Lift Weights Faster If You Don’t Like Traditional Cardio

Cardio is important for anyone who wants a sound heart and better health. Still, not everyone enjoys traditional forms of cardio, such as running. If you’re the type of person that would rather fight a rhino than go for a run, there are other cardio options out there. Try “lifting weights faster” for the same benefits.

Picture: Victor/Flickr

If you prefer lifting, you can get use weights to get many of the same benefits from cardio (and obviously the benefits from strength training as well). Jen Sinkler, fitness author and contributor to Women’s Health, explains:

When people ask me what I do for cardio, I tell them that I “lift weights faster.” Of course, there was your standard token internet naysayer: “You can’t get a cardio effect with weights,” he brayed.

Luckily, there have been a few recent studies on the topic of lifting and aerobic capacity. A recent study sponsored by the American Council on Exercise found that a group of young, relatively fit individuals who trained with kettlebells for 8 weeks experienced a 13.8 per cent increase in aerobic capacity, along with the strength and balance benefits you might expect.

“Lift weights faster for cardio” might sound as silly as “move your legs faster to get where you’re going sooner,” but there are nuances (and limitations) to doing it correctly. For example, Jen explains that past research suggests machine and barbell exercises might not be a substitute for cardio.

However, Dr Alex Koch, an associate professor of exercise science at Lenoir Rhyne University explains that getting a good cardio workout from weights is indeed possible:

I believe it is possible to improve your VO2 max with high-rep, dynamic, weighted exercises like the snatch, clean, or swing,” says Koch. “To get the most improvement with these movements, the workouts should consist of a high level of effort and a duration of effort that is constant, or intermittent with short rest breaks.

If you want to get started, here is a sample workout that Jen has graciously provided from her “Lift Weights Faster 2” program:

For more information on how you can utilise weights for your cardio workout, see the link below.

Lift Weights Faster [JenSinkler.com]