20 seconds of high intensity exercise, 10 seconds rest… repeated 8 times

The entire workout takes less than 4 minutes.  But don’t let the short duration fool you… these workouts are very tough and very effective for building cardiorespiratory endurance and burning fat.

One of the things I recommend is using bodyweight exercises with the Tabata Protocol.  This is a very tough full-body workout that blurs the lines between strength training and cardio… and is a great quick workout.

I found these videos where Zuzana takes you through a 20 minute workout using bodyweight exercises and Tabata Protocol.  Give it a try if you are think you can handle it.  (I think you’ll have a new respect for bodyweight exercise after this).

Exercise 1: One Legged Mountain Climbers

Exercise 2: Baby Push Ups

Exercise 3: Slide Lunges & Lateral Arm Extensions

Exercise 4: Bike Crunches

Exercise 5: Side Slide Lunge & Bicep Curl

There are a couple of things I hope you take away from this 20 minute Tabata Workout…

#1:  Bodyweight exercise is great for a cardio workout. Too often I see exercisers gravitate to the exercise bike, treadmill or row machine for a “cardio” workout.  They forget, or it never occurred to them, that their own body is the best exercise equipment.  I really like using bodyweight exercises for cardio because it gives you a combined full-body workout as well as build endurance.

For more information on this, download my free report: Bodyweight Exericise Cardio Intervals

#2: Bodyweight exercise can be VERY challenging. A lot of exercisers think they need to lift weights to get a great workout.  This is just not so… as I’m sure any of you who have tried the above workout will testify to.

I believe EVERY complete workout program should include bodyweight exercises. Just think about it… exercise is about movement. You are either moving your own body, or you are moving a weighted object.  You need to train BOTH movements to prepare yourself for the challenges of sport, work and life.  DON’T neglect your bodyweight training.

For those of you who want a COMPLETE bodyweight workout program, I recommend Ultimate Gymless Workout.

I hope you enjoyed the workout from Zuzana, and have a new found appreciation for bodyweight training.

Eddie Lomax

Are you using dumbbells for your cardio workout? I thought not. You’re about to learn why dumbbell cardio is better than boring aerobic exercise for improving heart and lung power, burning fat and building a high performance, athletic body.

Workout programs traditionally are split into resistance training (like weight lifting) and cardio (like jogging, rowing or biking). Or these two types of workouts are done on separate days. And more often than not exercisers head for the treadmill, exercise bike or row machine for the cardio session. I don’t see people picking up dumbbells when it comes time to do their cardio workout.

What a shame!

Recently, trainers like myself are moving away from aerobic exercise and toward more high intensity exercise. Anaerobic exercise is high intensity exercise for short periods of time, repeated. Think of sprint intervals.

Evidence shows that anaerobic activity is better than aerobic activity for improving endurance, strengthening the heart and lungs and even burning fat. Not to mention it helps you become more athletic and preserves hard earned muscle. Unfortunately, not a lot of exercisers have made the switch because they have been programmed to do an aerobic workout in their “target heart rate zone”.

So, it comes as no surprise that the jump to dumbbell cardio workouts have not caught on. A dumbbell cardio workout is when you do a series of dumbbell exercises in a circuit with as little rest as possible between exercises. I also use the term “dumbbell intervals” because you alternate between periods of high intensity exercise and rest.

Dumbbell cardio is better than the normal aerobic workout most exercisers do for multiple reasons…

First, and the most simple reason, is you don’t need an expensive equipment like exercise bikes, row machines or treadmills. All you need is a set of dumbbells and you’re ready to go. This also is great if you work out in a crowded gym (yuk!), where the cardio machines are in constant use.

Second, dumbbell cardio gets your heart and breathing going using the ENTIRE body, not just part of the body like the legs. Your heart has to pump blood to the muscles of the legs, the core and the upper body. This prepares the heart for more real world activities than say just jogging.

Third, aerobic exercise goes against your physique building. Yes, it does burn fat while you are doing it… but it also sends a signal to your body that it wants to be lighter. This lead to the body sacrificing muscle as well as fat in the quest to become lighter. On the other hand, using dumbbell cardio sends the signal to get rid of fat, but in a way that preserves the muscles of your entire body because they are needed for the completion of the workouts.

So, the next time you are looking for a great cardio workout that actually helps you build a high-performance, lean, athletic body walk past the cardio machines and pick up a pair of dumbbells instead. Plus, you might just realize how effective dumbbells are as a complete workout tool. Give dumbbell cardio workouts a try instead of boring aerobic exercise.

Download The “Random Dumbbell Intervals” Free Report

Here is one that caught my eye from November 2008 called A Killer’s Workout

Basically, Michael Kelly (Generation Kill star), uses the Bas Rutten Audio Workouts to keep in great shape.  Bas Rutten is a famous MMA fighter and I’ve had his audio workout tapes for years now… and still use them regularly.  No great secret here… you do a shadowboxing workout with calisthenics and other exercises mixed in.  The workout only lasts about 20 minutes, but is surprisingly challenging!  You can find more info on this at www.basrutten.tv

One of the things I notice about doing this workout with Bas Rutten pushing you along the entire way on audio is that it really keeps the intensity high.  In those moments of weakness where you might want to slack off… having someone push you along really helps.

I liked this idea so much that it inspired my own Audio Workout called Commando Calisthenics.  This consists of an Instruction manual and 3 different MP3 workouts… all using only bodyweight exercise. I like to think of this as putting a “Coach In Your Ear”.

I currently don’t sell this separately.  It is only available when you get the COMBO offer for Workout Without Weights or Ultimate Gymless Workout.  (Just go to one of those pages and hit the ORDER button and you’ll see this incredible COMBO offer there!)

So, if you think having me push you through 3 different, challenging bodyweight workouts is something that can keep your intensity high… check it!

On a different note, if you haven’t signed up to get my Free Report, Bodyweight Exercise Cardio Intervals, now is as good a time as any.  If you are tired of boring cardio, you are going to really thank me for this one!

Not only is bodyweight calisthenics more fun… but they are more effective at building a strong, lean, athletic body!