect
of the exercise.
Really,
you're hitting your whole body in
one shot.
I
recommend doing this as interval
training. In the demo, I'm doing
30 seconds work to 30 seconds rest
for a total of 15 minutes (I won't
show you the whole 15 minutes here,
though - you'll get the idea well
before that amount of time).
To
do this one, you'll need some Step
risers or a low bench or stairs
and a kettlebell. I'm using a 40
lb kettlebell here. You can also
do this very effectively (though
a bit differently) with dumbells
- I'll show you that version after.
Stand
in front of your Step platform with
the kb in your right hand. Grip
on the kb as far over to the right
hand side of the handle as you can
(I actually leave my pinky off the
grip completely to make the switch
at the top easier). This will facilitate
the switching of hands at the top
of the swing.
Take
a short backswing with the kb then
step up onto the bench at the same
time as you swing the kb up in front
of you (right or left leg - doesn't
matter, though it's good to alternate
which one you step up with on each
interval you do).
At
the top of the swing, when you're
standing on the Step, switch hands
and let it swing down with your
left hand as you step back down
at the same time.
Take
a short back swing then step up
again, swinging the kb up again.
Repeat
this sequence of switching hands
and stepping up and down for 30
seconds.
That's
it!
Like
I said, it sounds complicated but
you once get going it's not so bad.
And it's TOUGH, really hitting every
major muscle group in your body
while you're doing cardiovascular
training.
If
you've only got dumbells, I suggest
doing it with two dumbells and not
switching hands at the top - it's
tougher to switch with db's and
you don't want to drop one on yourself.
It
works just as well with 2 dumbells,
though you won't get the same degree
of core involvement as you do swinging
a single kb back and forth.
Grab
two dumbells - I've got two 20-lb
dumbells here. Take a short backswing.
Now
step onto the platform and start
swinging them up in front of you.
Swing
them up til your arms are horizontal
then step back down, bringing the
dumbells back down and taking another
backswing.
Again,
when you're doing these for intervals,
alternate which leg you lead with
on each interval, e.g. step first
with your left on one interval then
on the next interval step first
with your right. This will help
keep things even.
This
is GREAT cardio training...very
little equipment needed and it'll
work you better then the vast majority
of the cardio machines out there.
