Equipment-Free Cardio: All About Suicide Drills

The suicide drill is a special exercise in the FizzUp fitness training program. Taken from the essential “suicide running drill” and well-known among team sport players, it’s an out-­of-­the-­ordinary fat­-burner as well as an effective cardio and strength training exercise. The FizzUp version of suicide drills, designed to fit into 3m² of space, doesn’t require any playing field or equipment and can be done whenever and, especially, wherever you like for impressive results.

How to do a suicide drill the right way

Suicide drills are considered as an equipment-­free cardio exercise. This intense exercise requires endurance and explosive strength as well as agility. It involves doing quick alternating steps and changing directions. Here’s how to do the exercise right:

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Starting position: Stand with your feet close together and your arms at your sides

Step 1:  Take a quick side step to the right, then touch your right foot with your left hand before returning to center.

Step 2: Repeat the movement on the left side. Next, continue doing fast repetitions without stopping.

Advice from the FizzUp trainer

“The more intense you make it, the better​ your results will be!”: Like any equipment-free cardio exercise, its effectiveness lies in your ability to give it your best effort. It’s hard at the time but by the end of your workout, you’ll feel even more satisfied. So give it all you’ve got!

“Keep it up. The movement needs to be continuous.”:  The common mistake with suicide drills is that people stop moving when they return to the starting position, so be sure to keep moving throughout the exercise.

“Engage your core for better balance.”:  Contracting your abs during the exercise helps you maintain good posture. Be careful not to lean too far forward and try to keep your back straight.

Which muscles do suicide drills work ?

There are many benefits to suicide drills, notably the fact that they work the majority of your body’s larger muscle groups. It’s a full-­body exercise that’s great for working the following muscles:

Heart: Like any high-­intensity exercise, they work your heart significantly, making it stronger and more resistant.

Leg muscles:  ​Quick steps and small jumps strengthen all the muscles in your lower body, specifically the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, quads and calves.

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To a lesser extent, they also work your abs and certain muscles in the upper body, like the delts and lats when you touch your feet with your hands.

A variety of equipment-free cardio workouts

Among the 200 exercises integrated into the FizzUp fitness program, many of them can effectively complete or be a substitute for suicide drills. This variety will make you want to do workout after workout, a true sign that you’re staying motivated. Here are two exercises you’ll be happy to find as part of the program:

Square jump: This strength training and cardio exercise combines squats with proprioception (position sense) and jumps. It’s an ideal exercise for working all the muscles in your legs and building your cardiovascular endurance.

 

Triple jump: Just like the square jump, the triple jump specifically targets your lower body and your heart. It involves first taking a long jump forward without any prior momentum, then two more smaller jumps backwards before returning to the starting position.

 

Suicide drill benefits for your body

Often a part of HIIT workouts (high-­intensity interval training), especially in the Cal Burner Add-­on, suicide drills are super effective for burning excess fat and building cardiovascular endurance. By regularly doing this exercise, you’ll quickly get a toned and more resistant body.

Regarding your muscles and athletic skills, there are just as many benefits of this exercise. Suicide drills and their variations make you stronger, faster, more powerful and improve your balance.

What are you waiting for? Become the person you’ve always dreamed of being! Dare. Jump. Push yourself with FizzUp.

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