If you’re rushing to get fit before summer fully arrives, your instinct might be to dive into endless cardio sessions. While cardio feels immediately productive, real transformation requires strength training. Here’s why combining strength and conditioning is essential and how to do it effectively.
Why Cardio Alone Isn’t Enough
Cardio workouts burn calories, but building muscle through strength training revs up your metabolism and enhances your body’s ability to burn fat, even at rest. Without sufficient muscle beneath the “winter fluff,” you’ll lack that toned look, no matter how lean you get.
Five Essentials to Incorporate Now:
1. Master the Big Three (Squat, Bench, Deadlift)
These foundational exercises engage multiple muscle groups and stimulate overall muscular development. Perform variations tailored to your experience level. Work within the 3-8 rep range using challenging weights to maximize strength gains and metabolic impact.
2. Interval Sprints (HIIT)
High-intensity interval training significantly boosts fat burning and increases your body’s hormonal responses, particularly testosterone. Choose your preferred machine—bike, rower, treadmill—and alternate 20-second intense efforts with 10-second rests for 5-8 rounds. Short, intense, and highly effective.
3. Unilateral Work
Exercises focusing on single limbs or sides (e.g., lunges, single-leg deadlifts, single-arm presses) correct muscle imbalances, enhance coordination, and promote muscular endurance. Perform these movements with lighter weights and higher reps (8-20) to enhance muscular detail and functional strength.
4. Sled Push and Pull
Pushing and pulling sleds deliver intense cardiovascular and muscular challenges while minimizing injury risk. Inspired by fitness events like Hyrox, sled training rapidly builds strength and conditioning. Function Health Club uniquely offers sled training—join a class or visit during open gym hours to experience this highly effective training method.
5. Regular Low-Intensity Walking
Supplement your strength sessions with regular low-intensity, zone 2 walking to enhance recovery, manage stress, and support cardiovascular health. This gentle exercise complements higher-intensity workouts without impairing muscle recovery.
Begin these combined approaches immediately. While you’ll see solid improvements in four weeks, starting now sets you up to achieve even greater fitness by next summer, making it far easier to “tone up” when warmer months approach.
