Improving Cardio

[Pink Pansy]

Other than the obvious answer (spar more), have you thought about taking up climbing? Yeah, it's my own personal addiction, but it builds upper-body strength like crazy, especially in the forearms, upper back, and abs, and is one hell of a cardiovascular workout. One of the better exercises I've started doing at Ye Local Climbing Gym[1] is speedwalling -- finding a relatively easy route (like a 5.6 or a 5.7), and going up and down the thing as fast as possible, as many times as possible.

Sure, it's not the same as a big wall, but by the end, if your lungs and heart aren't screaming, you're doing it wrong. :D

[1] I know it's a gym, but there's jack to climb in Sacramento, and I don't have time to get out of town on the weekends -- come summer, this will be a different story.

[Nid]

Keep your pet activities to yourself. Lots of **** "does" lots of ****.

Juggling 2 liter bottles really makes my fingers hurt, for example. Does that, however, make it a productive workout? Is it even remotely easy to determine if I've stimulated a positive, progressive and sustainable process?

No.

[Greese]

Originally posted by NHB_Ben
You will notice marginal gains simply from using those muscles. But, obviously, it makes a little more sense to train the muscles you'll actually be using. Otherwise, running is just mindless joint trauma. I'm good friends with a guy who has a doctorate in applied health science and I've been over this with him before. So if you have any other brain-dead comments to add... don't.

Then why do some many top fighters run?

[Nid]

It's an antiquated ritual for most.

Kinda like the preference for "the bench", or most people's emphasis on bicep curls.

Has anyone really strictly defined how/why those two movements are so important? No...because relatively speaking, they are not.

But they see everyone else doing it, so...