Whenever I go to the gym during the day, all the cardio machines are always taken. Since I have things to do, I can't wait for two hours while they burn 2000 calories, so I always end up lifting. Is there any way I can get a decent cardio workout while I am lifting weights? - Frustrated Cardio Fanatic from Lewis Hall.
Yes, those crazy cardio-obsessed people are quite a sight. Hour after hour they drape themselves on the machines, sweating in effort and anticipation of the next weekend's debauchery. How does one get a reasonable cardio workout when all the elliptical/stairmasters/bikes/treadmills are occupied?
I should let you know that Tufts does have three tracks that I know of off the top of my head. Two are indoors - one is in the Gantcher Center, the other is in the Cage by the security booth. The third one - well, if you don't know where the outdoor track is (hint: it's around the football field), then you probably shouldn't be using it. If you are set on using weights, then here are a few recommendations that will help you pump up your heart rate and avoid the frustration that comes when all the cardio machines are taken.
Supersets or compound sets - which involve performing one exercise directly after another with little or no rest - are a great way to turn a lifting routine into a cardio workout. Being sure to keep the form strict, you can increase your heart rate by increasing the tempo of your workout. Move immediately from one exercise to another, perform the reps at a slightly accelerated pace, or run in place between sets (I see another gym-goer using this technique all the time, though his actions are a little bit ... different).
Perform cardio using a bench bar. This is a simple movement that will have you huffing and puffing in no time. Start with a standard bar, holding it by your knees. Bring it up to your chest using power clean technique. From here, press the bar up over your head and bring it down behind your neck in squat position. Do a squat, press the bar back up over your head, and bring the bar back down to your knees. Congratulations, you just performed one rep.
As you get used to these movements, the exercise should develop into one fluid motion. This method of "Iron Cardio" (phrase coined by Marc Lobliner of Avant Labs) should be performed in sets. Practice a few times to get the movement down before you attempt an all-out set, but keep in mind that the focus is increasing heart rate and not the pounds on the bar. Iron Cardio should be used sparingly, since it will tear the muscle fibers and may cut into gains anticipated from a straight hypertrophy program.
If you aren't involved in a comprehensive hypertrophy program, doing some Iron Cardio can lead to some lean mass gain (just a little, ladies... don't worry, you won't get 'hyoooge'), which will cause you to burn more calories around the clock. It will also increase your metabolism for longer than if you just did a half hour on the bike.
Bodyweight exercises are also great ways to rev up your heart. Remember those awful jumping jacks you were subjected to in high school gym class? Do those joints. Or run outside (the weather is getting nicer. Batman ... maybe you should come out of your cave). Jump rope. Go down to the cage and hit the heavy bag, and take a swing at the speed bag (as soon as they put a new one up... the old one has mysteriously disappeared). Play basketball/tennis/soccer/football/field hockey/etc.
The point is that there are many things you can do for cardiovascular exercise that don't involve one of those machines. So next time you hit the gym and are appalled at the lack of available cardio equipment, be creative. There is no fitness law that says your cardio workout has to be quantified in little red LED letters in order for it to count.
