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"Working Class Cardio Workout"

How about a cardio workout that doesn't need a gym, machines, or even running?

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"Championship Edition 2.0 MMA Workout"

The MMA Workout Program designed for a UFC Champ...

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Gymboss Timer

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"Eat, Stop, Eat"

The best book on Intermittent Fasting on the internet - it's how I eat!

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GI Nutrition

The only supplement company Wiggy has ever endorsed. All-natural ingredients, great tasting, and most of all, it WORKS!
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When it comes to doing cardio workouts, there are two basic methods you can use - LSD and HIIT.

LSD = Long Slow Distance. A perfect example is jogging for a few miles.

HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training. A perfect example is sprinting.

LSD and HIIT are on complete opposite ends of the cardio continuum because of simple design. LSD is long, but slow. HIIT is short, but very fast.

Well, intensity and duration, as they pertain to your cardio workouts, have an inverse relationship. The the more intense you work (i.e. - the faster you go), the shorter the duration has to be. Contrarily, the slower you go, you need to go for a longer duration to make up for it.

Simply put - you can run hard or you can run long, but you can't do both. Nobody can sprint a marathon...

HIIT has become increasingly popular in recent years, and considered more productive than LSD. I won't get into all the scientific sutff here, but here is the gist of what you need to know:

-HIIT is anaerobic, LSD is aerobic
-LSD training results in increased aerobic capacity, with little to no effect on anaerobic capacity
-HIIT, on the other hand, results in increased anaerobic capacity AND increased aerobic capacity
-LSD burns more calories than HIIT during the actual exercise itself
-HIIT keeps the metabolism "revved up", so that you continue to burn calores for hours after the workout is over

There are other things we could talk about, but those are the main points.

So, given the above, HIIT seems to be the superior form of cardio. It appears to give more benefits, burns fat better, doesn't take as long...but yet, people are still making lousy gains with their HIIT. Mediocre at best.

Why? It's simple, really - most people don't do their HIIT cardio workouts correctly.

HIIT, by definition, is supposed to be intense - as intense as possible. On the proverbial scale of 1 to 10, you need to be pushing an 11 or more. And many times, trainees don't do that when they're doing HIIT. They think they're pushing hard, and they might be, but instead of that 11 or more, maybe they're only putting in an effort of 8 or so. That doesn't cut it when it comes to doing HIIT cardio.

Remember when I said that you can run hard, or run long, but not both? Well, on the flip side, if you run easy, and run short, you're doing the worst of both worlds. And as effective as HIIT can be, if it's not done with the appropriate intensity, you're falling into that trap. You have to be pushing as hard as you physically can...

Personally, I think that HIIT is best suited for only a few types of activities. The best is simply running - on the track, in a park, up hills or stairs, etc. Go out and move your tail as fast as you friggin' can. Behind that, I would say rowing or running on a treadmill. Next might be an elliptical machine, but from there, you're going downhill in the intensity meter. (I hear the versaclimber would be high on that list, but since I've no direct experience on one, I can't comment.)

When using cardio machines, you basically have to look at it this way - which one gets you breathing the hardest? For example, I've done a lot on stationary bikes, and they can be great workouts, but I'm not a big fan when it comes to HIIT. The same goes for stair-stepping machines. There is too much waiting on the machine.

Now, I'm not saying you can't get breathing hard on many of these machines, because you can. But HIIT isn't about just breathing hard - it's about breathing as hard as possible. And many machines just don't do it.

One main drawback to doing HIIT cardio workotus is that when they're done correctly, they're really tough on the nervous system. Like very intense strength training, the nervous system is worn down by all the very hard work it has to force the body to produce. This can have negative results on all other facets of your training, and even though your muscular system might not need it, force you to take extra recovery time to keep from being overtrained.

Let's take a look at LSD for a minute. There isn't really anyway to short change it, as long as you keep a decent pace and go the distance. And it's going to take a certain amount of cardiovascular conditioning to get that done.

There isn't anything WRONG with LSD. Countless boxers used it for years (Rocky Marciano was known to even do roadwork on the day of his fights - and he was always in great shape), as have many MMAists. Guys like Tito Ortiz, Frank Shamrock, Sean Sherk, and Matt Hughes have all stated that some form of LSD makes up the majority of their conditioning work (outside of fight training).

That said, HIIT can still be more productive. But it has to be done right, or you're doing something that could easily be surpassed by somebody doing LSD.

There are two alternative types of cardio workouts that I like to use. One is Density Conditioning. Simply put, choose a short distance (30-100 yards) and do as many reps as you can in a given timeframe. Sprint one way, walk or jog back, and repeat - rest only if it's absolutely necessary. The goal is to get more reps in each workout. These aren't going to be sprints per se, but hard runs - kind of like that 8 (or 9) intensity level, but you'll be doing a lot more overall distance.

