Bumper Plate Cardio Workouts: 5 Sweat-Inducing Routines to Get Your Heart Pumping

Looking for a new way to get your heart rate up and break out of a cardio rut? Bumper plates can be a fun and effective tool to add some variety to your workouts and challenge your body in new ways. Plus, they’re versatile enough to be used in a variety of exercises, making them a great option for home workouts or when you’re short on space.

Here are five bumper plate cardio workouts to get you started:

1. Bumper Plate Burpee Ladder

This workout combines the intense cardiovascular benefits of burpees with the added challenge of using bumper plates. Here’s how to do it:

1. Start by selecting a weight for your bumper plates that will be challenging but manageable for the number of reps you plan to do. For example, you might choose a pair of 10 or 15 pound plates for a set of 20 reps.
2. Stand facing the bumper plates with your feet shoulder-width apart. Squat down and place your hands on the plates, then jump your feet back into a plank position.
3. Do one push-up, then jump your feet back to the starting position and stand up, lifting the bumper plates overhead as you do so.
4. Lower the plates back down and repeat the burpee for the desired number of reps. As you get stronger, you can increase the number of reps or the weight of the plates.

This workout can be done as a standalone routine or as part of a circuit with other exercises. For added intensity, try doing the burpee ladder for time instead of for a set number of reps.

2. Bumper Plate Jump Rope

This one might sound a little unconventional, but bear with us – it’s a fun and effective way to get your heart rate up and work your shoulders, arms, and core at the same time. Here’s how to do it:

1. Grab a pair of bumper plates and hold them at shoulder height, palms facing inwards. Keep your elbows close to your body and your core engaged.
2. Use a jump rope (or pretend to jump rope if you don’t have one) while maintaining control of the bumper plates. Jump for 30 seconds to one minute at a time, taking breaks as needed.
3. To make the exercise more challenging, try increasing the speed of your jump rope or holding the bumper plates at different heights (e.g., overhead or at waist level).

This workout is great for improving coordination and developing shoulder and arm strength, and it’s a fun way to mix things up and add some variety to your cardio routine.

3. Bumper Plate Tabata

Tabata workouts are known for their high-intensity, short-duration format, making them a great option for a quick and effective cardio workout. Here’s how to use bumper plates in a Tabata routine:

1. Select a pair of bumper plates and choose a weight that will be challenging for the 20 seconds of work you’ll be doing. For example, you might choose a pair of 10 or 15 pound plates.
2. Set a timer for 8 rounds of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest.
3. For the work intervals, do as many reps as possible of a bumper plate exercise, such as plate hops (jumping over the plates with both feet), plate jumps (jumping on and off the plates), or plate squats (holding the plates at shoulder height and doing squats).
4. Take a 10 second rest between each work interval, then repeat for the remaining rounds. When the timer beeps, stop and take a longer rest (1-2 minutes) before starting the next set.

This type of workout is great for boosting your cardiovascular endurance and burning calories. You can also mix and match different bumper plate exercises to keep things interesting and keep your body guessing.

4. Bumper Plate AMRAP

AMRAP stands for “as many rounds as possible,” and it’s a great way to structure a workout that’s both challenging and flexible. Here’s how to do it with bumper plates:

1. Select a pair of bumper plates and choose a weight that will be challenging but manageable for the number of reps you plan to do. For example, you might choose a pair of 10 or 15 pound plates.
2. Set a timer for a certain number of minutes (e.g., 15 minutes) and do as many rounds as possible of a bumper plate circuit within that time frame. The circuit should consist of a series of exercises that use the bumper plates, such as plate hops, plate squats, plate lunges, and plate push-ups.
3. Aim to do as many rounds as possible within the time frame, taking breaks as needed. As you get stronger and more endurance, you can increase the time frame or the weight of the plates to make the workout more challenging.

This type of workout is great for boosting your cardiovascular endurance and burning calories, and it’s a flexible way to structure a workout that can be tailored to your fitness level.

5. Bumper Plate Circuit

If you’re looking for a more structured workout that combines strength training and cardio, a bumper plate circuit might be just what you need. Here’s how to do it:

1. Select a pair of bumper plates and choose a weight that will be challenging but manageable for the number of reps you plan to do. For example, you might choose a pair of 10 or 15 pound plates.
2. Create a circuit of exercises that use the bumper plates, such as plate hops, plate squats, plate lunges, plate push-ups, and plate jumping jacks.
3. Do one set of each exercise in the circuit, resting for 30-60 seconds between each exercise. Aim to do 3-5 rounds of the circuit, depending on your fitness level and the amount of time you have available. As you get stronger and more endurance, you can increase the number of rounds or the weight of the plates to make the workout more challenging.

This type of workout is a great way to combine strength training and cardio in a single routine, and it’s a fun way to mix things up and challenge your body in new ways.

So there you have it – five bumper plate cardio workouts to get your heart pumping and your sweat flowing. Give them a try and see how they can add some variety and challenge to your fitness routine.