8 Athletic HIIT Cardio Exercises To Make Cardio Fun
More athletic cardio less lame conventional cardio
On today’s episode of Live Lean TV, I’m taking you in the gym to show you 8 athletic HIIT cardio exercises to make cardio fun.
Yes, you may be surprised that I’m so excited to say, “it’s cardio day”.
Most people boo and hiss at the thought because they hate cardio day.
Not me.
Here’s why I do not hate cardio.
I know how to make cardio fun
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Here’s how to rock your cardio workout.
8 athletic HIIT cardio exercises
Here are 8 athletic HIIT cardio exercises to do during your next cardio day.
1. Forward And Reverse Agility Ladder Icky Shuffle (side-to-sides agility ladder)
The Forward and Reverse Agility Ladder Icky Shuffle is an excellent cardio combo that works on foot speed, agility, and increases calorie burning.
To get started:
- With the agility ladder in front of you, stand to the side of the first square.
- Step laterally into the square one foot at a time, then immediately step to the other side of the square with your outside foot.
- Then place the outside foot into the square ahead, followed by the opposite foot.
- Continue this, moving as fast as possible until you reach the end of the ladder.
- Once you reach the end of the ladder, reverse the movement, moving backwards until you return to the starting position.
- Repeat for reps or duration.
2. Double Unders Jump Rope
Double Unders Jump Rope is a more advanced version of the speed jump rope exercise.
To get started:
- Hold the ends of the jump rope in each hand.
- With your feet hip-width apart, slightly bend your knees, and push the balls of your feet through the ground to jump up, point your toes to the ground, and with your hands by your waist quickly rotate your wrists to make small circles to revolve the rope under your feet twice within one jump.
- Land softly on your toes, and quickly push off again from the balls of your feet.
- Once again, the idea is not to just jump higher, the speed of the double under comes from the quick rotation of your wrists.
3. High Knees Jump Rope
High Knees Jump Rope is a great cardio exercise that revs up your fat burning.
To get started:
- Hold the ends of the jump rope in each hand.
- With your feet shoulder width apart, slightly bend your knees, and raise one knee high while the rope goes under your foot.
- On the next revolution of the rope, raise the other knee as if you were running in place.
- Repeat.
4. Feet Criss Cross with Floor Tap to Tuck Jump to Hand Walkout Push Up
The Feet Criss Cross With Floor Tap to Tuck Jump to Hand Walkout Push Up is an excellent cardio combo that works on foot speed, explosiveness, and burns a lot of calories. To get started:
- Quickly cross your feet, then repeat with the back foot forward.
- Immediately squat down and tap the floor with your hands, then explode up by completing a tuck jump by raising your knees in the air and tapping them with your hands.
- Land softly, then lower your hands to the floor and walk them forward until your body is in a straight arm plank.
- Complete a push up, then walk your hands back towards your feet and stand up.
- That’s one rep.
- Repeat for reps or duration.
5. Agility Ladder Lateral In And Out
The Agility Ladder Lateral In and Out is an excellent cardio exercise to improve foot speed and burn calories.
To get started:
- Stand inside the agility ladder, with each foot in a different square, leaving one empty square between your feet.
- Staying on the balls of your feet, quickly step one foot into the middle square, then back out to the same square.
- Immediately complete the same lateral in and out movement with the opposite foot, then repeat with the other leg as fast as you can.
- Continue pumping your arms for momentum while keeping your core contracted to maintain balance.
- Repeat for reps or time.
6. Agility Ladder Scissor Hops to Bottom Burpee (split squat to burpee)
The Agility Ladder Scissor Hops to Bottom Burpee is a fat burning combination that also improves foot speed and coordination.
To get started:
- While facing an agility ladder, complete the scissor hop by placing one foot in the box of the agility ladder, then quickly hop that foot back out as you bring the opposite foot into the box beside it.
- Keep you knees slightly bent as you quickly scissor your feet in and out of the boxes in the ladder.
- With your elbows bent at 90 degrees, continue pumping your arms for momentum while keeping your core contracted to maintain balance.
- After a few scissors with each foot, immediately move into a bottom burpee once your feet are outside the ladder.
- Quickly place one hand in each box, then kick your feet back, complete a push up, then explosively drive your knees in.
- Stand back up, complete the scissor hops, then repeat with the bottom burpee.
- Repeat this exercise combo for reps or time.
7. Agility Ladder Bottom Burpee (exploding power burpee)
The Agility Ladder Bottom Burpee is an explosive variation of the burpee that is great for overall fat burning.
To get started:
- Bend at your hips, then your knees, as you lower your body towards the floor in a squatting motion, while placing your hands on the floor, directly under your shoulders, and outside of your knees.
- Jump back with both feet to get into a standard push up position with your arms extended then immediately complete the push up by bending your elbows and lowering your body until it’s a few inches off the floor, then explosively press your hands through the floor and drive your knees in and land with your feet in a box, while in a squat position.
- Jump both feet back and immediately complete another push up without standing up.
- Repeat for reps.
8. Fast Feet Plate Toe Taps (speed toe taps)
Fast Feet Plate Toe Taps are a great cardio exercise to rev up your heart rate while improving coordination and footwork.
To get started:
- Start with one foot on top of a plate, then quickly alternate feet back and forth, lightly tapping the plate every time.
- Keep your core tight, stay on the balls of your feet the entire time, and drive your arms forward and backward like an athlete. This will build more speed and train your feet to move faster.
- Remember, the goal is quick feet, so you’re just tapping the plate, you’re not actually stepping up on it.
- Keep alternating feet until you reach your desired time or reps.
That ladies and gentleman is how to make cardio fun
Get off the treadmill and elliptical and get outside of your comfort zone.
Even if these exercises look difficult, and you can’t get your feet to move where your mind wants them to go, it will eventually happen.
You just have to practice it.
Make your cardio workouts fun so you can include it as a part of your lifestyle.
Enjoy the transformation in the process.
HIIT Sprints are also fun!
In addition to these 8 athletic HIIT cardio exercises, I also incorporate treadmill HIIT sprints into my workout routine.
When it’s nice outside, I often hit the track for my outdoor sprint workouts.
However, when it’s colder out, I do my sprints on the treadmill.
Sub Max 60s HIIT treadmill workout:
Here’s a 25 minute HIIT treadmill workout from my Live Lean Sprint 2.0 program.
Warm up:
- 3 minutes
- 4.0 mph
- 2.0 incline
- 60% MHR
High intensity sprint intervals:
- 1 minute x 10 sets
- 10.0 mph
- 2.0 incline
- 80% MHR
Low intensity interval:
- 1 minute x 10 sets
- 10 sets
- 4.0 mph
- 2.0 incline
- 65% MHR
Cool down:
- 3 minutes
- 3.0 mph
- 2.0 incline
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Question For You:
- Do you enjoy cardio days?
- If so, what form of cardio do you mostly do?
Be sure to share your answers in the comment section below.
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Brad Gouthro is the founder of Live Lean TV, a media company focused on helping men and women “Live Lean” 365 days a year. Brad’s programs and content have helped millions of people all over the world learn how to get in shape, and more importantly, sustain it for life.
Your workout are totally different with mine workout. Yours are more fun and make me feel that is very enjoy to be lean. I would like to try your workout to hit my lean target.
Hi Adeline, yes they are fun and work. Good luck with it.
Seems right out of Beachbody’s Asylum routines. Good stuff nonetheless.