The other cardio workout is MFD - Medium Fast Distance. This is where you choose more of a medium distance compared to your LSD. For example, if LSD runs are 5-6 miles, choose 2.5-3.5 miles. Run the entire distance without stopping (just like LSD), but do at a fairly fast-paced clip. The best way would be to set a mile time that is pretty quick for you, and try to keep that pace the entire run.

Density Conditioning and MFD cardio workouts both combine elements of LSD and HIIT. Where LSD is long, yet slow, and HIIT is short, yet very hard, Density Conditioning and MFD are both medium-long, yet hard (as opposed to very hard with HIIT).

Either Density Conditioning or MFD can be good ways of keeping your conditioning good, without having to spend hours doing it, or worrying about burning out your nervous system.

Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard.

"As a trainer and coach myself, I know not only what works but what people
will actually do. There is an art and science to physical change and peak
performance. Matt Wiggins program does it all. It is fast, effective and you will feel like a complete bad ass when you're done. This is the type of training that that isn't all show and no go...it will create both the show and the go! Scientific, Fun, and Manly. Love it!"
Billy Beck III
-2x MET-Rx World's Best Personal Trainer
-Personal Fitness Professional Magazine Trainer of the Year

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"Not just for the guys! The thing I like about Matt’s workout is that it’s simple. That doesn’t mean it’s not hard! It’s intense! It makes you feel like you’ve worked. And if you work at it, you’ll get results. I like the format and the progressions each week. Having done the workout myself and tested it on both my male and female clients, I can say it’s not a workout that’s just for guys. I really encourage women to give it a go, as much as I encourage guys. The fact that you need minimal equipment and only a small area in which to work really eliminates any excuse not to give it a go!"
Eve Gillard
Melbourne, Australia
Executive Master Trainer
www.cardiocafe.com.au

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"It's 'cardio' that moves you... beyond the boring, sitting there crap...it's your body in steady motion... burning and shaping..."

Shawn Phillips
author, "Strength For Life"
creator, "Full Strength" performance nutrition

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"Wiggy is one trainer who knows how to combine complex training for the average person as well as elite athletes..."

Dave "Scooter" Honig
Celebrity Trainer to Rapper/Actor LL Cool J
co-author, "LL Cool J's Platinum Workout"

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"Hi Matt - You are a much needed voice of reason in the strength and conditioning field. Keep up the great work."



Alwyn Cosgrove
www.alwyncosgrove.com

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"First thing that I've got to say is that I lost 5 pounds in the first 1.5 weeks of your program...that's definately the workout I would follow before my official fight...the combination of posterior and anterior chain exercises various other sportsmen would find useful because of the amount of cleans and pushes combined with anaerobic circuits."
Nikolay Ryzhkov
Ukraine

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"...after 2 weeks of the cardio program, the biggest thing that I’ve noticed is that my resting heartbeat is down about 3 beats per minutes. I’m down a couple of pounds as well. My energy level appears to be higher (I’ve got twin 4 year olds, so keeping my energy level high is very important)...At 43 years old I’m not concerned with being the biggest or the strongest, just being in the best overall athlete I can be."
Rick Eklof
masters (age 40+) Highland Games competitor

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"I have been a loyal customer of Wiggy's for 2 years now, and I’m so confident in anything that Wiggy puts out, that I will guarantee you it will work. I’m in my early 30’s and can honestly say I’m in the best shape of my life and getting better. The new "Working Class Cardio Workout" is AWESOME. If you want to get into real shape then look no further. Like any workout you will only get what you put into it. No, it’s not easy but you wouldn’t be reading this if you wanted to look like everyone else at the gym. Like Wiggy always says “Train Hard, Rest Hard, Play Hard”. So pick it up, do what he says and you to will look better, feel better, and believe in him like I do. God bless and good luck."
Aaron Bonafede

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"I'm Aaron's Bonafede little brother, and we have been devout followers of your amazing strength and conditioning programs for at least two years. They truly have transformed my body into a work horse of a machine. I am a Firefighter who also does some Jiu Jitsu on the side. I have been asked/told by more than one person, 'How are you so strong?' or 'Do you ever get tired?' With the 'cardio workout' theme I decided to keep the rest (wait there is no time to rest between all of those wood choppers) to a minimum. By the time I was finished with the first workout, I had soaked through a shirt and had to answer more questions then normal as to what exactly I was doing. I knew it was another winner. I am confident this program will take anybody's cardio and strength to the next level and beyond. Thanks again for new ass kicking programs."
Matt Bonafede

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