If you are looking for something to do after a full-body lift/PT day, typically the only thing you have left is cardio and core.
Often, our training programs are split routines with upper body on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and lower-body days on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday or Sunday.
But if you mix in some full-body movements like power cleans, snatches, kettlebell work from the ground to overhead, and other carries and crawls that require the entire body to be utilized in coordinated movements, you may want to take it easy on the following day.
Either take a day off if you are too sore or just do a cardio day. If you need something more to do if running, biking, elliptical, rowing, swimming or other aerobic activities are too boring for you, try adding in some core work throughout the cardio day.
Cardio/core
Warm up with core run/pyramid:
Repeat 10 times
Run 50 meters or 20 jumping jacks
20 sit-ups or flutter kicks
*20 neck exercises (up/down) even sets, (left/right) odd sets
*lie on your back and lift your head up and down 20 times and left and right 20 times immediately after the sit-ups or flutter kicks.
Cardio section
Run or bike 20 minutes -- do 10 minutes easy/10 minutes fast if you want a negative split-type run or bike workout. Strive to run or bike faster during the second half of the run/bike.
If you select the bike and prefer more options, try intervals of the Tabata type (20 seconds fast/10 seconds slow) or the intensity pyramid:
Bike or elliptical intensity/resistance pyramid 1-20 level in 20 minutes:
Rule: Each minute gets tougher than the previous minute by one level of resistance.
First minute -- level 1 -- keep at 80-100 rpms if a bike or 40-50 strides per minute on the elliptical.
Second minute -- level 2, third minute -- level 3, keep moving with the clock every minute on the minute until you get to 20 minutes (level 20 is very challenging). If you fail to keep the rpms up to the recommended zone, repeat in the reverse back until where you started.
Ruck 20-30 minutes
*replace run or ruck with mobility day if needed
*non-impact, stretch and foam roller
When all else fails, I do a mobility day of the following:
Repeat 5 times
Bike, elliptical, row, or swim 5 minutes
Stretch, foam roll or massager 5 minutes
Swim portion of the cardio day (if available and time allows)
Swim 500-meter warmup without fins
Swim 30 minutes with fins. How far did you get: 1,500 meters or more?
Cardio days do not have to be just cardio. You still can work the core nicely as a warmup or mixed throughout the events. An idea is to stop running or biking every five minutes and do a few minutes of core work.
Do not forget the PT Reset, and your favorite ab/lower-back exercise, and upper-back/shoulder stretches and exercises as core day options.
Stew Smith is a former Navy SEAL and fitness author certified as a Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Visit his Fitness eBook store if you’re looking to start a workout program to create a healthy lifestyle. Send your fitness questions to stew@stewsmith.com.
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