The Best Form of Cardio Ever?
Hill running.
It works almost every muscle in the body, but puts a huge emphasis on the quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves. These are the biggest muscles in the body, and thus are going to gobble up Oxygen like nothing else. These are brutal, but a fast and effective way to improve your cardiovascular fitness.
I like to do anywhere from 200m to 800m efforts. You can choose a very steep hill of around 15–20% grade, or a slightly shallower slope of 4–10% grade. Both are awesome.
Once you select your enemy hill, run up it. Don’t be afraid to get up on your toes a little bit-that’s what they are made for. Especially if it’s a very steep hill, this is natural and normal.
Ideally, you want to find a hill that you can run up for 1–3 minutes before you get to the top. Try to pace yourself so that you run the entire length of the hill at roughly the same speed.
You don’t want to be dying halfway up, you want to be dying at the top.
When you get to the top, catch your breath.
Jog back down. If you have a very generous friend or spouse, they can drive you back down to the bottom in a car, but this is a luxury that few have. I never did.
If you find that the impact of jogging downhill bothers your joints, no harm in walking-the interval is so intense that even a longer recovery is fine.
I like doing about 2000m–3000m worth of intervals total, but build up over time.
Do they work?
In a span of only 81 days, Henry Rono broke four world records: 10,000m, 5000m, 3000m steeplechase, and 3000 meters; an achievement unparalleled in the history of distance running, to this day.
One day, in a bar at the University of Oregon several years after his career, Henry revealed the secret to his phenomenal running ability.
Intervals on the track? No.
Long runs? No.
Sprints? No.
Bosu ball 1 arm curls? No…
“Hills!” He shouted. “Any hill!”
