My Kick Ass Cardio and Abs Workout
If you are anything like me then a typical cardio workout will bore you to absolute tears and make you question your life. When it comes to gym cardio I just feel like a hamster on a wheel wasting the precious day away. You see I would much rather play a recreational game of basketball, football or even ping pong for that matter.
Anything with a little purpose and competitiveness. Unfortunately my three brothers aren’t always down for a little game of pigskin and that’s when I have to drag my ass to the gym, park or sometimes your gf’s bedroom :D
Making Cardio Awesome
This routine is a sample from my Cardio, Abs, and Mobility program. I like to break up my cardio workout into 3 periods, kind of like a game of hockey. By segmenting your cardio workout into 3 separate periods all of the sudden it becomes much more do able. Each period lasts 15 minutes and is followed up with a few abs exercises.
Period #1 – HIIT (15 minutes)
The first 15 minutes of the cardio workout is dedicated to high intensity interval training. The goal is to boost hgh and trigger the release of fat cells into your bloodstream to be burned for fuel. A side benefit of HIIT is improvements in conditioning and anaerobic endurance.
In addition HIIT will promote lean, powerful and athletic looking legs. The kinobody way. If I am doing this workout at the gym I will perform the intervals on a treadmill, stationary bike or jumping rope. I’ll usually use a 1:2 or 1:3 work rest ratio.
Example on Bike
- 2 minutes pedalling easy with low resistance
- 1 minute pedalling hard with high resistance
- repeat for 15 minutes total
Example on Treadmill
- 2 minutes walking at 4.0mph
- 1 minute sprinting at 10-15 mph
- repeat for 15 minutes total
Example on Jump Rope
- 1 minute light skipping
- 30 seconds fast skipping
- repeat for 15 minutes total
Abs Training #1
After completing the intervals we are going to move onto the first segment of core training. This is where we will perform the hardest and most challenging core movements. These movements will build strong, dense abdominals that are rock solid.
Exercise #1 – Front Levers or Abs Wheel Roll Outs: 3 sets x 5 reps
Exercise #2 – Hanging Leg Raises (feet to bar): 3 sets x 5 reps (slow and controlled)
(Exercise #1 and 2 are shown first in the video above)
Period #2 – Low Intensity Cardio (15 minutes)
The second period of the workout is dedicated to low intensity cardio and should be performed at 65-70% of your heart rate. Low intensity cardio is the best way to burn fat without increasing your appetite or interfering with your strength workouts.
To figure out your maximum heart rate subtract your age from 220. Once you get your maximum heart rate multiply it by 0.65 to get 65% and then multiply it again by 0.7 to get 70%.
Perform the low intensity cardio on any machine of your choice for 15 minutes and ensure that you keep your heart rate between 65-70% of your max. I prefer to do this cardio on an elliptical or by walking on a treadmill with a slight incline.
Abs Training #2
For the second segment of abs training we are going to perform less advanced abs movements for higher reps. This will help build deep abdominals that are visible at all times.
Exercise #1 – Leg Raises on Dip Bar + Leg Spread: 3 sets x 8-15 reps
Exercise #2 – Swinging Side to Side Knee Raises: 3 sets x 10-20 reps per side
(Exercises #1 and 2 are shown in the video above)
Period #3 – Low Intensity Cardio (15 minutes)
For maximum fat burning we are going to perform a final 15 minutes of low intensity cardio at 65-70% of your heart rate. Perform this cardio on any machine of your choice.
Abs Training #3
The final abs segment is going to be dedicated to strengthening the TVA to give you a flat and rigid midsection. The exercise of choice is going to be the old school plank.
Exercise #1 – Plank x 5 minutes total
Perform as many sets as it takes to total 5 minutes of the plank. At first it may take you 5 sets of 1 minute. Eventually you will be able to get 3 minutes on your first set and 2 minutes on your second set. If you are a plank master then 5 minutes in one set it is!
Tips and Advice
1. For maximum results perform this routine 2-3x per week and preferably while fasted or 3-4 hours after a meal. This will ensure insulin levels are low and fat mobilization is maximized. If I do this workout completely fasted I don’t bother taking BCAA. I’ll only take BCAA before fasted strength workouts.
