Hybrid Training for Beginners

Hybrid training combines elements of strength and endurance exercises into a single program. The goal is to build muscle, improve strength and endurance, enhancing overall fitness simultaneously.

This approach, popularised by athletes and competitions like Hyrox, integrates activities such as running and weightlifting to improve cardiovascular health and muscular strength.

Why is Hybrid Training Beneficial for Men Over 35?

As men age, it becomes crucial to maintain both muscle mass and cardiovascular health. Hybrid training helps address these issues, preventing the decline in strength and endurance often seen with age.

This type of workout also improves heart health, bone density, and muscle preservation, all extremely important factors for long-term health. The mix of intense strength and cardio has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, releasing endorphins and improving overall mood and cognitive function.

Hybrid workouts are time efficient,  maximising results quickly, which is ideal for the busy schedules common among men over 35. However, shorter, high-intensity sessions can provide similar benefits to longer traditional workouts.

We’ll now explore some exercises ideal for beginners to include in a hybrid training program:

Burpees

A full-body exercise that combines strength and cardio in one movement.

Fig 1. Burpees

1. Start in a standing position.

2. Drop into a squat, placing your hands on the ground.

3. Kick your feet back into a plank position.

4. Perform a push-up (optional for beginners)

5. Jump your feet back to your hands and explode upward into a jump.

Benefits: Builds muscular endurance and cardiovascular fitness, and improves agility.

Bodyweight Squats

A foundational lower-body exercise that builds strength and endurance.

Fig 2. Bodyweight Squats

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Lower your body by bending your knees and pushing your hips back as if sitting in a chair.

3. Keep your chest up and knees in line with your toes.

4. Return to standing.

Benefits: Strengthens the quads, glutes, and core, and improves mobility and balance.

A great cardio exercise to complement burpees and bodyweight squats, is Jumping Jacks. A simple, full-body cardio exercise that raises your heart rate and complements strength-building movements.

Fig 3. Jumping Jacks

1. Start in a standing position with your feet together and hands by your sides.

2. Jump while spreading your legs to about shoulder-width apart and raising your arms overhead.

3. Jump again to return to the starting position.

4. Repeat at a steady pace.

Benefits: Increases heart rate and improves endurance, whilst engaging multiple muscle groups, including legs, arms, and core. It’s easy to learn and low impact when done at a moderate pace. You can also adjust the intensity by increasing speed or duration.

Why These Exercises Are So Convenient for Beginners?

No equipment is needed so these exercises can be done literally anywhere. They can work as an excellent warm-up or cool-down, and they have flexibility in that beginners can modify (e.g., no jump for burpees) and progress as fitness improves.