Best Posterior Chain Cardio Exercises

This is part of our series of blogs on the posterior chain. In this blog, we’ll take a detailed look at the best posterior chain cardio exercises – including why we’ve selected these exercises and a walk-through of how to do them.

Why are cardio exercises an important part of a posterior chain workout?

Cardio exercises are an important part of any workout routine when programmed in a well-structured training program that is focused around you, your requirements, and your goals. Due to the nature of posterior chain exercises in general i.e. use of the largest muscles in the body and, therefore, ability to output large amounts of force in any posterior chain driven exercise, warming up and including cardio exercises as a part of your posterior chain workout is really important. 

The process of warming up for your workouts using cardio exercises comes with a number of benefits, some not just the bulk standard ‘off the shelf’ ideas. Please find below our top 5 reasons for using cardio exercises in a posterior chain workout.

1. The process of warm-up physiologically prepares your body for the workout you have planned ahead of you. You raise your heart rate, generate blood flow to the muscles in focus (in most cases with posterior chain workouts – almost all muscles in the body), and you start the release of hormones such as endorphins, adrenaline, cortisol etc. 
2. Some of us come from work OR home to the gym and can often be distracted by work issues or family concerns. By entering the gym and having a well-thought-out warm-up routine which utilises cardio exercises, you take yourself mentally from wherever you have been prior into the workout with focus. It allows you time to get focused and to get aligned to the next task in hand, that being your workout.
3. By including cardio exercises in your warm-up OR, indeed, within your session (as per your goals and programming) you will activate and ‘prime’ the muscles that you are going to be working in their correct planes of motion. For example, the hamstring extends the hip and flexes the knee, if you complete rowing as a cardio exercise to warm up, you will work both the muscles and the planes of motion
4. Using cardio exercises within your posterior chain workouts also enhances recovery from prior workouts you have completed during the week. By increasing the blood flow to the muscles and the areas that you have worked, you will increase nutrients and enhance recovery at the same time. Other additional factors such as lymphatic drainage will also occur.
5. By using cardio exercises within your posterior chain workout, you will also get the added benefit of higher overall energy output across your session and when it comes to goals such as fat loss (which is a major goal for many people), creating a kcal deficit across a sustained period of time is one of the most effective ways to achieve this goal, and as such, by adding cardio exercises into your posterior chain workout you will receive a higher kcal output across the session overall

Rowing

How do I do it?

1. Using a rowing machine of your choice OR of course what is available to you (common brands are concept 2 or water rower) get yourself sat in the seat with the foot straps adjusted so that the band fastens over the widest part of your foot
2. Adjust the resistance according to you program
3. Take hold of the handle and sit upright with arms straight 
4. As you start to bend your knees and move forward allows your arms to go over your knees first, continue bending through knees until you reach your full range of motion
5. Drive back keeping your core strong and engaged and with your back straight but with a slight curvature
6. Drive with your legs eventually pulling your arms in towards your sternum
7. Repeat the process

Why is it good for me?

Rowing activates and works approximately 96% of the body’s muscles making it one of the most effective cardiovascular exercises available. Its relatively easy to learn and provides your full body with either an excellent warm up/activation or full cardiovascular workout. Its also fantastic for interval training.

How do I make it easier?

To make the rowing easier you can either reduce the resistance on the machine itself OR reduce the intensity in which you row with which can be done by pushing/driving less hard and by reducing stroke rate (number of times you go back and forward on the machine)

How do I make it harder?

To make it harder you can increase the resistance on the machine OR you can also increase your output on the machine by pushing/driving hard and increasing stroke rate (the number of times you go back and forwards).

Coaches top tip

Take a separate session with a coach or gym instructor to learn correct rowing technique. Once you master the initial technique, your rowing workouts thereafter will be more enjoyable and you will feel more confident with the movement and you will also get more from the workouts due to efficient form and technique. 

Can I see someone demonstrate it?

Versa Climber

How do I do it?

