What’s the first thing you think of when you hear “cardio?” Probably running, or perhaps the elliptical machine, stationary bike, or even a rower, maybe? But there’s so much more to cardiorespiratory training than steady-state endurance workouts—a.k.a. trucking it for the long-haul.
The best way to get your heart pumping and the sweat dripping? Compound exercises, which involve multiple joints and more than one muscle group. This way, you get every part of your body in on the action and burn more calories.
Another way to turn up the burn: Swap the steady-state for aHIIT workout or circuit training sequence with moves like high knees, butt kicks, and jumping rope. The higher the intensity of your sweat sesh, the more energy and oxygen you use and the greater after-burn effect (otherwise known as EPOC) you experience. Basically, you’ll continue to burn calories at a higher rate after your workout as your body returns back to its regularly scheduled program #balance.
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