This Leg and Cardio Day Will Pump Up Your Pace and Endurance

If you are in a cycle of training where you're working on faster run, swim or ruck times, you may want to lay off heavy weights for a month or so and focus on your pace and lungs. Here is a sample leg and cardio day that works really well at building up your pace and the endurance of your legs for longer events.

Warm up with a one-mile run and stretches.

Repeat four times.

• Half-mile run fast

• Squats 20

• Lunges 10/leg

• Light stretch one minute

Repeat four times.

• Quarter-mile sprint

• Squats 20

• Lunges 10/leg

Run two miles at an easy pace.

Ruck or swim with fins for 30 minutes for max distance and time.

A great way to top off your leg day is to swim with fins and/or ruck for 30-45 minutes. Find some hills for more leg burn as well.

This is not a beginner run/leg PT day. This workout totals six miles of running and many reps of leg PT. Build up to this level over time if you are not a runner yet. Replace running with high resistance-level biking to have a non-impact option of this workout.

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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