It’s no secret that I really dislike cardio. It’s not that it’s difficult, because most of my workouts are difficult and I enjoy them. It’s more that I get mentally bored and then I start focusing on the clock, my huffing and puffing, and other twinges that are going on. Is it done yet? Is it done yet?
I always prefer doing shorter but more intense workouts to get my cardio in instead of running (gah!) or the backside numbing bike. Studies are showing that this type of workout can be just as effective as the longer, steady state cardio so sign me up to validate those studies! Plus I get the added benefit of being able to find the time to squeeze in shorter workouts instead of trying to find an hour on top of lifting at the gym.
For the past 6 months or so, I’ve been doing a functional workout once a week. I even get excited to do this type of workout since I can’t resist a challenge. Lately I’ve also started combining functional exercises with bodyweight versions to come up with daily workouts that replace my cardio. I’m having a ton of fun with them. I love being able to guestimate how long I think it will take me and see how close I come on time.
In coming up with my latest workout, I read about an exercise I’d never heard of – the Man Maker. Shudder. Anything called Man Maker must be good, right? I thought burpees were hard until I gave these a try. So what exactly is a Man Maker? I’m so glad you wondered. It’s a mucho macho power move. Here’s the run down of what you do:
- Squat
- Pushup
- 1-Arm Row (right arm)
- Pushup
- 1-Arm Row (left arm)
- Squat
- Power Clean
- Push-Press
Got all that? If not, here’s a link to a video for you. Yep, there’s a little bit of everything in there. I can almost hear the fat sizzle like bacon – ssssssssssss.
Here’s a workout challenge for you that will get your entire body involved. This is a longer workout so I do this one standalone instead of trying to do it on a lifting day. You’ll need a pair of light to medium dumbbells. I’m pondering using the Barbie weights myself after watching the video.
Depending on your fitness level, aim for 1 – 3 rounds with 1 – 2 minutes of rest between rounds. Make sure to warm up first and take rests during the rounds if you need to. If you’re short on time, you can do a single round or you can even do rounds of 10 reps each instead of 20.
Let me know what you think and keep an eye out on Facebook and Twitter for some other daily challenges. Have you ever heard of Man Makers? I wonder how I could have missed these.
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