Cardio Combo 1

Incorporating short bursts of high intensity exercise in your workout routine will not only help you burn more calories during your workout but will also help raise your metabolism for minutes to hours longer after your workout. The key is to do these bursts in an all-out, 100% maximal effort (for you) to get the most out of them. Cardio Combo 1 is 10 High Knees, 10 Mountain Climbers.

Standing tall, engage the abdominals and alternately lift your knees waist high while running on the spot for 10 total. Quickly drop down into a straight-arm plank (hands under your shoulders and hips low) and alternately draw your knees into your chest for 10 total. Don’t forget to breathe. Repeat both for 30-60 seconds. You can march or jog lightly on the spot to recover and repeat this 3-5X or intersperse it between other exercises.

Notes: Try not to tense up your shoulders or hold your breath. Keep your abdominals engaged throughout, especially with the mountain climbers.

Easier: Keep both exercises low impact (and easier on your joints) by always maintaining one foot on the ground while lifting the other. Slow down the movements.

Harder: Increase the speed of the your leg switches in both exercises. Try to make the transition between the two moves as short as possible. During the high knees you can raise your arms – put your hands behind your head, hold your hands out at shoulder height, raise your arms straight overhead. Incorporate light weights held at chest height, shoulder height or overhead during high knees and then use them to support your hands during the mountain climbers.