WOD

5 rounds for time:

Bear Crawl x 4

15 KB Goblet Squats

25 Double Unders

Nathan Spitz, Bo Hornback and Nick Phillips

Elliptical Machine

We have long touted the cardiovascular and respiratory benefits of resistance training. We have even frequently stated that 10-15 minutes of intense exercise can provide equivalent or better cardiovascular  benefit to 45 minutes of “cardio”. We avoid the term “cardio” because of what it generally brings to mind for most people. The fitness industry in general thinks that to train “cardio” I have to get on a treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical or some other machine for an eternity and press on at some leisurely to moderate pace. Fortunately, this notion is completely absurd.This is why we use the term “met con” or metabolic conditioning.

Thruster

Any time your power output is high, your cardiovascular systems will be stressed. Any time these systems are stressed it will induce an adaptation. Let’s take a thruster as an example. By performing a full squat to pushing a load overhead you are engaging most of the major muscle groups in your body. Many of these undergoing a very wide range of motion. In order to supply these muscles with the energy and nutrients needed to repeat this task for any length of time your heart rate and breathing rate will increase. If you then maintain that power output your energy systems will get taxed in a way that 45 minutes on an elliptical could never accomplish.

Now, is training 10-15 minutes going to enable you to win a marathon or iron man triathlon? Nope. In order to win one of these events there will be a ton of technique and doing enough mileage to prepare your joints for the abuse they will take on one of these events. It will however enable you to complete a marathon or iron man in a reasonable time. If you do no preparatory training for the event you will be pretty wrecked after the event. Additionally, in order to win one of these events you would have to make strength and power sacrifices that we would consider unacceptable.

The following article discusses this topic. Note that they are simply looking at your typical 8-10 rep gym weight set. This doesn’t even consider the way we train which enhances the benefit.

(HealthDay News) — Resistance exercise such as weight training affects blood vessels differently than aerobic exercise and offers other cardiovascular benefits, finds a new study.

Researchers at the Appalachian State University in Boone, N.C., compared blood vessel (vascular) responses to two types of moderate-intensity workouts: three sets of 10 repetitions of eight resistance exercises and 30 minutes of aerobic cycling.

There were significant differences in the vascular responses to the two types of exercises. Resistance exercise produced greater increases in blood flow to the limbs, while aerobic exercise reduced arterial stiffness, but without an increase in blood flow.

Resistance exercise also led to a longer-lasting decrease in blood pressure after exercise, compared to aerobic exercise.

“Resistance exercise may offer greater benefits from the increases in blood flow to active muscles and could be implemented as a companion to an aerobic training program,” wrote study leader Scott R. Collier, of Appalachian State University, and colleagues in a press release.

They said their findings support previous research showing that resistance exercise has unique effects on blood pressure and limb blood flow.

“The present study indicates that an acute bout of resistance exercise shows many favorable cardiovascular benefits and should therefore be considered as part of a daily exercise training program,” the researchers concluded.

The study appears in the November issue of Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.

SOURCE: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, news release, Nov. 10, 2010″