Take Your Fitness to the Next Level
Cardio Does Not Have To Be Mind-Numbing Work—Let’s Make It Fun!
I’m sure when most of us think of cardio, we think of exhausting and tedious workouts on the treadmill or running endless miles. Am I right? What if I told you there’s a way to approach cardio that can be fun and efficient and allow you to really improve without the treadmill grind of steady state cardio for an hour?
Cardio drills (high performance) are a NEW dimension to fitness. They are short, explosive bouts of fitness that hit strength, speed, endurance, & (coordination) all in one! Whether you are an athlete or just getting into fitness and you want to take things to a new level—these cardio drills will make you feel like an athlete in no time.
What Are High-Performance Cardio Drills?
High-performance cardio drills are high intensity, multi-skilled drills that help to improve your cardiovascular fitness and develop explosive power. Because these cardio drills work on a number of quality areas, they are widely used in athletic training particularly because the focus on developing:
- Speed
- Power
- Agility
- Endurance
The great thing is that these drills are time-efficient; you can complete cardio drills within 20 to 30 minutes to achieve the same (or greater!) fitness benefit to long slow cardio.
These cardio drills will be quite different than typical “jogging” cardio. These drills will include explosive movements, jumps, sprints, and functional exercises that simulate the movement patterns of fast-paced sport & athletic performance.
Top 10 high-performance cardio drills to take your fitness up a notch
Below are the drills that will help you work on your stamina, strength, and speed:
1. Box Jumps
Target Areas: Legs, glutes, heart lung system, cardiovascular system
How-To: Jump onto a fixed box or platform, then land softly and step down to reset. You can see how this exercise makes you more explosive and condition your lower body.
Coaches Tip: There are three things to consider when box jumping: height, width, and strength. You want to challenge yourself but stay safe considering your height/width and strength. A 12 to 18-inch box height is appropriate for beginners.
2. Agility Ladder Sprints
Target Areas: Speed, coordination, and footwork
How-To: Sprint toward the ladder and perform quick-feet patterns through the ladder (in-in-out-and time back to the starting position).
Coaches Tip: Start slowly until you master the footwork. Once you have it dialed in, you will want to increase your speed through the ladder for a very good cardiovascular workout.
3. Battle Rope Slams
Target Areas: Upper body arms, shoulders, and core
How-To: You will hold the battle ropes and perform various alternating slams moving the ropes quickly and alternatively while moving our arms up and down.
Coaches Tip: Keep your core nice and tight when performing the battle rope slams. We want to use the legs and core to generate power with the torso constructed in order to build the strength/ explosiveness in the legs while blasting calories and toning the arms.
4. Burpee Broad Jumps
Targets: Full-body and cardio
How-To: Perform a standard burpee, then immediately jump forward as far as you can in a broad jump.
Coaches Tip: Accelerate your jumping. Keeping your landing soft will protect your knees and allow for good development of strength in the lower body.
5. Mountain Climbers
Muscle Groups: Core, shoulders and cardiovascular system
Exercise Description: Get into a plank position and drive one knee up towards your chest and continue cycling your feet in a running motion.
Coach’s Tip: Carry your hips low and hip with your core to provide protection against sagging through your back. Move quickly for greater intensity.
6. High Knees with Arm Drive
Muscle Groups: Legs, coordination, and cardiovascular
Exercise Description: Run in place while driving your knees up high and driving your arms for intensity.
Coach’s Tip: Keep a tight core; do not lean back. Think of it as running in place—each second counts.
7. Hill Sprints or Stair Bounds
Targeted areas: Power, VO2 max, cardiovascular endurance
Exercise Description: Sprint up hill or stairs, walk back down for adequate recovery and continue sprinting, until you are no longer benefiting.
Coach’s Tip: Your workout can be found right outside your door! Choose a moderately sized hill or stairs with a moderate incline, and use natural terrain for your workout. This technique will help you work on both your power improvement, as well as your cardiovascular improvements.
