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No Treadmill, No Worries
A common portion of the traditional fitness routine is cardio training. Whether it’s 5 or 10 minutes during your warm up on a treadmill or elliptical, or a full 5k run. However, if your gym lacks the equipment it can be difficult to get your workout done and even more so in the winter when you can’t get outside. So how can you still hit your cardio targets? Read on to discover some alternative methods.
- Skipping Rope
- Rowing
- Shadow-boxing
- Circuit Training
Coming first on this list is the skipping rope. The skipping rope is a fantastic alternative due to its simplicity and space efficiency. Skipping can be done in a stationary position or it can be done on the move. You can change your speed and the height of your jump at any time you want. It’s safe, it’s easy, and it can be done almost anywhere.
Rowing, while also machine dependent, is another alternative to running that can provide cardio benefits. Rowing is a full body movement that puts both the legs and arms under tension and is enough of a challenge to reach a good sweat. The intensity is also changeable on these machines in order to get to your target heart rates. Rowing is a good alternative but not great due to it relying on machine. You could also create your own rowing movement on the floor with a sturdy rack and a Theraband if space allows.
Shadow-boxing is a fantastic way to alternatively reach your cardio goals, and it’s by far the simplest thing to do on this list. By simply punching, kicking, and dodging and then combining these movements together into “combos” you can effectively reach your target heart rate. Try doing some research on what proper striking looks and feels like, what “bob and weave” means, and include it in your next session. You can even structure this further by doing rounds of boxing with appropriate rest periods in between. Add a challenge to this by boxing yourself in the mirror and dodging your own punches.
Another way you to hit your cardio goals is by using circuit training. Pick 3-4 different exercises that either isolate a certain muscle group or have the same general movement pattern, and pick a lighter weight for these. Then complete your sets one after the other, only resting when you’ve finished a set for every exercise. These parameters can be changed based on your training age and goals. Whether your circuit is 3-4 exercises or up to 10, or if you are isolating a muscle group or hitting the full body. Circuit training most importantly allows us to somewhat blend both cardio and hypertrophy benefits because it maximizes time under tension. This kind of efficiency is what you should always aim for in the gym.
Thought not always apparent, there are plenty of alternatives to the traditional machine cardio that usually dominates ½ of all commercial gym space. You can also reap some additional benefits that may not be attainable through simply running. When thinking of ways to hit your target heart rate, get creative and use this list to help optimize your workout.
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Mark Evestaff
Charles and his team of highly educated staff are dedicated to helping every person who walks through their door. They're serious about the success of their clients and each program is personally tailored to fit each individual's needs and goals. At EAT, I was welcomed with a friendly atmosphere, no ...
Charles and his team of highly educated staff are dedicated to helping every person who walks through their door. They're serious about the success of their clients and each program is personally tailored to fit each individual's needs and goals. At EAT, I was welcomed with a friendly atmosphere, no judgments, and the best training I've ever had. Any gym takes commitment, but few gyms are so committed to you. I highly recommend checking this place out if you're looking to take your training to the next level.
Jessie Colmer
Training at EAT has changed my life, and I couldn't be more grateful! From my first meeting with Charles & Neil, all my concerns - as a female & a non-athlete - about "gym culture" were set to rest. The owner Charles has created a incredibly positive, professional environment, and ...
Training at EAT has changed my life, and I couldn't be more grateful! From my first meeting with Charles & Neil, all my concerns - as a female & a non-athlete - about "gym culture" were set to rest. The owner Charles has created a incredibly positive, professional environment, and this standard of friendliness & respect is shared by the training team, as well as the clients.
Shannon Conrad
If you are looking for a great place to train in the downtown core with knowledgeable, experienced and top notch trainers this is the place to go. Whether your goal is to get stronger, build muscle, lose fat, perform better, recover from an injury... these guys will be able to ...
If you are looking for a great place to train in the downtown core with knowledgeable, experienced and top notch trainers this is the place to go. Whether your goal is to get stronger, build muscle, lose fat, perform better, recover from an injury... these guys will be able to help you. Tyson Staples has been my trainer/strength coach for over 7 years now and I can confidently say he is one of the best!
Alejandro Sosa
As a martial artist and athlete, I highly recommend getting in touch with Charles and the EAT team. Not only did I excel in the training room but in my performances in competition. Charles and his team are very knowledgeable when it comes to high performance training and have strongly ...
As a martial artist and athlete, I highly recommend getting in touch with Charles and the EAT team. Not only did I excel in the training room but in my performances in competition. Charles and his team are very knowledgeable when it comes to high performance training and have strongly built the foundations for me to always improve on and off the mats. I noticed very quickly my strength, speed, and reaction time improved in just a couple sessions started in 2016 and haven't looked back since. Thank you Charles and the EAT team for the great work.
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