5 Fat Blasting Cardio Moves To Do Between Strength Sets

Looking to burn fat faster? If so, one smart technique you can use is actually alternating between your straight weight lifting sets and some cardio sets interspersed between.

To do this, you’ll basically perform your normal set as always and then immediately after, go into a cardio activity of choice. Do this for 60 seconds and then repeat.

By structuring your workouts this way, you’ll get a greater metabolic spike from the session and will go on to see faster results.

Here are five terrific cardio moves that you can easily add in between each set you do.

Burpees

The king of cardio moves, burpees will really get your heart rate higher and you burning up calories quickly.  Take note that these may sacrifice your recovery ability between sets since they are so intense, so it’s wise to allow for another 30 seconds of additional pure rest after the sequence.

Not to worry though, even with this rest time added, you’ll still be ahead. Start with doing 5 burpees between sets and then work your way up to doing 10 or even 15 for the more advanced individual.

Mountain Climbers

Next, also consider mountain climbers. If you want to get closer to six pack abs, this is an excellent way to do it.  Mountain climbers will work the core as well as the shoulder muscles as you perform them, helping you see increased definition as well.

These will work better on days where you are working your back or lower body, not on days where you are working your shoulders directly (due to the fact the shoulders are heavily involved in the movement pattern).

Running Knee Raises

Moving along, running knee raises are another activity to consider adding into the mix.  These can be done just on the spot between sets and are good for between just about any exercise you happen to be doing.

The nice thing about running knee raises is they will work the core muscles much more than plain running would, giving you that added advantage.

Side To Side Shuffles

Assume the ready position for this one and then simply shuffle across the floor.  Doing so will have you working not only your lower body, but your abs as well, giving you great core strength.

The lower down you position yourself as you do this exercise, the more total stress you’ll place on the body, so be sure to stay focused on keeping that deep knee bend.

Always watch how you land on your foot however – make sure it is stable and your knees stay right over your toes otherwise you could risk knee pain.

Skipping

Finally, skipping is the last of the cardio moves that you might want to consider adding between your sets.  The nice thing about skipping is that there are many variations you can perform – front skips, back skips, double skips, single leg skips, and so forth.

Just be sure that you are on a padded surface while skipping (not concrete) and are wearing good quality footwear.  Skipping is a much more high impact activity so if you’re not protecting yourself, you could easily start to experience joint pain if you aren’t careful.

So next time you’re working out in the home gym and looking for a quick metabolic boost, consider any of these activities. Each will help you rev up your metabolism, burn more calories during the actual workout session, and will help you get in even better physical shape than before.