2. Have 2 cups of coffee before the workout to maximize fat burning.
3. If people at the gym start asking you about your workout routine and these crazy gymnastic abs movements you’re doing send them to kinobody.com :D
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I’m the same way with cardio. I need to segment it. To make an hour of cardio go by quicker and to keep it interesting, I would do 20 minutes stair master, 20 minutes treadmill, and 20 minutes stationary bike. 20 minutes seemed to be achievable for me mentally. For people with knee problems, walking or jogging at an incline is great to keep it low impact while keeping your heart rate in that 65-70% range. I also like sprinting at 15% incline for the same reason while doing HIIT. Basketball and football in college gave me some minor knee issues.
Looks good but maybe too time consuming. Is it enough to just do 15 mins of cardio then followed by abs workout?
yeah that’s fine
Very good ab and cardio workout greg, I always try to abs and cardio on the same day with a combination of HIIT on the threadmill. Much more effective workout than steady state cardio, such as jogging or cycling.
Do you do this on your non-strength training days? Or just earlier in the day on a training day? So if I’m lifting 3x a week: Monday, Wednesday, Friday…when do I incorporate this? On ALL my rest days? Or just two?
Non strength days
Greg, you wrote to do the cardio on empty stochmach (4 or 5 hours after a meal)
What is after the cardio should I eat some food right after the cardio session or should I wait?
Thx in advance
You don’t need to eat right after cardio. Wait 30-60 minutes and have a meal if you’re hungry.
I’m confused… Do u have to do this all in one day, or each period is for different days
All in one session.
Is it ok to work out the abs twice a day morn and night 3 times a week while keeping the cardio as is
No that’s crazy. Train your abs 2x per week is plenty. You can do three but sure as heck not 2 per days.
Greg could I do this routine and not worry about “losing muscle” why doing cardio. I like cardio and being able to run without losing breath. But I don’t want to lose any muscle
Yes you won’t lose muscle.
Hey..greg
i am at 10% body fat and still on a diet till i reach to 8%bf..
i am eating at 500cal deficit..
i wanted to ask that is cardio really that important ..because in your post beach ripped part1the diy guide to cutting you gmh said that if you hate cardio you can use the factor of 1.375..is it really necessary to do cardio for fat loss or can we make consistent fat loss without cardio…please help,sir….
You definitely don’t need to do cardio for fat loss. You’ll just have to keep your diet stricter to ensure you’re in a calorie deficit, that’s all.
Hi I’m 15, 5’5 and 96 pounds. I have a body similar to Cams, 6 pack, obliques and v line. I wanna get bigger but don’t want to lose my abs because I’m skinny and short. Should I gain weight and lose my abs and then get my abs back? Or should I just eat a lot and work out and exercise at the same time so I don’t lose my abs. I also do insanity just for abs separate from weight lifting. I’m thinking of eating a lot and exercising 6 times a week for my abs.
You’re only 15 years old so naturally you will quite a bit of weight. I would definitely start eating more! Aim to get 2-3 lbs each month. If you do it properly you won’t lose much definition at all. But you’re very skinny right now, so you’ll look the best if you put on some solid muscle.
Can I do this while on the Christian Bale diet plan?
Yep
Hey Greg, Just wondering what your meals consist of/how many per day…that is my current knowledge downfall. Obviously tuna etc is good for tuna intake but thats a bit too generalised.
Protein intake**
I eat two to three meals per day. Usually lean meats, egg/whites, cottage cheese, veggies, potatoes..
How about breakfast? Theres so much conflicting info on the internet. Basically I workout in the morning and then head straight to work. What would you recommend to eat before and after a workout? Currently I eat wholemeal toast with peanut butter before, and a banana after.
I would advise you to train fasted with maybe a cup of black coffee before hand. You can fast till lunch if you want or have some greek yogurt or cottage cheese and some fruit afterwards.
Hey Greg, would it be ok if I ate at maintainance calories on my strength training days and on cardio days I do the protein shake and salad diet from visual impact?
