When you think cardio, you most likely don't immediately
jump to using a 500 lb barbell to do it with...I know
I didn't...at first.
Then I
realized you can actually do some great stuff with
a regular Olympic bar loaded up with some serious
weight (can be 405 lbs or 315 lbs or whatever you
can get on the bar at your current strength level).
The key is that you're not going to LIFT it...you're
going to PUSH and PULL it, using the weight plates
as wheels.
So now
that you know the secret to using a 500 lb barbell
for cardio, let me show you how you I did it. I've
got several variations that found to be extremely
effective .
And before
I start, you might be wondering why I decided to try
this...well, why not! I think one of the best way
to learn things and push the boundaries is to be totally
unreasonable about certain things. I though to myself...why
can't you use a heavy barbell to push around like
a sled. This gives you some nice alternatives when
you don't have a sled available.
So lets
get to it. And please, do be careful if you try any
of these. This obviously isn't what barbells are normally
designed for and it's up to YOU to make sure the coast
is clear before doing it. You don't want anybody walking
into the way of a 500 lb barbell rolling across the
floor.
And obviously,
a lot of gym are going to frown on this type of useage
of the barbell, so be sure and clear this before doing
it in a commercial gym, if you do try it in a commercial
gym. Home gym or if you own the gym...go nuts and
have fun :) It's actually kind of addictive once you
get cranking on it.
Be VERY
sure you keep the bar under your control at all times
and that you could very quickly stop the momentum
if you need to.
---
#1.
Pushing, Stopping and Pulling
Very simple
drill here. You'll get down low, set your hands on
the bar then push it forward, accelerating the bar
from a standstill.
Keep pushing
for about 6 to 10 feet (or however far you can go
in your gym - I recommend no more than that because
you can really get up a head of stuff if you do).
Then put the brakes on and stop the bar by putting
a foot down and pulling back on it to stop the momentum.
Now walk
backwards, pulling the bar back to the start position.
Repeat
for 3 to 5 rounds (or more).
#2 - Pushing, Jumping Over and Pushing
With this
one, you'll be pushing again but instead of pulling
to put the brakes on, you're going to jump over the
bar and "catch" it on the other side to
stop the momentum.
Here's
me leaping over the bar - when you do jump over, jump
far enough so that you have time to get into position
before the bar runs into you. That means about a foot
further than you think you'll need.
Squat down
and absorb the momentum of the barbell then immediately
push to change it's direction as fast as you can.
Go back
the other way, jumping over the bar again. You can
stick with one way that feels more comfortable or
you can alternate sides you jump over.
#3 - One Arm Pulling
This is
a simple backwards pull, holding the bar with one
hand. This really hits the core strongly, in addition
to the legs. This one isn't rocket science. Pull one
way then turn around and use the other arm to pull
it back again.
#4 - Bunny Hops
This is
an interesting one that will involve pushing and hopping
in one direction then pulling and hopping back in
the other.
Start with
your hands on the bar and your feet together like
a squat.
Push the
bar forward a few feet.
Now hop
BOTH your feet forward towards the bar. Repeat this,
pushing the bar forward a bit then hopping forward.
Once you
get 10 feet down the floor, reverse the movement.
Hop your feet back (like the bottom of a squat thrust),
kneel on the floor then pull the bar backwards (you'll
have to kneel to get enough traction to move it).
#5 - Plyometric Pushing
This can
be done by yourself, if you have a couple of foam
wedges like I do (obviously not everybody does - I
got mine at EliteFTS.com - click
here to check it out). You can also do this with
a partner, who catches the bar on the other end then
pushes it back to you.
It's like
playing "pass" with a 500 lb barbell.
With the
wedges, set them a few feet away with the angles towards
you. You'll explode, pushing the barbell forward.
It'll roll up the wedges then roll back to you.
As you'll
see in the video, it actually works really well.
If you
have a partner, you can be more aggressive with the
pushes. It's a great upper body plyometric pushing
movement.
---
So that's
all 5 of the variations! Fun with a 500 lb barbell...
You can
perform these drills with whatever interval type of
format you like, e.g. taking 3 to 5 reps of one then
rest 30 seconds, then repeat.
You can
go through all the different variations 3 to 5 reps
each, resting 30 seconds between each variation, etc.
You can
do just one variation and work it.
The uses
are limited only by your imagination!
