You gaze at the long line of treadmills, stationary bikes, stairsteppers, and elliptical trainers at your gym as you try to psych yourself up for 30 long minutes of yet another boring cardio session. “There has got to be a better way to get through this!” you mutter to yourself while donning the obligatory headphones required for your tedious ordeal. Imagine instead of having so much fun in a cardio session that it whizzes by without you even realizing you were training. Hard to believe? Well, I’ve asked five prominent sports and strength and conditioning coaches to design some interesting and fun ways for you to do cardio and general conditioning based on their particular sport. Their regimens are unique ways to do outdoor cardio using specific sports drills. Although the drills aren’t designed to improve your sports skills, they will get you outside, off of the monotonous machines, and in great shape! Each routine is challenging, takes 20-30 minutes, and should burn at least 500 calories if performed correctly.

Basketball
Al Vermeil, strength and conditioning coach of the Chicago Bulls, uses a medicine ball that bounces with his players on and off-season for a dynamic warm-up, developing core strength, and increasing and maintaining cardiovascular conditioning. “I like med ball workouts because they are functional, they mimic the motions of sport and life, and they can be used in all movement planes,” Vermeil explains. “Certainly a standard medicine ball will do, but I like a ball that bounces like a basketball would.” He recommends a dynamic warm-up and then his infamous “Tempo Workout” which incorporates different exercise drills with sprints.
Warm-up
1. Big Circle
a. Start in a squatted position with feet shoulder-width apart. Ball is held with extended arms between legs.
b. The extended arms will begin to circle to the left as the knees extend. As the arms reach overhead, the knees will be totally extended. The arms will continue the circle down as the knees bend.
c. Be careful not to lean back or thrust your hips forward. Keep your abdominal muscles tight.
d. Repeat 5 times to the left and five times to the right.
2. Wood Chopper
a. Start in a squatted position with feet flat on ground and shoulder-width apart. Ball is held with extended arms between legs.
b. The extended arms reach overhead as the knees extend and the heels come off the ground. Bring the extended arms down as if you were chopping wood, as the knees bend and the feet are flat on the ground. You can allow the ball to come through the legs slightly.
c. Be careful not to lean back or thrust your hips forward. Keep your abdominal muscles tight.
d. Repeat 10 times.
3. Overhead Side-To-Side Stretch
a. Start standing with extended arms holding the ball overhead.
b. Lean to the left, return to center, lean to right.
c. Keep your abdominals tight and repeat 10 times.

Tempo Workout
The tempo workout can be performed inside a gym or outside. You can use a partner or a wall for the different throwing exercises. It starts with an exercise performed for 20 repetitions, a sprint across a basketball court or for approximately 94 feet, another exercise performed for 20 reps, a sprint back and so on until 10 exercises and 10 sprints are performed. The entire Tempo Workout looks like this:
1. Overhead Throw Against Wall
2. Sprint
3. Chest Pass Against Wall
4. Sprint
5. Side Throws
6. Sprint
7. Hammer Throws
8. Sprint
9. Rocky Solos
10. Sprint
11. Sit-Up Throws
12. Sprint
13. V-Ups
14. Sprint
15. Diagonal Sit-Ups
16. Sprint
17. Wood Choppers
18. Sprint
19. Squat Throws
20. Sprint