Yes, that’s fine! Although I don’t think it’s necessary to go so low in calories. As a general rule, I wouldn’t go below 10 calories per pound of bodyweight.
Greg, what is your opinion on cardio workouts like Insanity or Asylum? They combine both high intensity exercises and some form of strength training (different forms of push-ups and core work).
I prefer to keep strength training and cardio/intervals separate from each-other. If you’re combining strength work with conditioning you will see very little strength/muscle gains.
I agree that we should try to keep them separate. I would definitely separate the weight lifting (at least heavy, like bench press or dead lifts) from cardio. Pretty much anything that caused micro muscle tears. In INSANITY you are working mostly on explosiveness of your muscles and not really on pure raw strength.
My concern is that your heart rate stays up the hole time. For example my AVG HR is about 150 for an hour (which is about 80% of my max since I am 38). It is definitely a good way to improve your conditioning for any sport but is it an effective way to oxidate fat? Can you really burn fat at that intensity?
Basically it comes down to total calories burned! If you train at a higher intensity you will metabolize glucose for fuel. That said, your body will oxidize more fat later in the day to make up for that caloric deficit. So basically with low intensity cardio you burn more fat during the workout and with high intensity training you’ll burn more fat at other points in the day.
Is a rowing machine not a good option for cardio? I do cardio and abs on days I don’t do weights but someone suggested that was a bad idea because I’m not giving my muscles a rest with the HIIT on the rowing machine.
The rowing machine can be more taxing! I hate it because after a few minutes of rowing I get really bad back pain. I prefer not to exercise in the seated position and cause further spinal compression.
Hi Greg :) whats your opinion on doing HIIT followed by steady state first thing in the morning? (completely fasted). I’ve read alot of articles saying this will break down alot of muscle and can be counter productive. Whats your opinion?
cheers
It really depends…. If you’re someone that’s trying to get really huge and does a lot of squatting and deadlifting then HIIT may be counter productive. It will cut into recovery of the lower body. As well, to be efficient at HIIT, your legs can’t be overly massive. So for 500 pound squatters HIIT may cause problems. For most of us though, doing HIIT fasted is completely fine.
Please do some spellchecks before you post. Cardio is not “boaring”, it’s “boring” !!
That wouldn’t be a spellcheck that would be a grammar check but thanks for the catch.
Do you have a workout to build thicker more dense abs (weighted ab exercises)? Or would this workout work if eating in a surplus to build your abs?
This workout is more effective than weighted crunching abs exercises. Hanging leg raise variations are the most difficult abs movements.
Hi Greg,
First of all I’d like to say that your blog is awesome! Now onto the question.
Do you think that the HIIT/Steady state cardio ratio should be tweaked according to body fat percentage? For example: more HIIT, less steady s.c if one has more fat to lose…
I apologize for my english btw (not a native speaker).
Thank you for your answer ;)
Great question Diana!
My cardio recommendations have changed slightly over the years. The goal of cardio, as it pertains to fat loss, is to support a calorie deficit in combination with diet. Whether you burn 400 calories from intervals, running, walking or basketball is irrelevant. All of those activities will have the same effect on fat loss. There are some additional benefits of the higher intensity work but if you are already doing strength training 3x per week then it won’t make a difference. So basically the point I’m trying to make is that you should do the form of cardio that you enjoy the most because assuming you’re burning the same number of calories it won’t make a difference. If someone is very overweight they will probably benefit most from lower intensity activities like walking, swimming and biking. As well, if you are dieting to a low body fat and undergoing calorie restriction then you may not have the energy for intense cardio sessions so you’d be better off with pure low intensity work like walking on an inclined treadmill or an easy pace on an elliptical.On the other-hand if you are bored to tears from long slow intensity work then you should do interval sessions alternating between a fast pace and an easy pace.
There is nothing magical with any form of cardio. Do the activity you enjoy the most and aim for 30-60 minutes of cardio exercise in a session.
