Would a BW circuit be a good sub for cardio?

[donnajo]

I hate traditional cardio unless I am swimming in a pool or teaching spin. I love to lift the weights. So, I thought of doing a BW circuit.

For example:

push ups
crunches
burpees
jumping jacks
mountain climbers
BW squats
Bw lunges
etc.
Repeat for 3-6 times or however long I want to go.

Would this be a good way to sub in cardio or would it be too taxing after a heavy lifting day as far as recovery?

Go!!!!! :popcorn: :D

[Meechel]

I was hoping to petition for PWO meal after my circuits :piggie: :lol3:

Sorry no help on this but just saying :whistling:

[donnajo]

I was hoping to petition for PWO meal after my circuits :piggie: :lol3:

Sorry no help on this but just saying :whistling:

:ban: OFF Topic lady. Just kidding. :love:

[Erik]

Not for LI SS cardio no.

For an interval type cardio workout, yes.

If you put a BW circuit together properly, it will kick your ass. Bad.

ETA: Assuming you actually train hard ... people's definitions of 'I train hard' is quite variable.

[donnajo]

Not for LI SS cardio no.

For an interval type cardio workout, yes.

If you put a BW circuit together properly, it will kick your ass. Bad.


So it would not be good to do it the day after a weight training workout?

When would be a good time to do it then? Would you treat it like HIIT?


I am asking because I can't make it to the gym today and I am stuck at my friends house babysitting two 3 year olds. I lifted yesterday and am going to lift tomorrow. I thought about doing a BW circuit here.

[Erik]

So it would not be good to do it the day after a weight training workout?

Sure. It would be fine.

Bodyweight work is more 'unloading' type of work.



When would be a good time to do it then? Would you treat it like HIIT?

I would, yes.

[donnajo]

Sure. It would be fine.

Bodyweight work is more 'unloading' type of work.



I would, yes.


Ok, just a bit confused by your answer. If you treat it like HIIT then you would not want to do it the day after or before lifting but then you said above that it is unloading work and that would be ok. :scratch:

[Inatic]

If you put a BW circuit together properly, it will kick your ass. Bad.

:faint:
he aint kidding

[donnajo]

:faint:
he aint kidding


I just did round one of my BW circuit. It does kick ass. I am going to do 4 more rounds.

I did

prisoner squats
jumping jacks
lunges
mountain climbers
burpess
1 minute rest repeat
Ok, off to do the next three rounds

[Meechel]

I just did round one of my BW circuit. It does kick ass. I am going to do 4 more rounds.

I did

prisoner squats
jumping jacks
lunges
mountain climbers
burpess
1 minute rest repeat
Ok, off to do the next three rounds

You better up your intensity because when I do mine there is no way in HELL I could post in between sets :funny:

:jk: kinda sorta :love:

[donnajo]

You better up your intensity because when I do mine there is no way in HELL I could post in between sets :funny:

:jk: kinda sorta :love:


I just finished and whoa it was kickass.I am going to do these more. I think they are fun and tough. I had a minute rest inbetween and since I have superpowers I was able to post. I am going to try to build up to where there is no minute rest. Then I will be awesome. :flex:

I did 20 reps and 4x through the circuit. I made the burpees killer. I added a sqaut jump so I would drop kick the legs back , jump back up, and do a squat and jump. :hehe: Hardcore peeps!

See there is no excuse to miss a workout. You can do it anywhere! :D

[Erik]

Ok, just a bit confused by your answer. If you treat it like HIIT then you would not want to do it the day after or before lifting but then you said above that it is unloading work and that would be ok. :scratch:

You're overcomplicating.

It's fine to do it. It's treated similarly to HIIT in the sense that it is overall metabolically intense. It's not the same as HIIT obviously - especially short duration sprints which are CNS intensive workouts. But if you're going to compare it to something, it's certainly not going to be SS cardio.

[Erik]

I just did round one of my BW circuit. It does kick ass. I am going to do 4 more rounds.

I did

prisoner squats
jumping jacks
lunges
mountain climbers
burpess
1 minute rest repeat
Ok, off to do the next three rounds

If you're posting ... are you working hard?

[donnajo]

You're overcomplicating.

It's fine to do it. It's treated similarly to HIIT in the sense that it is overall metabolically intense. It's not the same as HIIT obviously - especially short duration sprints which are CNS intensive workouts. But if you're going to compare it to something, it's certainly not going to be SS cardio.

Don't I always overcomplicate. :lol3:

[donnajo]

If you're posting ... are you working hard?


I just posted after the 1st round. I did 4 more rounds then. Yes, I was working hard. By the time I got to the mountain climbers and burpees I was spent. Needed the minute rest.

[Noel Clark]

BW circuits are the DEBIL.

[smuggie]

Don't I always overcomplicate. :lol3:

Yes.

[LynnP]

BW circuits are the DEBIL.

:yeahthat:

When I first saw them I was like ok cool not that hard, well after my first set I was like :faint: and now I have to do another set.

[RpH]

BW circuits are the DEBIL.

No truer words have been spoken.

[Lyn]

:faint:
he aint kidding

Word.

[Lyn]

Don't I always overcomplicate. :lol3:

Word.

[Lyn]

BW circuits are the DEBIL.

Word

[Alicrmt]

Okay so if I'm doing a BW circuit followed by some SS, do I have to eat before this?

:please: say this can be done on an empty stomach

[Erik]

Yes, it would be a good idea to eat first.

[Alicrmt]

Yes, it would be a good idea to eat first.

:shock:

eggs and oatmeal plus burpees doesn't mix so well :oops:


I know I know, suck it up.

