What do you think? Should you just do cardio, or just do weights? Here is a thought… COMBINE them.

As a Scottsdale personal trainer, I make a point during my sessions to incorporate exercises that will not only strengthen muscles, but also challenge my client’s lungs and heart. Mixing cardio in to weight training sessions is not only body effective, but time effective as well. As a Scottsdale personal trainer, I KNOW it works!

My amazing clients, Jenny and Hannah are doing buddy sessions together and we use this style of training all the time. On the next page I have videos of them taken from an actual workout. The exercises they are demonstrating strengthen the muscles, while keeping the heart rate elevated. This style of working out will blast calories, burn fat and tone the entire body.

The first video is an exercise that I call “dog sled run”. In this video you will see Jenny pushing two, 35 pounds plates across the floor on a mat. This exercise engages her glutes and quads BIG TIME. Her legs were BURNING by the end of it AND she was SUPER out of breath. Now that’s a lot of body sculpting, cardiovascular enhancing action! Try it for 30 seconds. It’s actually FUN!

CIMG0210 DOG SLED RUN

This next exercise starts with a buddy medicine ball pass, but ends with a jumping plank. The jumping plank is the exercise I want to focus on. The jumping plank works your shoulder, triceps, abs, and hips WHILE giving you a terrific burst of cardio. I know these ladies felt it! Try it yourself for 30 seconds.

CIMG0216 JUMPING PLANK

This next video shows one my favorite movements EVER! As a Scottsdale personal trainer who does burpie pushups, I know how challenging, yet effective this exercise it. Not only will it sky-rocket your heart, but you will feel your legs, abs, chest, and triceps too. Try going for 20 reps and really focus on form. EXPLODE from a deep squat into a high jump. Make sure you go as low as you can on the pushup without compromising your form. If this is easy, ditch the bench and do it on the floor.

CIMG0222 BURPIE PUSHUP

This next video is taking a classic barbell bicep curl, and adding a jump to it. We mixed it up one step further by having Jenny start with only one bicep curl. After one curl she lowered the barbell to the floor, jumped over it, picked it back up and then performed two bicep curls. Every time she jumped over the bar, she increased her rep by one. 3 reps, jump, 4 reps, jump and so on. Go up to 5-6 reps, which will actually equal15-21curls total… so pick a weight that will really burn the biceps by the end.

CIMG0223 BARBELL BICEP BOP

As a Scottsdale personal trainer, I encourage you try the cardio and strength combo next time you are crunched for time in the gym. Test it out and keep me posted. As a Scottsdale personal trainer, I would LOVE to hear your feedback.