Exercise Drills in “Tempo Workout”
1. Overhead Throw Against Wall
a. Stand in a staggered stance about 4 feet away from a wall with extended arms overhead.
b. Initiate throwing movement with abdominals and lower body by transferring weight from back foot to front foot while throwing the ball.
c. Try not to propel the ball with the arms and don’t lean back when catching the ball.
d. Perform 10 repetitions with each foot forward.
2. Chest Pass Against Wall
a. Stand approximately 4 feet away from wall with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Ball and arms are held at chest level.
b. Throw ball against wall and catch on the return, trying to use the legs and snap the arms quickly. Don’t lean back on the return.
c. Perform 20 times.
3. Side Throws
a. Stand approximately 4 feet away from wall with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Ball is held in extended arms between shoulder and waist level.
b. Keeping the abdominals tight, rotate the torso backward to the right and return forward while releasing the ball to bounce on the wall. Catch the ball and rotate backward to the left.
c. One repetition is counted when the body has completed one right and left rotation.
4. Hammer Throws
a. Stand with your back approximately 4 feet away from wall with feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent. Ball is held in extended arms between the knees.
b. Extend knees and throw the ball over the left shoulder. Catch the ball on the same side, squat down, extend and throw over the right shoulder.
c. One overhead throw to the right and left counts for one repetition.
5. Rocky Solos
a. Sit on the ground with knees bent and the ball on the ground against your back.
b. Rotate to your left, pick up the ball, rotate to the right and pass the ball behind your back as you continue in a circular motion to pick it up and pass it around your back. Repeat for 10 repetitions to each direction.
6. Sit-Up Throws
a. Start in a sit-up position with your knees bent, feet and back flat on the floor, and arms extended over your head holding the ball.
b. Throw the ball against the wall as you sit up.
c. Catch the ball as you slowly lower yourself down.
d. Perform 20 repetitions.
7. V-Ups
a. With your back on the floor, extend your legs straight up into the air. Your arms will be extended toward your toes while you are holding the ball.
b. Crunch to the left of your legs and down, to the middle and down, and to the right and down, back to the middle and down, to the left and down and repeat. Count each repetition when you crunch to the left and repeat 20 times.
8. Diagonal Sit-Ups
a. Lie flat on the ground with the knees slightly bent, arms extended while holding the ball between your knees.
b. Rotate over on your right shoulder while raising the extended arms over your head to that side. Crunch to the center while moving the extended arms between your knees. Rotate over on your left shoulder and repeat.
c. Count one rotation to the left and right as one rep. Repeat 20 times.
9. Wood Choppers
a. see the warm-up section and repeat 20 times
10. Squat Throws
a. Start in a squat position with the ball underneath your chin.
b. Squat down, jump up, and throw the ball overhead.
c. Catch the ball as you land, bring arms back to chin, and repeat 20 times.

Boxing
For a hard-hitting cardio boxing workout, follow the advice of Juan Carlos Santana, MEd, CSCS, who developed the video "Boxing Training for Improved Performance" (www.opsfit.com and www.ihpfit.com). This interval training program he designed helps his athletes get in peak condition. “Perform these exercises in sequence as a circuit without as little rest as possible. The sequence should take you about 8-10 minutes, so if you want a half-hour cardio workout, punch out 3-4 sets of these seven exercises,” he explains.

1) 50 jumps - Heavy skip rope (2-3 lbs)
Swing the jump rope over your head and jump as it comes in front of you. Use various patterns of jumping for variety (both legs, one leg, alternating, and running patterns).
2) 20 straight punches with 5-10 lb dumbbells
Stand in a staggered stance. Hold the dumbbells in your hands and punch straight forward in an alternating fashion.
3) 10-15 diagonal rope weaves forwards and backwards under a shoulder-height, 20-foot long rope
Set-up a 20-foot rope across a room at about shoulder height. Stand on one side of the rope so that it is resting on your right shoulder. Assume a staggered stance with your left foot forward. Take a lateral step with your right foot and duck under the rope. Follow with an inside diagonal step with your left foot to maintain a staggered stance. Now take a diagonal step under the rope with your left foot, while ducking under it. Follow with the right foot so as to regain your staggered stance.
4) 20 cross uppercuts with 5-10 lb dumbbells
Stand in a parallel stance. Hold the dumbbells in your hands and bend the elbows to 90 degrees. Now rotate your body to the left by pivoting on the right foot. Throw an uppercut to your left shoulder. Repeat to other side.
5) 10, 3 kg medicine ball chest passes against a wall
Stand in a staggered stance facing a wall about 15 feet away. Hold a 3 kg medicine ball at your chest. Execute a chest pass as hard as you can into the wall.
6) 30-seconds of speed shadow boxing
Stand in front of a mirror in a boxing stance. Box your reflection as fast as you can with good form. If you don’t know how to box, just repeat drills # 1-4 in sequence as fast as you can (with no equipment).
7) 10 squat-thrust and jumps
Squat down until you hands touch the ground. Thrust your feet back into a push-up position. Quickly come back into the squat position and jump up.