[Noel Clark]

:shock:

eggs and oatmeal plus burpees doesn't mix so well :oops:


I know I know, suck it up.

I have to eat before mine...just don't eat RIGHT before...I would so blow chunks if I did that.

[Neely]

:shock:

eggs and oatmeal plus burpees doesn't mix so well :oops:


I know I know, suck it up.


You could always split that meal in half. Eat the second half later. Then you wouldn't have so much in your belly to make you feel :sick:

[Alicrmt]

I have to eat before mine...just don't eat RIGHT before...I would so blow chunks if I did that.
no doubt :yucky:


You could always split that meal in half. Eat the second half later. Then you wouldn't have so much in your belly to make you feel :sick:

I think I will try that....plus it makes the day's food last longer :hehe:

[donnajo]

Just checking in before I went to bed and had to add this. When I was doing my BW circuit, I had two 3 year olds doing it with me. :lol3: It was so cute. Especially when I got to mountain climbers and burpees they did more yoga of downward dog while I was busting my ass. If anyone walked in they would be laughing. But, us mommies have to get our exercise in when we can. :shrug:

[Andy]

I hate traditional cardio unless I am swimming in a pool or teaching spin. I love to lift the weights. So, I thought of doing a BW circuit.

For example:

push ups
crunches
burpees
jumping jacks
mountain climbers
BW squats
Bw lunges
etc.
Repeat for 3-6 times or however long I want to go.

Would this be a good way to sub in cardio or would it be too taxing after a heavy lifting day as far as recovery?

Go!!!!! :popcorn: :D
I've done that on a 12 week program at www.turbulencetraining.com. BW circuits are excellent complexes to do maybe once a week on a non wt training day. Maybe for leisure on a weekend. The metabolic effect is great, and is just as good as cardio.

[Meechel]

I've done that on a 12 week program at www.turbulencetraining.com. BW circuits are excellent complexes to do maybe once a week on a non wt training day. Maybe for leisure on a weekend. The metabolic effect is great, and is just as good as cardio.

:uhuh: :wigging:

[Noel Clark]

I've done that on a 12 week program at www.turbulencetraining.com. BW circuits are excellent complexes to do maybe once a week on a non wt training day. Maybe for leisure on a weekend. The metabolic effect is great, and is just as good as cardio.

If you ask me....conditioning-wise...it is better. I have been doing a lot of these and I just went on a run the other day (:shhh: don't tell Erik) and it was a JOKE compared to what i am doing with BW circuits.

:D

[donnajo]

If you ask me....conditioning-wise...it is better. I have been doing a lot of these and I just went on a run the other day (:shhh: don't tell Erik) and it was a JOKE compared to what i am doing with BW circuits.

:D


I agree. I think I am going to do them more for conditioning than regular cardio. I noticed on my burpees and squat jumps I was getting really tired towards the end. It is a conditioning that I need that regular cardio just is not going to do.

[Inatic]

I agree. I think I am going to do them more for conditioning than regular cardio. I noticed on my burpees and squat jumps I was getting really tired towards the end. It is a conditioning that I need that regular cardio just is not going to do.

jump squats dont bother me near as much but burpees ewwww those kill me

[donnajo]

jump squats dont bother me near as much but burpees ewwww those kill me


I made it a combo jump squat and burpee. That was hard.

[Erik]

If you ask me....conditioning-wise...it is better. I have been doing a lot of these and I just went on a run the other day (:shhh: don't tell Erik) and it was a JOKE compared to what i am doing with BW circuits.

:D

What?

[smuggie]

What?

Haha. Noel is http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v614/montagnu/sign%20smilies/bustedsign.gif

[clc315]

Bodyweights circuits are great IMO. I prefer to classify them and traditional "cardio" exercise as EST(energy system training). BW circuits can used to prepare the body for heavier loading, body composition, build strength endurance and improve work capacity. Increasing work capacity, IMO critical to being able to tolerate and recover from a workload and increase one's overall general fitness. Those with a low level of strength can use it to stimulate gains in strength, hypertrophy and general fitness. Those with a decent strength level and fitness can use it as a restorative type workout depending on intensity, increase work capacity to higher levels and tailor circuits for specialized needs. Whether that be a leg circuit, core or rehab or general type circuit.

The possibilities really are endless with bodyweight circuits. A certainly under utilized tool

[Andy]

Bodyweights circuits are great IMO. I prefer to classify them and traditional "cardio" exercise as EST(energy system training). BW circuits can used to prepare the body for heavier loading, body composition, build strength endurance and improve work capacity. Increasing work capacity, IMO critical to being able to tolerate and recover from a workload and increase one's overall general fitness. Those with a low level of strength can use it to stimulate gains in strength, hypertrophy and general fitness. Those with a decent strength level and fitness can use it as a restorative type workout depending on intensity, increase work capacity to higher levels and tailor circuits for specialized needs. Whether that be a leg circuit, core or rehab or general type circuit.

The possibilities really are endless with bodyweight circuits. A certainly under utilized tool

Ditto this post. I've done a 500 BW Circuit routine that is an ass kicker...I repeat an ASS KICKER! You definitely have to work your way up to it...but the effects it has on the body is beneficiously tremendous if you do it maybe once a week with your regular workout routine.

[Erik]

Beneficiously tremendous - I like that.

:lol:

[Andy]

Beneficiously tremendous - I like that.

:lol:

Thank you...made that up myself...like 10 seconds ago...hahhahhaha!!!:turnoff:

[Andy]

I think I should make my own dictionary....:beach:

I'm sticking to it, Erik. I refuse to edit. Who knows could be the word of the week in this thread. :turnoff::love55::D