1. Adjust the footplates and hand handle heights to your body
2. Adjust the resistance according to your program
3. Engage core, keep spine straight with neck in a long and neutral positon
4. Drive one leg upwards whilst at the same time the opposite arm down and then repeat on the other side
5. Set the pace as per your program maintaining all form points from point 3 above

Why is it good for me?

The versa climber is a really odd-looking and quite intimidating piece of cardio equipment which has grown in popularity over the past few years due to boutique studios popping up marketing it as one of the hardest workouts available! Although that is absolutely true when performed at super high intensities, the versa climber can also be enjoyed as a great regular warm OR as a part as a long slow duration aerobic exercise program. With specific regards to our focus in this article, the versa climber is a fantastic cardio exercise to use in your posterior chain workouts as it targets and utilises almost every muscle in the body in particular the back, glutes and legs as a whole. 

How do I make it easier?

To make the versa climber easier you can either reduce the resistance on the machine itself OR reduce the intensity in which you climb which can be done by pushing/driving less hard and by reducing the number of times you go up and down on the climber.

How do I make it harder?

To make the versa climber harder you can either increase the resistance on the machine itself OR increase the intensity in which you climb which can be done by pushing/driving harder and by increasing the number of times you go up and down on the climber.

Coaches top tip

Take a separate session with a coach or gym instructor to learn correct versa climber technique OR take a boutique class which you get some tuition also. Once you master the initial technique, your workouts thereafter will be more enjoyable and you will feel more confident with the movement and you will also get more from the workouts due to efficient form and technique. 

Glute Banded Interval Warm Up

How do I do it?

1. Using a glute resistance band (which is a small loop theraband that is specifically designed to work glutes and other areas of the body) step into the band and position it at sock level on the ankles.
2. For exercise 1 (glute side steps) keeping the feet parallel and not allowing them to turn out, side step to the left keeping the glute band under tension at all times and not allowing it to go off tension
3. Complete 3 side steps to the left and the 3 side steps to the right
4. Repeat as per your program (in this example we will demonstrate a 45s ON 15s OFF interval approach
5. Once you’ve completed exercise 1 and taken your prescribed rest, move into exercise 2
6. With the band in the same location, take your feet close together and complete a bodyweight squat. As you come upwards from your low squat position jump upwards explosively and then widen the stance mid air and land in a wide stand. Go immediately into your next squat and repeat the process moving from feet close to feet wide in a plyometric like fashion (constant with no rest)
7. Complete as per your program (in this example we will demonstrate a 45s ON 15s OFF interval approach

Our program for this is to complete exercise 1 for 45s and to then take a 15s rest. Complete exercise 2 for 45s and then take a 15s rest. Repeat the two exercises 4 x round which provides you with a highly effective 8 min workout which primes you fantastically well for your posterior chain workout.

Why is it good for me?

The glute banded interval warm up is a fantastic way to both raise heart rate and really activate glutes in a highly focused method. You will also gain the added benefit of activating all other posterior chain muscles by utilising the squat pattern in exercise 2.

How do I make it easier?

You can make this exercise routine easier in a number of ways, firstly by using a lighter resistance glute band, secondly by reducing time on the intervals and thirdly by reducing the intensity in which you perform each exercise i.e. squat jump less frequently and side step slower.

How do I make it harder?

You can make this exercise harder by increasing the resistance on the bands, increasing the interval timer work period, by reducing the interval timer rest period and by really focusing on trying to get as many reps done of each exercise (whilst keeping good form of course) in the set workout time.

Coaches top tip

Add one resistance band above your knees whilst keeping one on your ankles also to help further engage and challenge the glutes.

Can I see someone demonstrate it?

Safety First

Remember, the movements and techniques you see demonstrated here are advanced exercises, and our team has practised them countless thousands of times. It’s always a good idea to have professional guidance when you’re exercising – and this is especially true when you’re using free weights.

If you’d like to talk to us about training with us here in London at our Soho, Fitzrovia, or Mayfair studios, we’d love to help. Equally, if you’re somewhere else in the world – we can be by your side virtually using our innovative online training app and video call guidance.