Cardio — Page 2

Running + Strength Training Lower Body Workout

April 23, 2018 by Nicole Leave a Comment

This post was sponsored by HOKA ONE ONE. All opinions—as always!—are my own.

Today I have a workout that mixes running with bodyweight tabatas and weighted exercises. It’s a great one if you’re looking to target lower body. For the running intervals, you can use a treadmill or take it outside since it’s (FINALLY) feeling like Spring—hallelujah!!

For this workout, I’m wearing the Cavu from HOKA ONE ONE’s Fly Collection. It was made with versatility in mind, and the three styles in the collection are cushioned enough for long runs while remaining sleek for every day wear. I went with the Cavu because it’s a little lower and lighter than the Mach and Elevon. I also love its simple look—when it comes to sneakers that I’ll wear every day, I’m all about a sleek black shoe.

These sneakers are super comfortable. There’s significant padding (they’ll add an inch to your height!) and their PROFLY™ responsive cushioning is softer in the heel for shock absorption and firmer in the forefoot for propulsion. So for running, I find them really comfy and love that they’re lightweight even with the thicker sole.

I don’t necessarily identify myself as “a runner”. It’s been a long time since I’ve run long distances, and I typically incorporate short(er) runs in with other strength exercises. That’s why the Fly Collection was a good fit for me. Yes, they’re running sneakers, but I can wear them in other types of workouts as well and definitely while teaching!

I put them through today’s lower body workout that mixes mile-long runs with bodyweight tabatas and weighted exercises. You can learn more about the Cavu and other styles in the Fly Collection over at the HOKA site.

Running + Strength Training Lower Body Workout

Here’s the breakdown of this workout:

Run 1 mile – steady, easy run
Complete the 10-minute strength sequence: tabata + weighted exercises
Run 1 mile – intervals: do 30 seconds of a push pace (a hard run, just shy of a sprint) and 30 seconds of jogging
Complete the 10-minute strength sequence: tabata + weighted exercises
Run 1 mile – steady run, try to beat your time from the first mile

For the tabata, you’ll alternate between two bodyweight exercises. The interval structure is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. For the weight work, do each exercise for 30 seconds, moving one to the next and repeating the circuit twice.

You’ll just need a set of dumbbells (and a treadmill if doing it inside). Go with a medium-heavy set of weights.

Exercises in This Workout

Go to 1:58 in the workout video to see a preview of each exercise and how to modify them.

Tabata

Hop Lunge Hop
Donkey Kicks

Weight Circuit

Back Lunge to Deadlift (right)
Curtsy Lunge with Pulse (right)
Low Squat Steps
Back Lunge to Deadlift (left)
Curtsy Lunge with Pulse (left)
Low Squat Steps

Do you like mixing running with other exercises? Give this workout a try and let me know what you think!

xo Nicole
#timetofly #ad

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of HOKA ONE ONE . The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Cardio, Hand Weights/Dumbbells, Lower Body, Running, Treadmill Workouts, Video, Workouts

Stair Pyramid Workout

July 20, 2016 by Nicole 14 Comments

Heads up: If you’re local, make sure to read through to the bottom of this post–I’m giving away a bib to run the Falmouth Road Race!

This workout was a no-brainer–I have to take advantage of the stairs in my apartment while I’m here! No equipment is needed and you can get creative–if you don’t have a staircase, you could go outside and replace the stair sprints with hill sprints and just use a bench for the other exercises.

Stair Pyramid Workout

You’ll complete 10 reps of each exercise, then 9, then 8, and so on, finishing with one rep of each exercise. Go through the pyramid circuit as quickly as you can without sacrificing proper form.

Stair Hop Burpees | Start standing about a foot and a half away from the bottom of your stairs. From here, squat down, bringing your hands to the floor. Hop your feet back out into a plank. Hop them back up towards your hands, releasing your hands from the floor and coming upright into a low squat position. From here, hop both feet onto the bottom step, landing in a low squat and quickly jump back down to the floor in your starting position. That’s one rep.

Stair Step Taps (RIGHT) | Start with your right foot on the second step and your left foot on the floor. Squat down, sliding your hips back as you bend your knees. Your goal is to stay this low on the right side throughout the entire exercise. From this starting position, shift your bodyweight into that right heel and tap your left foot to the first step, back down to the floor, to the second step, and back down to the floor. That combo is one rep.

TAP FIRST STEP-FLOOR-SECOND STEP-FLOOR = 1 REP

Stair Step Taps (LEFT)

Stair Push Ups | This is just a traditional push up but with your feet on a step. The higher the step, the harder the push up.

Stair Sprints | Sprint up, jog down. That’s one rep. On the even-rep rounds (10, 8, 6, 4, 2), take the stairs two at a time on the way up. On the odd-rep rounds (9, 7, 5, 3, 1), take the stairs one at a time as you run up.