Soccer
Want to kick your kids’ butts and yours out on the soccer field? Try these strenuous sprints from University of Florida women’s soccer team’s strength and conditioning coordinator Ron Forbes, BS, CSCS. “Each sprint takes from 1-1 ½ minutes to complete, depending on what kind of condition you are in and how hard you push yourself,” Forbes says. “I recommend a 1:2 work:rest ratio which means that if the sprint takes 1 minute to run, you should rest for 2 minutes.” You can run the sprints in the order that they are listed or mix them up. If each sprint takes you 1 ½ minutes to run and you rest for 3 minutes, this entire routine will take you 30 minutes to complete. The program is designed for a soccer field but if you don’t have access to one, then map out a distance approximately 115 yards by 70 yards.

Sprint A:
1. Start at corner of field. Run ½ speed to opposite end.
2. Sprint full speed to opposite end.
3. Sprint full speed diagonally to opposite corner.
4. Run ¾ speed back to starting position.
Sprint B:
1. Start at mid-field at edge of field. Run ¾ speed to corner.
2. Run ½ speed to opposite corner.
3. Sprint full speed diagonally back to starting position.
4. Repeat numbers 1-4 at opposite end of soccer field.
Sprint C
1. Start at corner of field. Run ½ speed diagonally to opposite corner.
2. Sprint full speed to opposite corner.
3. Run ¾ speed back to starting position.
Sprint D
1. Start at corner of field. Run ½ speed to mid-field.
2. Sprint full speed to opposite end.
3. Run ½ speed to opposite corner.
4. Sprint full speed to mid-field.
5. Run ½ speed to opposite end.
6. Sprint full speed to opposite corner.
Sprint E
1. Start at mid-field at edge of field. Run ½ speed to end of field.
2. Sprint full speed to opposite corner.
3. Run ½ speed to mid-field.
4. Sprint full speed to opposite side of field.
5. Run ½ speed to opposite end of field.
6. Sprint full speed to opposite corner.
7. Run ½ speed to mid-field.
8. Sprint full speed to opposite side of field.
Sprint F
1. Start at mid-field in line with the end of the edge of the penalty area. Run ½ speed to end of field.
2. Walk to opposite side of the penalty area.
3. Sprint full speed to mid-field.
4. Run ½ speed to end of field.
5. Walk to opposite side of the penalty area.
6. Sprint full speed to mid-field.
Sprint G
1. Start at end of field just outside the penalty area. Sprint full speed to the 18 yard line.
2. Run ½ speed back to end of field.
3. Sprint full speed to mid-field.
4. Run ½ speed back to the 18.
5. Sprint full speed to opposite the 18.
6. Run ½ speed back to mid-field.
7. Sprint full speed to opposite end of field.
8. Run ½ speed back to starting point.
Sprint H
1. Start at end of field in line just outside of penalty area. Run ½ speed to the 18 yard line.
2. Sprint full speed back to end of field.
3. Run ½ speed to mid-field.
4. Sprint full speed back to the 18.
5. Run ½ speed to opposite 18.
6. Sprint full speed back to mid-field.
7. Run ½ speed to opposite end of field.
8. Sprint back to opposite end of field.

Football
Remember those grueling workouts you endured when you played high school football? You were in great shape then, right? Well journey back to those days with a bag drill circuit from University of Pennsylvania’s head strength and conditioning coach, Rob Wagner, M.Ed., C.S.C.S.
“This circuit closely reflects football’s agility, plyometric, and strength aspects,” he explains. “Plus the 5-10 seconds it takes for one rep through the bags is consistent with the time of a football play. If you want to get into football shape, these aggressive drills are the Super Bowl of cardio!”
This workout usually requires 6-7 tackling dummies set on their side, but you can use boxing heavy bags, low hurdles, or rolled up foam or carpet about 12-16 inches tall. Set 1 yard between bags to make the course about 10 yards long. Each “run” between the bags is a roundtrip – down and back. In between runs, a dumbbell, medicine ball, or plyometric exercise will be performed. The only rest during this circuit is the transition from bag drill to the dumbbell, medicine ball, or plyometric drill and then back to the bag drills. A warm-up and full circuit should take about 20-30 minutes, depending on how many times you have to stop to catch your breath. If you really want to challenge yourself, use 10 bags instead of 6-7.