Thank you so much for your answer :)
So it doesn’t really matter if someone that’s slightly overweight has the same routine (ratio wise) as a leaner individual, spending, let’s say, 15 min on HIIT and then 20-30 min on steady state cardio? In terms of free fatty acids release into the bloodstream and then burning them utilizing low intensity cardio… I’m sorry that I sound confusing. :/
An overweight individual is already going to have tons of free fatty acids in the bloodstream at all hours of the day. Mobilization of fatty acids is definitely not a concern. It’s only when someone reaches the lower levels of bodyfat where it can be increasingly hard to mobilize fatty acids. This is where fasting, empty stomach cardio, low cabrs and intervals followed by steady state cardio can help.
[…] It’s a must. It exudes health and is visually pleasing. I personally use a routine found on Kinobody Fitness Systems. You know, sometimes doing abs all in one shot can be boring. Same thing with cardio. The reason […]
Hi Greg, I actually love this routine and I hope you don’t mind, I created a blog post with a link to your article. I am new to blogging but fitness is my passion and your website is one of my favorite. Maybe you can check my website http://perfectbodyreview.com/ and tells me if it’s a good start. ( only one day old lol ) Thanks man, I appreciate. Keep up the good work you fire me up !
Your blog looks kick ass! Great work.
Checkout – http://www.fitnessblogtraining.com
This is how I learned to get more viewers to my website.
Yeah I found it a couple days ago while looking to promote Rusty’s products. Great Stuff! If I work on it everyday, sooner or later it will works and the world will be a place full of strong and fit people ;) Cheers to that !
Hi Creg,
Don’t get me wrong here but my personal opinion is that cardio is not necessary at all. I am ripped, and apart from my regular workout routine with weights, I rarely do any cardio any more (apart from walking and sex of course). Cardio can benefit your cardiovascular system but it can’t help you burn fat. For example, if you do 2 hours cardio every single day, ok yeah you will burn some fat, but the thing is that the fat burning stops immediately when cardio stops. The secret is to keep your metabolism high, with tough workout (bodyweight or using free weights), exercises with very few repetitions and a lot of weights.
What is your opinion on my point of view?
Thanks.
@BlackBelt
Cardio burns significantly more calories then strength training. As well cardio can be performed daily without overtraining (unlike weights or interval/circuit sessions).
In that regard cardio is useful for increasing your daily caloric expenditure to speed up fat loss when a calorie deficit diet is in place. Is it necessary? Nope. But if you want faster fat loss OR if you want to eat a little bit more carbs on a diet then cardio is very useful.
Oh and the after burn effect on intervals/weights isn’t that significant. You’re looking at 8-15% extra then the calories burned during the session.
If you took the second set of cardio off and added another five minutes of planks as well as five minutes of L or V sit work and this would be our abs days at gymnastics.
@Ryan
That’s quite a coincidence. Turns out that gymnasts know how to train their abs better than anyone out there.
so keep the cardio and ab routines in between strength training days?
@Gabe
yes.
I laugh every time I go to the gym in my apartment complex to run intervals and everyone else in there is doing steady state cardio. I’ll walk in 5 minutes after someone, wrap up my workout in 25 minutes, and be more sweaty than they are! Meanwhile they still have another 15- 20 minutes to go in their steady state routine. People need to wake up!
Hey there Greg,
Could you recommend some substitute exercises for the ab workouts for when I want to do this cardio session outside?
Cheers!
Hey Greg, I really like that you recommend splitting up the cardio … definitely a nice way to break up what can sometimes get long and boring. Also, I really like that you incorporate different exercises so that it’s not JUST walking and sprinting on a treadmill.
What would you say about the following cardio workout:
1. 3 min warm-up (stationary jogging + jumping jacks) @ 70% of MHR
2. 10 rounds of Tabata intervals (20 sec work/ 10 sec rest) alternating burpees and “mountain climbers” @ 85% + of MHR
3. 25 – 30 min on the bike @ 70% of MHR
4. 5-10 min to cool down (stretching)
@Alexander
That looks great man.
Hey Greg,
Just wondering if you would recommend doing this workout in the morning and then lifting later on in the day once or twice a week. I’m currently following the Alan Ritchson workout but would like to add more cardio and ab work. Let me know what you think. Thanks
Great site by the way! Love all of your advice. You have completely transformed my physique!!
