Kill it With Cardio #6: Plyometric Training

Want to jump higher or farther? That's what Plyometric training is all about, and you'll find that it's one of the best cardio workouts. Anyone who has done the P90X program will tell you that Plyo day was one of the hardest, simply because it's ALL jumping! Jumping is pretty intense cardio exercise, and you'll find that it's great for building your lower body at the same time. [caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Source: woman.thenest.com[/caption] A few examples of Plyometric exercises include:

• Squat Jumps
• Tuck Jumps
• Heisman Lunges
• Box Jumps

The beauty of plyo workouts is that they combine leg and glute exercises with cardio, so you burn A LOT of calories in every workout. For example, you burn about 14.7 calories per minute of the P90X video, which comes out to roughly 631 calories burned throughout the 40 to 45-minute workout. Men can burn up to 700 calories in the workout, as they burn more than women! Not only will you get a GREAT cardio workout, but you'll increase your jump height. The downside, however, is that the workout is VERY hard on the joints. For those with knee, ankle, and hip difficulties, it may be too intense.  

Image Source: breakingmuscle.com

Resources: http://www.nutristrategy.com/caloriesburned.htm, http://healthyliving.azcentral.com/calories-burned-during-p90x-workouts-20673.html