UP + DOWN = 1 REP

WEARING | tank c/o Athleta (old – shop current selection here) // Booty by Brabants leggings // sneakers c/o PUMA

Enjoy your day! I went to see Guns ‘N Roses last night at Gillette Stadium so I’m off to a slow start–totally worth it though! I rarely go to Patriots games because Gillette is such a pain to get to but to see Slash and Axl in person … hell yes I’ll sit in traffic until 1AM.

And before I end this post, I’ve got an exciting giveaway for local readers!

Falmouth Road Race Giveaway

One lucky reader will win:

Bib to run the Falmouth Road Race August 21, 2016
2 Month Supply of Chia Bars and Chia Protein Bars from Health Warrior
1 Performance SPIbelt + 2 Race Bib Toggles

Enter using the widget below. Winner will be randomly selected this Friday.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I’ve run the Falmouth Road Race once before and it’s so fun! Great excuse to get down to the Cape for the weekend (as if you need one). 😉

Good luck!

Filed Under: Bodyweight, Cardio, Full Body, Household Objects, Pyramid, Video, Workouts

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout Series: Full Body + Cardio

June 17, 2016 by Nicole 1 Comment

Bodyweight Tabata Workout: Total Body + Cardio - This 12-minute workout is broken up into three tabata supersets. Video included so you can follow along at home! #tabata #tabataworkout #bodyweightworkout #athomeworkout #intervaltraining #hiit

Woop! Workout 4 out of 5. This is bodyweight tabata is a full-body workout and definitely cardio-heavy. If you missed the previous three workouts in this series, they’re targeting by muscle group but use the same format:

I had some issues with the video (note to self: make sure you’re actually in the frame before doing a full tabata of push ups and mountain climbers…) so bear with the choppiness of that second superset if you follow along at home.

12-Minute Bodyweight Tabata Workout: Full Body + Cardio

This workout is made up of three tabata supersets. For each tabata superset, set an interval timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. Or just follow along with the video. During the work intervals, you’ll alternate between the two exercises. In other words: 20 seconds Exercise 1 / 10 seconds rest / 20 seconds Exercise 2 / 10 seconds rest and so on. Rest as needed between tabata supersets, but try to limit it to 60 seconds if possible.

As with all workouts, make sure you’re properly warmed up beforehand. Always listen to your body, modifying or stopping as needed. I have a guided 5-minute warm up you can do as well as a gentler version of it with no jumping.

Tabata Superset 1

Snowboarders | This is essentially a rotating squat jump. Squat down, hips and butt back and down, weight in your heels. Bring your right fingertips towards the ground in front of you and look over your right shoulder. From here, you’re going to jump up and turn towards your right shoulder, rotating 180 degrees in air and landing back in a squat facing the other direction, this time bringing your left fingertips towards the ground and looking over your left shoulder. Repeat, rotating towards your left shoulder this time. A good way to think about it is you’re always looking ahead in the same direction, just changing which foot is in front.

High Knees | Maintaining good posture (don’t hunch forward!), run in place. Use your core to drive your knees up high as you do. Keep these quick! If you have knee issues or need to modify, march in place instead.

Tabata Superset 2

Hand-Release Push Ups | Start in a plank position and begin to bend your elbows as if you were doing a push up. Instead lower your body all the way to the ground. From here, lift your chest and hands off the ground, squeezing your upper back. Lower your hands back down to the ground by your rib cage and press your body back up into a high plank position. To modify perform on your knees.

Crossbody Mountain Climbers | Start in a plank position with hands stacked under shoulders, abs held in tight. Don’t let your low back arch down towards the floor. Pull your right knee across your body towards your left elbow, trying to make physical contact between the two if you can. Step the right foot back into your high plank and then repeat on the other side, left knee to right elbow. Your goal is to go fast but also to get the knee as close to touching the opposite elbow as possible. Don’t sacrifice the latter for speed.

Tabata Superset 3

Plank to Low Squat Snaps | Start in a plank position. From here, jump your feet up towards the outsides of your hands and as you do, release the hands from the floor so that you can snap up, landing in a low, wide squat position. Pause. With that same quickness, bring your hands back to the floor as you jump your feet back, landing in plank. The goal is to snap from plank to that low squat with momentum. This way there’s a brief moment when neither your feet nor hands are making contact with the ground.

Hot Feet | You probably know these best as a basketball or football drill. You essentially run in place as fast as you can while in a wide-leg squat position. With your feet a bit wider than hip-width apart, squat down. Staying low, you’ll quickly run your feet up and down. Stay on the balls of your feet and barely pick them off the floor so that you can maintain the speed.