@Tim
Awesome man! You’re best bet would be to do this cardio workout 2x per week on the days where you are not lifting. Training 2x in one day can set recovery back.
Hey Greg —
Doing your shredding program — I have been incorporating your three different ab workouts each day as a three day cycle. How often do you recommend doing abs per week? Can I do this cardio scheme on each cardio day of the shredding program?
Jason
@Jason
Yes you can do this cardio scheme on your cardio days. For abs 2-3 workouts per week is best.
How long can you go without eating after this workout? I would do this workout in the morning, but my eating window is 6 hours away. Could probably do this with BCAA, but I would like to go without them, since I do not use suplemetns? Could 6 hours without food cause muscle loss?
@Ales
I think you’ll be okay. The hgh boost from the workout and fasting should help preserve muscle mass.
Hey, I have a question, do the prograde metabolism pills really work?
@Anthony
If you diet and training is solid then it will give you an extra boost. If you diet and training sucks it’s worthless.
Hey Greg, great article. I was just curious if HIIT works as well with an elliptical as it would with a treadmill or the bike?
@Ian
I don’t think so. Its hard to go full intensity on most ellipticals.
Alykhan, how did you go about training for the 15k? I’ve done a 5k which really wasn’t that bad, and all I used was HIIT to train. Did you have to mix in more steady-state cardio to prep your body?
I’ve done this routine 2 days ago and my abs are still hurting (good, not bad). Great routine, thanks. However I cannot perform the Leg Raises on Dip Bar + Leg Spread in my gym. I’ve replaced them with Renegade rows, is this a good substitute? Or do you have a better one. Thanks again.
@Randy
Nice man! Renegade rows is a great exercise and makes a good substitute.
Greg,
Great routine, man! I’m going to give it a try after I’m done training for a 15k next month and go back to HIIT type cardio. Right now, I’m doing mostly distance running and soccer. This should be great to add to my arsenal for getting in top shape for summer.
Alykhan
Hey Gregg,
I read that you said not drink a protein shake as post workout on cardio/ab days, I was curious to know how long should I wait after I complete this workout? 1-2 hours after?
@Alula
You can eat 30 minutes after the workout or you can wait 1-2 hours before eating. It’s up to you. Since this workout should be done on a lower calorie day then I don’t recommend eating immediately after. Chances are after a workout of this nature you won’t be hungry right after. Therefore it is counterproductive to slam a protein shake in ESPECIALLY if you are going to be eating your meal shortly after.
Nice ab and cardio workout routine Greg. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve actually stopped drinking coffee and replaced it with green tea instead. It seems to work just as well, plus there’s no coffee after taste.
-Keith
Okay, man, thanks. I’m in week 2 at the Greek God workout, and I have some sick gains, it’s probably the fastest muscle gaining program I’ve tried. Kudos
Thanks man. Should I have a post workout shake after cardio, or just eat normally?
@Laci
No post workout shakes after cardio. Maximize fat burning and don’t eat until your next meal.
Hey Greg,
I’m following your muscle building routine now (the greek god stuff), it’s really good. I have like 12% body fat, and I would like to get shredded. Could I do this workout on the rest days, with low calories (or maybe even with fasting), and follow the muscle building stuff on high calorie days with more meel frequency?
@Laci
Yes Laci. That would work quite well.
Greg,
I really like this workout you set up.
The way you go back and forth between abs and cardio really makes your body work hard and intense. This way of training creates a perfect storm for lowering body fat while working the abs as well and it does not take up a long period of time in the gym.
-Sam
Thanks Greg… I’m going to surprise many people when I finally take off my shirt this summer.
Greg,
I’m currently following your shredding program. Do you recommend incorporating this full abs workout to your shredding program? If so… What days do you recommend adding the abs routine?
@Eric
You can do this routine 2x per week on your low calorie/carb days. It’s pretty much the same cardio routine but ur adding abs.
