When sunshine and warmer temperatures beckon, it's hard to stay cooped up in the gym. So why try? When his session with the iron is done, MusclePharm athlete and two-time NPC Natural Ohio Physique overall champ Mike "Thor" Kundla brings his workouts outdoors whenever possible.
A fan of extreme sports as well as extreme lifting, Kundla enjoys the intense challenge of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). In these routines, you work seriously hard for short periods, then rest briefly, recharge, and do it again.
"I want to get the most efficient and most beneficial cardio I can in the shortest amount of time, which is one of the reasons why I'm a huge fan of HIIT Training," explains Kundla. "I'm sure as hell no cardio queen. You will rarely ever find me on a treadmill or doing any other type of steady-state cardio."
Where you will find him is out in the sun, enjoying intense workouts that boost metabolism and maintain his power and size. We asked Kundla to share his favorite outdoor HIIT workouts, all of which are designed to provide an intense workout with little to no equipment.
"I chose these exercises because they're a great combination that you can knock out pretty much anywhere you go," he says.

Bar, Box, Blast Off

In this first workout, Kundla combines jumping rope with toes-to-bar, box jumps, and sprints. As he explains in "The Full-Body Workout To Boost The Big Three Lifts," box jumps are a big payoff move that also happen to be "a very effective way to develop squatting and pulling strength in any athletic program."
The lack of a plyo box is no deterrent to Kundla—he is just as comfortable bounding onto nearby boulders.
The lack of a plyo box is no deterrent to Kundla—he is just as comfortable bounding onto nearby boulders. If you are not yet accustomed to leaping over tall buildings, find a sturdy bench or low wall on which to perform this exercise. For the toes-to-bar, make sure you retract your shoulders while hanging. This will help engage your lats while you work your core—and plenty of other muscles with it.
Bar, Box, Blast Off
Circuit: 4 rounds, resting as little as possible
1
Rope Jumping
1 set, 100-200 reps
2
Hanging Pike
1 set, 10-15 reps
3
Box Jump (Multiple Response)
1 set, 8-10 reps
4
Running, Treadmill
1 set, 50-100 meters