What Is Hybrid Cardio And What Makes It Better Than Traditional Cardio?

Breathing increases, heart rate goes up. That’s the basic definition of cardio – the one we know and love (or, sometimes, maybe, we don’t). But whether it’s your favourite way to work out or not so much, there’s one thing we can all agree on. It works.

From running to bike rides, climbing to circuit training, cardio exercises make for a healthier, stronger, more efficient body.

So what next? In the world of fitness, we’ve spent decades trying to find every shortcut, every class, every funky, fun way of working out. The key is to focus on functional movements – the natural, science-backed way of increasing endurance, strength and flexibility. Enter, hybrid cardio.

What is hybrid cardio?

Put simply, hybrid cardio is a style of training that builds aerobic conditioning, strength, endurance and sport skills – all at the same time. It’s done with smart programming: laser-like attention to goals, schedules, fitness, rest periods and nutrition. Think slow long-distance runs one week verses super-fast sprints the next. Powerlifting, while building up the endurance to run a half-marathon. Putting on muscles while boosting your general aerobic conditioning at the same time. It can all be done.

Benefits of hybrid cardio

1. It’s human nature

Life doesn’t work in linear. It’s a combination of opposites – fast and slow, hard and soft, light and heavy, high and low – and your training regime needs to be too. Hybrid cardio reflects the EVO philosophy: that you’re only as fit as your ability to adapt and respond to the environment. With an ever-changing workout regime, your body will react, grow and tone the way it’s designed to.

2. It’s limitless

If you’re prone to boredom with your exercise regime, hybrid cardio is your saviour. Face it – would you rather slog it out on a treadmill week in, week out, or mix it up with an ever-changing workout menu of playful exercise? Whether you’re slamming a medicine ball off the ground, climbing Swedish ladders or taking a spin bike for a whirl, there’s no room for monotony at EVO (take one look at our range of hybrid cardio equipment and you’ll see why).

3. It’s constantly changing

Push, pull. Heavy, light. Fast, slow. The opposing elements of hybrid cardio confuse your muscles and leave your body constantly guessing what’s happening next. This means it won’t have the chance to adapt to a style, reaching peak performance and rendering it less effective. As a rule of thumb, you should switch up your training methods and regime every three to four weeks. Hybrid cardio makes it easy.

4. It’s a time-saver

Busy lifestyles can get in the way of working out – in fact, exercise is the first thing that usually suffers. By delving into a wide spectrum of workout styles and methods, you can combine multiple workouts into a single workout or even a single exercise. Even better, you can increase the intensity, pump up your heart faster and shed more calories in less time.

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