So you’re the guy that doesn’t need to lose anymore weight, and you’re just looking to take your cardio to the next level? I know how it is when even high-intensity cardio exercises start to become easier, and easier. This is why you must alter your routine to increase the difficulty level, and so that you keep your body guessing.

So what are some advanced cardio techniques that can really boost your gains?

Hill Sprints

You’re probably fed up with traditional sprints, and it may take you about 15 sprints to even get sufficient workout. Well then hill sprints might be your answer. Hill sprints twice, if not three times as hard as the traditional sprint.

Performing about 10 hill sprints is about the equivalent of doing 20 regular sprints. Hill sprints will not only increase your running speed and explosiveness, but will also increase lean muscle mass in the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and core.

Another great aspect of hill sprints is that is almost forces you to have proper running form. Because of the slant, you will be forced to lean your upper body forward, similar to how you would during the initial burst of a traditional sprint.

After performing an effective hill sprints routine for about a month, traditional sprints will literally be easy. At this stage, your cardio should have significantly improved.

Suicides

Ever wonder why basketball players are so ripped? This is a direct result of their incredible cardio methods. But one technique is what really gives them the crazy results that you always see, and that’s suicides. I can tell you now, if you have never performed a complete suicide, then you are in for quite the surprise.

This exercise will test both your anaerobic and aerobic endurance. And because of the motion of touching the lines, your legs will be on fire. While it’s quite painful during the exercise, you are actually increasing your overall muscular endurance, which is essential for sports like basketball or soccer.

To perform this exercise you will need to find a local basketball court. Start on one side of the court, sprint to the foul line and back, sprint to half court and back, sprint to opposite foul line and back, and finish by sprinting all the way down the opposite side of the court and back. This is ONE suicide. Crazy right? Once you can successfully complete about 4-6 suicides with about one-minute of rest between, you will have achieved an excellent level of cardio.

These are only two of many advanced cardio techniques you can use, but I highly recommend you start out with these ones. Good luck!