Equipment:
6-7 tackling dummies (4 feet tall, 12-16 “ diameter) set on their side, or boxing heavy bags, low hurdles, or rolled up foam or carpet
1 pair dumbbells 25-50 lbs
1 medicine ball 8-15 lbs
1 jump rope

Set Up:
Bags should be placed 1 yard apart
Dumbbells, medicine ball and jump rope are together at the start

Warm up:
Jog 100-300 yards
Mobility Drills (performed 1 x 10):
Hydrant Complex -
Basic - On all fours, bend one leg to 900. Raise that leg outward to the side keeping the ankle and knee in the same plane. Lower and repeat.

Front Circles - On all fours, bend one leg to 900. Raise that leg outward to the side keeping the ankle and knee in the same plane. Rotate the leg forward making circles with the knee.

Rear Circles - On all fours, bend one leg to 900. Raise that leg outward to the side keeping the ankle and knee in the same plane. Rotate the leg backward making circles with the knee.
Lying Punts – Lying on your back, swing one leg towards your head. Alternate legs and try to kick farther on each swing.
Scorpions - Lie on your stomach with your hands under your chin. Try to bring your right heel to your left shoulder. Alternate legs and keep your chest on ground.
Iron Crosses - Lie on your back with your arms outstretched in a cross position. Swing your right leg across your body trying to reach your left shoulder with your right foot. Turn your head away from the side the leg is traveling. Alternate legs and keep your shoulders on the ground.
Rockers - From a seated position on the ground with legs outstretched, move to a plow position with your feet over your head and then return to ground in an inverted hurdler stretch position. Hold stretch for 2-5 seconds then roll to plow position again. Alternate legs in inverted hurdler position on each rep.
Prisoner Squats - Place hands behind head and squat down.

Bag Drill Circuit:
Run over bags with one foot contact between bags (down and back).
Medicine Ball Push-Up - With both hands on medicine ball, perform standard push-ups for 10-15 reps.
Hop with two feet forward over each bag (down and back).
DB Press – Standing overhead press with dumbbells for 10-15 reps.
Weave-run in and out of bags (down and back).
Squat Jumps with Dumbbells – Holding dumbbells at sides, dip into half-squat position and jump as high as possible. Land, reset, and repeat for 10-15 reps.
Run over bags with three step chop between bags (down and back).
Medicine Ball Bench Press – Lie on back with extended arms, holding medicine ball in bench press start position. Lower ball to chest and explode ball up into air, catch and repeat for 10-15 reps.
Hop on one foot alternating feet over each bag (down and back).
DB Upright Rows – Hold dumbbells with arms at your side and palms down. Pull the dumbbells to shoulder level, lower and repeat for 10-15 reps.
Sprint forward and shuffle through bags to the left and then to the right (down and back).
Clap push-ups - From the standard push-up position, push-up into air, clap hands, return to ground and repeat for 10-15 reps.
Hop sideways over bags with two feet (down and back).
Jump rope 60 revolutions.
Bear Crawl through bags - On all fours, crawl forward through bags keeping your weight evenly distributed between feet and hands (down and back).
RDL with DBs – With dumbbells in hands, perform Romanian deadlifts for 10-15 reps.
Back Pedal past two bags and shuffle through bags to left and then to right (forward and back).
Lying DB Tricep Extensions – Lying on your back, hold two dumbbells with your arms extended in the air and your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows to lower the dumbbells to sides of your head and repeat for 10-15 reps.
Run sideways high knee over bags (down and back).
DB Push-ups – Position two dumbbells on the ground, place your hands on handles and perform a standard push up for 10-15 reps. Experiment with varying handle position.