Hey greg,
Awesome article, been looking forward for this one allot and am verry pleased with it :D
i just had a small question
If i did your strength training program (3 days/week) combined with this fat burning workout ( a total of 6 days /week with 1 day rest)
how long would it take from lets say
from 195 pounds at 16-18% body fat to like 176 pounds at 11% bf
Thanks :)
@Ricardo
Assuming your diet is tight and your eating at a good deficit you could probably hit 176 lbs in 3 months.
Hey greg! I can use this workout with empty stomach in the morning?
@Diego
Definitely man! That would give you the best results.
Man you are so dedicated, I read it and thought you was going to stop at the well known strategic cardio of HIIT and then steady state cardio, but no Greg goes the extra mile and does an extra ab training and cardio session
Ops, I forgot…how much rest between the sets?
Should we make first one set of exercise A and then one of B or finish the 3 A sets and then complete the B sets?
@Salvatore
Awesome. Appreciate it man. Rest 1-2 minutes between sets and do one exercise at a time before moving on.
Thanks Greg,
I’m going to start your programm from tomorrow, I’ll take a picture of me right now and then after each week, I’ve seen many different workout routines and fitness programs but I think you’ve put together the best “cocktail” to burn fat and I’m going to prove it!
Thank you so much for the response!! So I would pick one excersise for back for example and that’s it? How many sets would I do? Could you give a sample workout? Thank you, d
@Danielle
You should train your body in 2 workouts (upper/lower split). Perform 3-4 work sets per exercise and stop a couple reps shy of failure on the muscles you don’t want to make bigger just firmer. I’ll write a post up for you soon.
I agree the goal isn’t hypertrophy with women, but even if they tried, they wouldn’t get bulky or ‘big’ (without drugs ;). Women simply can’t pak on as much muscle as men… So if they can handle the volume/intensity, I don’t see any reason why they should do only one set per muscle group…
@Terry
I said one exercise per muscle group not one set. Yes girls won’t get big or grotesque no matter what they do. But they can definitely add more muscle then what I perceive as sexy or attractive. Jessica Alba, Megan Fox and Zoe Saldana all look super sexy and slim.
Nice vids. The people I get coming to me for advice are generally not experienced enough to perform ab exercises that intense, what would you say are some good alternatives for your workout that a beginner might use?
Lance
@Lance
Front Levers –> abs wheel or barbell roll outs on knees
Hanging Leg Raises –> Bent knee raises bringing knees to chest
Dip Bar Leg Raises –> Leg Raises in Captain Chair
Swinging knee raises –> do the same, this is easy
plank –> do the same, this is easy
hey I wanted to tell you as a girl I love your site. It has really good information! I bought your new book and was wondering if what you suggest to men will work for me..I want to build lean muscle nd not just b skinny fat but have some muscle on me..hope you will reply back ..thank you d
@Danielle
Hey Danielle! Glad you enjoy the site. I think I will have to start writing up some articles which are catered towards my female followers. I apologize for not doing so already. 80% of everything from my site and programs will be great for women too. Intermittent fasting, the diets, the cardio and even most of the strength workouts can be done for women. I would make a few adjustments with the strength workouts to ensure you build an attractive feminine physique.
For example girls should probably only do one exercise per muscle group and keep volume pretty low. 5-10 reps per set and stopping a couple reps before failure. The goal is to strengthen and tone your muscles NOT hypertrophy them. Most girls who have thicker builds should stick to cardio and intervals to slim down their legs. If you have stick legs and a flat butt then you should definitely be incorporating squats, dead lifts and lunges.
Do you need to change up this routine every few months or can this be done continuously for 6 months, etc? Why?
Thanks for the post, I enjoyed reading how you combined cardio and abs together.
@Steve
This routine cane be down for a long time. The premise is to start with 15 minutes of intervals and finish off with 30 minutes of low intensity cardio. This is a very productive way to burn fat. To make it more awesome I included a few sets of abs after every 15 minutes of cardio. I recommend using the program for as long as you need to. You can mix it up by doing intervals/cardio on different machines and/or using a different work/rest ratio.
Nice way to combine cardio and abs into one workout. I’m a big fan of HIIT followed by steady state cardio. The abs exercises are all great as well.
What about box jumps