8. Skater Hops
Targets: Glutes, quads, lateral movement
How-To: Jump side-to-side as if you are a speed skater, always landing on one-foot each time.
Coach’s Tip: Stay low, use your arms for momentum. Skater hops will improve your balance, core strength stability, and lateral strength.
9. Jump Rope Intervals
Focus: Coordination, Endurance, Cardiovascular Endurance
How-To: Jump rope for 30 seconds, rest, and recover for 15-30 seconds, repeating… while also switching between basic jumps, high knees and double-unders.
Coach’s Tip: Duh. You better find a good jump rope, if you don’t have one! Make sure you start with the basic jumps until you have mastered the technique and then progress to more advanced jumping techniques such as double-unders!
10. Tuck Jumps
Target: Explosiveness and cardio
How-To: Jump as high as you can and pull your knees to your chest before you land, soft landing on the ground, lightly.
Coach Tip: When you do tuck jumps you should activate your core. Super lightly land on the balls of your feet, and make sure you lightly touch the ground to generate less impact on your joints.
How to Structure Your High-Performance Cardio Routine
The best results from high-performance drills come from a structured routine. Here’s an example of a 25-minute session:
Warm-up (5 min)
- High knees (30 sec)
- Arm circles + jumping jacks
- Bodyweight squats
- Shoulder rolls and hip openers
Main Circuit (3-4 rounds)
- Box Jumps – 30 sec
- Mountain Climbers – 30 sec
- Burpee Broad Jumps – 30 sec
- Battle Ropes – 30 sec
- Agility Ladder Drill – 30 sec
- Skater Hops – 30 sec
Rest: 30-60 sec between exercises
Cool Down (5 min)
- Light jog or walk
- Stretching (focus on quads, hamstrings, calves)
- Deep breathing exercises to bring heart rate back down
How To Progress Your Cardio Program
- Week 1–2: 2 Rounds, 30 seconds of work and 30 seconds of rest.
- Week 3–4: 3 Rounds, 40 seconds of work and 20 seconds of rest.
- Week 5+: New exercises, more rounds, or less rest to make the workout more intense.
Use a fitness tracking application to record your heart rate and progress.
Cardio Equipment: The Gear You Will Need to Get the Most Out of Your Workouts
The exercises are great on their own, but the right equipment and gear can also help your performance. Here’s a quick summary of what you will want for equipment and gear:
- Plyometric box: Good for explosive exercise performance, like box jumps or step-ups.
- Agility Ladder: The best equipment for footwork drills to develop speed and foot coordination.
- Jump Rope: A perfect way to boost cardiovascular health and also coordination.
- Resistance bands: The absolute best alternative to weight training! Plenty of uses with resistance bands as well, but I like to use them for extra resistance during squats and lunges.
- Good Tennis Shoes: Tennis shoes are the best footwear for cardio. Good running shoes will help to minimize an injury and make more enjoyable running drills.
A Personal Note
I can remember when I started adding these into my routine! I felt out of breathe within one minute, and as I continued to do these drills, I realized my stamina was improving! It’s amazing what you can achieve with a little consistency and motivation. Also, what could be better than that feeling of accomplishment , or getting that rush of endorphins that feels amazing! It’s a no brainer!
Why High-Performance Cardio Drills Work
The cool thing about high-performance cardio drills is they are multidimensional. Not only do they challenge you in terms of heart and lungs, but they also engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously. This equals functional fitness which also means your body will be in great shape to perform the extensive movements required in everyday life.
If you’re looking for skin in the game for endurance, strength or fat loss these drills deliver results—and quickly. Plus, because several areas are challenged, workouts and sessions don’t get boring and feel like you’re repeating and repeating.
Final Thoughts: Your New Favorite Cardiovascular Workouts
High performance cardio drills are not just for athletes!! But, don’t let being just a special person or in any case a non-athlete stop you from working hard and obtaining great results, and smiles and joy discovering your new capabilities! Get to it today!
Your heart will be healthier, your mind sharper, and your body stronger!
Read more articles with Cardio and Endurance :- HIIT for Endurance Athletes
