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Get Shredded for Summer | Metabolic Circuits for Cardio | Erin Stern

Posted on July 29, 2017 at 12:00 AM

In this series, we have been looking at ways to get leaner without having to do extra traditional cardio. This month we’ll focus on metabolic circuits. I love these because you don’t need any equipment and they can be done anywhere at anytime! The idea is to use the circuits as a stand-alone workout, or as a cardio burn after lifting.

The overall idea is to get 1:30 to 2 minutes of “work” in, followed by 1-2 minutes of rest. Work is just defined as movement here; we’re not looking for all out effort or sprints. Aim for 5-7 circuits or about a 20-minute workout total. The 20 minutes will include your recovery time. If you’re doing the circuits as a stand-alone workout, then you might choose to add in weighted exercises. If you’re doing the circuits after weight training, you might want to opt for body weight exercises or a combination of both. I like to count reps for each exercise, but you could also use a timer. I feel that my form tends to be better when counting reps, as I can change exercises if my form starts to deteriorate. 

Here are some exercises you could incorporate:

  • Jumping jacks and variations
  • Scissor jumps
  • Lunges
  • Step ups
  • Pop squats
  • Mountain climbers
  • High skips
  • Farmer’s carries
  • Battle ropes
  • TRX work (rows, curls, etc.)
  • Pushups and variations
  • Renegade rows
  • Bear crawls
  • Prowler pushes
  • Sled pulls and variations
  • Kettlebell swings

As you can see, the list of exercises to choose from is extensive. Exercises can be combined for more upper body work, total body work, or lower body work, depending on your goal for the day. Having a variety of exercises and combinations helps keep the training interesting and can help you avoid a plateau. Metabolic circuits also help  increase calorie burn. This means that the body has to work harder to perform them! 

Check out the corresponding video below for more tips and for a demonstration! I love taking PEAK ATP before work outs, as I’m able to get more quality reps in. Over time, that leads to huge changes! Thanks for reading, until next time, train hard y’all!

-Erin Stern, 2x Ms. Figure Olympia

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