Cardio training can be fun and energizing while providing a challenging physical/mental experience! Regardless of your training goals, your workout schedule should include some form of cardio that focuses on increasing your heart rate to both aerobic (longer duration, endurance) and anerobic (shorter duration, HIIT) levels with repetitive, full body movement patterns. In this 10-day challenge, we use a combination of kickboxing, bodyweight athletic cardio, and weighted HIIT to get the heart pumping for improved oxygen uptake and utilization, increased blood flow, and decreased stress levels with the mood boosting release of endorphins.
Who is this challenge for?
This challenge is for “intermediate” level exercisers who have been consistently moving their bodies for at least three to six months and have a moderate level of baseline cardio training. Nonetheless, most of the workouts/exercises are easily modifiable to adjust the difficulty to a less or more challenging level to fit your current fitness capabilities, preferences, and goals.
If your primary focus is strength training, sandwiching this challenge between other strength-forward trainer series challenges or Fitness Blender programs is a great way to incorporate stimuli variety and avoid burnout/overtraining from solely focusing on one training modality.
What to expect?
Challenge Roadmap — Week #1 & Week #2:
- Day 1 & 6: Kickboxing - Bodyweight (Low + Moderate Impact) [Level 3]
- Day 2 & 7: HIIT – Bodyweight & Weights (Low + Moderate + High Impact) [Level 4]
- Day 3 & 8: Endurance Cardio – Bodyweight & Athletic (Moderate Impact) [Level 3]
- Day 4 & 9: Kickboxing & Upper Body Strength – Weights (Low + High Impact) [Level 4]
- Day 5 & 10: Kickboxing & Lower Body Strength – Weights (Low + High Impact) [Level 4]
Weeks 1 and 2 mirror each other in workout formats, intensity, and duration, meaning that the difficulty progression in this challenge occurs within the weekly training cycle. There are three kickboxing workouts each week, because kickboxing is a great training style for improving balance, coordination, and agility while providing an accessible range of moderately intense total body cardio. As we age, cardiovascular function and many other proprioceptive skills (spatial awareness and coordinated movement) decrease unless we specifically train to maintain and improve these skillsets. A sprinkle of weighted strength training segments is included during the last two kickboxing workouts of each week to challenge your ability to switch between two training modalities, improve metabolic response, and increase caloric expenditure.
The mixture of training intensities, movement patterns, and workout formats provide a fun, efficient training schedule to offer variety without overtaxing muscle groups or training focuses.
Equipment:
A range of “medium” to “moderately heavy” weights are needed for three out of five workouts each week. As this is a cardio-forward challenge, you don’t need to opt for your most challenging weights and will need to rely on perceived efforts to gauge your weight selections (workouts that include weights have different objectives). A mat will also be helpful for any plank/prone position exercise, core work, and to act as a buffer between your weights and the floor (think snatches!).
Closing Notes:
Improving cardiovascular function and agility as we age helps build stamina to endure increasingly demanding physical activities and helps reduce chances of injury. A healthy heart and lungs allow us to continue enjoying our favorite sports and pastimes. And the ability to move quickly with precision and ease is a key marker of independence and confidence.
Have fun with this challenge! Even if kickboxing isn’t your go-to form of cardio, give it a try with the goal of just trying something different (there are also traditional HIIT and cardio workouts!). Kick, punch, and sweat your way to enjoyment!