The TRUTH About Renegade Cardio

The TRUTH About Renegade Cardio by Jay Ferruggia

I had to go to the dentist today, so I recruited my best friend in the industry, Jay Ferruggia to give you some free workouts.

Here you go…

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Like Craig I hate traditional cardio.

In fact, there’s probably nothing less appealing to me then the thought of spending even five minutes on a stair climber machine.

I’d rather sit through a three-hour Justin Bieber concert and have teenage girls shriek into my ears through megaphones the entire time.

When I opened Renegade Gym back in the early 90’s it never even occurred to me to get a cardio machine. I wanted my clients to be strong, lean and athletic. That wasn’t going to happen by sticking them on a treadmill.

Instead, my gym is filled with jump ropes, battling ropes, sleds, Prowlers, kettlebells, sandbags and various other implements that we use to get in sick shape.

We combine these tools, along with an array of bodyweight exercises, into a 5-10 minute, circuit style finisher to be done after your strength training workouts.

It’s what I call Renegade Cardio.

These 5-10 minute finishers burn fat a hell of a lot more efficiently than traditional cardio, they don’t cause joint problems and overuse injuries like hours on the machines do, and best of all, they help improve your mobility and athleticism.

Oh, one other thing I forgot to mention is that traditional cardio increases your cortisol production and can lead to muscle and strength loss.

A recent study at the University of Tampa showed that adding jogging to a weight training program decreased strength gains by 50%!

If you’re getting weaker you’re losing muscle. And if you’re losing muscle your fat percentage is going up.

I don’t know about you but I’d rather be bigger, stronger and leaner than smaller, weaker and fatter.

That’s why I do Renegade Cardio. It’s far more effective and it’s actually fun as hell.

Whenever Craig and I train together we always challenge each other to lift more weights, do more reps and outlast each other on a finisher.

Some of our favorite finishers involve the sled. The great thing about the sled is the lack of the eccentric component. That means you can do a lot of hard work on it without getting sore or compromising your strength gains.

Aside from burning fat and boosting your conditioning the sled can also develop speed and, if you load it heavily enough, build some leg size. An elliptical can’t do that.

So how do you implement Renegade Cardio?

Simple; at the end of your main strength training session which should consist of big compound movements like squats, presses, rows and deadlifts, you choose one of the 52 workouts I’ve laid out for you, set up the implements you’ll need, grab a stop watch and get after it.

If you have a partner to train with it’s even better because you can both challenge and motivate each other.

Here’s a sample workout for you to try using a variety of training tools:

1a) Sled Push- 3 x 60-90ft x 0-30 sec. rest

1b) Medicine Ball Slam- 3 x 10 x 0-30 sec. rest

1c) 2 Arm KB Swing- 3 x 15 x 0-30 sec. rest

1d) Battling Rope In & Out Wave- 3 x 20 sec. x 60-120 sec. rest

Rest as little as possible between each exercise then, when you’ve completed the entire circuit, rest a minute or two before resuming.

If you need more rest don’t be afraid to take it. You want the workouts to be challenging but you definitely don’t have to make yourself sick.

And here’s a circuit based solely on bodyweight exercises:

1a) High Knee Sprints in Place- 3 x 20 sec. on x 30 sec. rest

1b) Hindu Pushup- 3 x 20 sec. on x 30 sec. rest

1c) Slalom Jump aka Low Lateral Hurdle- 3 x 20 sec. on x 30 sec. rest

1d) Prisoner Squat- 3 x 20 sec. on x 30 sec. rest

Give those a try and let us know how you like them.

Jason Ferruggia
The Original Strength Training Renegade

PS from Craig…

Aside from Jason’s dislike of my fellow Stratford boy, Justin Bieber, I agree with everything he says.

When my athletes want to stay strong but get lean, we give them…

Renegade Cardio training <= 51 workouts here

Bodyweight Circuits- A collection of finishers based on nothing but bodyweight exercises that can be done anywhere, anytime. On the road, in a hotel room, on the beach, you name it.

“One in the Chamber”- A collection of finishers based on only one exercise or training implement.

Kettelbell Killers- Various kettllebell circuits to jack up your conditioning and incinerate bodyfat.

Bike Circuits- If you have to use a bike for conditioning this is the way to use it. Discover how to mix bike intervals with various other exercises for maximal results.

Battling Ropes & Jump Ropes- Low impact circuits for awesome results.

Barbell Complexes- The most effective barbell complexes that only require an empty bar and some space.

Pyramids- One of my favorite conditioning methods and definitely not for the weak of heart.

Deck of Cards- One of the most popular yet feared workouts at Renegade Gym.

“On the Mix Now”- A collection of various circuits incorporating bodyweight, kettlebells, ropes, sleds, sledgehammers, sandbags, medicine balls and more.

Plus 10 bonus hill sprint and strongman workouts

If you’re a trainer or bootcamp instructor this is a must-have resource.

Become a Renegade with this NEW fat burning Un-Cardio Training