If you’ve been diligently turning up to the treadmill three times a week but feel like your cardiovascular fitness has hit a bit of a wall, check out these high intensity moves which can hone different parts of your fitness to really get you running up those hills. None of these activities need to be done for very long, the most important thing is that you really give it your all.
Stair Lunges
Try lunging up your stairs by taking two at a time, making sure you’re bending low to feel it in your glutes and hamstrings. You can intensify this move by (carefully) upping the pace you set.
Box Jump
If you work out in a gym, see if there are any blocks or cubes available to use – if you work out at home, a large, sturdy cushion should work as a stand in. Starting from a squatting position, leap up onto the box (or cushion), squat, and then jump back. Repeating this only a few times will get your heart racing. Take care to land with soft knees, so you don’t do yourself any damage.
Burpees
A classic for a reason, burpees are great in that they can be easily modified and are guaranteed to get you sweaty and out of breath. Starting in a standing position, leap into the air, move into a push up position, complete a push up before leaping back up and starting again. If you’re not a push up person, try holding a high plank for three seconds, or trying a plank jack.
