When I got serious about lifting, I was also a runner. I would run a 5K or more every single day. I’d grab a quick snack, rest for fifteen minutes, then hit the gym for a traditional workout split and some functional training. My goal has always been to have a lean shredded physique. So in-between my sets, I would always throw in 30-60 seconds of a quick movement, like sit-ups, crunches, jump-rope, or air squats, to keep my heart rate up. At the time, I didn’t know, what I was doing, was called cardioacceleration.

If your goal is get shredded and lean, then cardioacceleration is exactly what you need to start using between your sets on lifting days. Standard splits give you time to between sets, to rest, recover and recoup so you can get the plate-loaded barbell up off the ground for your next set of deadlifts. But instead of you scrolling through your phone, wasting time, with cardioacceleration, you simply throw in 30-60 seconds of fast paced cardio, between your sets. Let’s talk more about cardioacceleration and how it can help you get into better shape.

What Is Cardioacceleration 

Cardioacceleration refers to performing intervals of cardio, typically (30-60 seconds) in between sets of resistance training. For example, on chest day you could perform air squats, or sit-ups between your bench press. This gives you ample time to recover while performing a high-intensity interval of cardio between your sets, that does not involve your chest.

As you can imagine, performing 30-60 seconds of max effort work between your resistance training, can add up very fast. An average split will have 8-10 different exercises, at 4 sets each. With 60 seconds of cardioacceleration between those sets, that adds up to 30-40 minutes of cardio.

Benefits Of Cardioacceleration

1. Time Efficiency

The first and most obvious benefit of cardioacceleration, is time efficiency. Instead of adding 35 minutes to the end of your workout, you can knock out your cardio all at the same time.

2. Decreases Muscle Soreness

You can also think of cardioacceleation as a type of feeder workout. A feeder workout is a high-volume, low-intensity workout consisting of two exercises performed back-to-back, with no rest in between. These supersets usually consist of just two exercises and hundreds of repetitions will be performed as quickly as possible. 

The benefit of cardioaccerlation and feeder workouts, is that it helps reduce muscle soreness or DOMS. The specific etiology refers to blood-flow. Bodyweight movements, especially compound movements, can help improve recovery, as well as increase muscle mass and strength to the increase in workout volume.

A study published in the Journal Of Strength And Conditioning investigated and compared effects of delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) induced by anaerobic resistance exercises with and without aerobic cardioacceleration before each set. The study found that Aerobic cardioacceleration immediately before each set of resistance exercises rapidly eliminates DOMS during vigorous progressive resistance training in athletes [R].

3. Improves Endurance

Performing aerobic work, between your resistance training exercises, will inevitably help improve your muscular endurance and aerobic capacity and VO2 Max. With better muscular endurance and aerobic capacity, you’ll be able to perform more work, at a greater pace, and increase time to exhaustion.

4. Improves Body Composition

Adding in cardio between your resistance training, will turn you into a fat burning machine. Cardio combined with resistance training, will help you burn body fat and increase muscle mass, simultaneously. All without the hassle of getting on the stair climber, for 45 minutes of boring steady-state cardio.

Cardioacceleration Exercises 

Keeping your heart rate at a high rate, is critical to shredding body fat. Cardio Acceleration will help you continuously keep your heart rate in a fat burning zone, between your workouts. It combines cardio and resistance training into a faster paced intense workout. Between each set of lifts, you will perform one set of cardio acceleration at the prescribed interval (30 sec, 1 min). Choose any exercise from the table below. It can be as simple as running in place, or just doing a quick set of abs. The goal is to keep up the intensity.

Cardio Acceleration

Workouts (Pick Any Option Below)

Duration

Mountain Climbers

AMRAP

30 sec

Burpees

AMRAP

30 sec

Bicycles

AMRAP

30 sec

High Knees

AMRAP

30 sec

Toe Taps

AMRAP

30 sec

Crunches

AMRAP

30 sec

Medicine Ball Slam

AMRAP

30 sec

KB Swing

AMRAP

30 sec

Goblet Squat

AMRAP

30 sec

Side Box Shuffle

AMRAP

30 sec

Box Jump

AMRAP

30 sec

Jump Rope

AMRAP

30 sec

Jump Squat

AMRAP

30 sec

DB Lunge

AMRAP

30 sec

Step Up

AMRAP

30 sec

Med Ball Toss

AMRAP

30 sec

Karaoke

AMRAP

30 sec

Reverse Lunge

AMRAP

30 sec

Jump Split Squat

AMRAP

30 sec

Ski Erg
AMRAP
30 sec

Ball Shot
AMRAP
30 sec