Even if you are not familiar with the term “cardio,” you probably know that it is good for you. Studies done over a long period of time have shown that keeping your heart rate up regularly can have many benefits, such as making your cells and blood sugar healthy, making your heart stronger, improving your mood, and much more. Luckily, it is very easy to get these benefits; you don't even have to leave your house. Even without any equipment (or even a lot of space), you can do a great cardio workout at home using only a few moves.
My favorite bodyweight exercises improve cardiovascular endurance, agility, and core strength.
Make sure to keep your abs engaged and your back straight. Also, when you land from any high-impact jumps, make sure your knees are bent, your toes are facing forward, and your ankles are flexed.
A good cardio workout at home should start with a dynamic warm-up to get you ready to sweat. Next, do whichever moves you like best, and follow them up with a cool-down like stretching or foam rolling. I recommend doing this type of workout at home at least three times a week.
Here's how you can do a quick (but sweaty) cardio session from your living room with just a timer, using my go-to moves. You won't need any equipment.
Choose three to four exercises from the list below and perform each for 30 seconds to one minute. then immediately continue onto the next. Once you’ve finished all exercises. Rest for 15 to 30 seconds. then repeat for three to four total rounds.
THE WORKOUT STRUCTURE
We are giving you two different circuits to do, one for the first week, and one for the second week. You will alternate between them after that, making the exercises more difficult as you go. Make sure to listen to your body and do the suggested modifications if necessary.
In addition to a three-day-a-week circuit, pick a fourth day to do 20 minutes of interval cardio. This means 30 seconds of slow movement, then 30 seconds of fast movement. This can be done in place, such as with running, jumping jacks, or high knees, or while moving, such as with running or biking. After two weeks, add another cardio day, for a total of five workout days per week, each no longer than 20 minutes.
1. Squat Thrusts
The squat thrust is a great low-impact alternative to full burpees.
To do this exercise, start by getting into a plank position with your wrists and elbows beneath your shoulders, and your legs straight. Then, bend your knees and jump your feet forward so they are outside your hands, and lift your chest up. Bring your hands together in front of your body, and then squat down low. To reverse the movement and go back to the start, jump your feet back so they are outside your hands again and lift your chest up. That is one rep. Repeat this for 30 to 60 seconds, and then move on to the next exercise. Once you have completed all three or four moves in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and then repeat the circuit three to four times total.
There are two ways to vary the intensity of this movement. You can either add a jump at the top, or step feet in and out instead of jumping.
2. Push Ups
Get into a position on all fours, with your hands beneath your shoulders. Tense your stomach muscles and curl your toes under, then push your body up into a plank. Keep your gaze fixed on a point two inches in front of you, then lower yourself down into a push-up. Press back up, and repeat the movement ten times.
Modification:
Do pushups with your knees on the ground instead of your feet. Make sure your knees are slightly behind your hips, so your body forms a straight line from your head to your knees. Do this 10 times.
3. Crab Toe Reaches
Why they are effective: Crab toe reaches are low-impact and target your core, arms, glutes, and hamstrings.
Start with your knees bent, feet on the floor, and your arms extended behind your body with your palms pressed into the mat. Bend your elbows to lower your butt to the floor, and then extend your arms and lift your right arm and left leg off the floor. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. That's one rep. continue for 30 to 60 seconds and then move on to your next exercise. After you've completed all three or four moves in your circuit, take a 15 to 30 second break and then repeat the circuit three to four times.
To simplify the coordination needed, keep your bad lifted off the floor.
4. Plank Jacks
Why planks are great: They work your entire core, including your obliques (sides), rectus abdominis (front), and transverse abdominis (deep abs). Adding movement to your plank routine can help turn it into a core-cardio combo, which is a great way to work your entire core, including your obliques, rectus abdominis, and transverse abdominis.
Place your feet mat-width apart in a high plank position to start. Jump your feet together, then back to the starting position. That is one repetition. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, then move on to the next exercise. After you have completed all three or four exercises in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat the circuit three to four times total.
Place a looped resistance band around your ankles and step your feet out one at a time to make the exercise more intense.
5. Side to side runs
Jump to the right, landing on the right foot and bringing your left knee up. Then jump to the left, landing on the left foot and bringing your right knee up. Alternate sides for 60 seconds.
Modification:
Moderate: High knees. From the standing position, bring your right knee up to your chest and then quickly back to the ground. Repeat with your left knee and continue to alternate for 60 seconds. For a beginner-level workout, stand in one place and alternate tapping your right foot to the right, and then back to center, and then your left foot to the left, and then back to center. Continue this for 60 seconds. For a moderate-level workout, start by standing in one place. Bring your right knee up to your chest, and then quickly back down to the ground. Repeat with your left knee, and continue to alternate for 60 seconds.
6. Lateral Toe Taps
What makes them great: These seemingly simple toe taps get your heart pumping fast.
To do this exercise, put a dumbbell or small object on a mat in front of your feet. Start with your right foot on top of the object, and then quickly switch feet so your left foot is on top. Alternate feet and tap your toes on the object for 30 to 60 seconds. Then move on to the next exercise. Complete all three or four exercises in your circuit, and then rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat for three to four rounds total.
– While standing and facing your target object, rotate around it while tapping your toes on the ground.
7. Wrist-to-Ankles
They are great because they help you get your heart rate up while feeling like you are at a dance party.
Put your left foot in front of you and raise your right leg, keeping it straight. At the same time, swing your left hand in front of your body toward your right ankle. Repeat with the other leg and hand. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds.
You can make the move less intense by slowing it down and removing the hops.
8. Fast Feet Drops
You can reap the benefits of burpees without burning out by doing them on a soft surface.
Start by squatting down with your feet wide apart and your arms bent, with your hands in front of your chest. Start moving your feet quickly in place, counting to five. Then squat down, place your palms and your mat on the floor, and jump your feet back to high plank position. Lower your body to the floor. Without pausing, quickly jump back up to the starting position. That's one rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, then immediately move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all three or four moves in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
There are two ways you can modify this exercise. The first is to step your feet back into plank position. The second is to nix the pushup. If you want to make the exercise more challenging, you can add a high jump when coming out of your plank.
9. Lateral High Knees
These two coordination-intensive activities will help you develop better cardiovascular fitness.
Stand at the bottom of the mat on your left leg with your right leg bent and your knee in line with your hip. Your left arm should be straight and to the side, and your right arm should be bent with your hand in front of your chest. Step out to the right with your right foot and pick your left knee up to hip height as you switch arm positions. Continue alternating feet while moving to the right for three high knees, then reverse the movement to return to the start. That's one rep. Repeat the circuit for 30 to 60 seconds, then rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
To do this exercise properly, slow down your hop-steps before increasing your speed.
10. Skaters
This makes skating a great way to not only build a strong lower body, but also to help improve your agility. Skating is a great exercise because it challenges your strength, balance, and coordination when moving laterally, which can help improve your agility.
Start by standing up straight, then shift your weight onto your left foot. Reach your right hand down to the floor, bend your right knee, and hover your right leg behind your left leg. Your torso should be parallel to the floor, and your right arm should be extended straight out at shoulder height. This is your starting position. Next, push through your left foot to jump laterally to the right. As you do this, switch your arms so that your right arm is in front and your left arm is in back. Land with your right foot planted, your left leg bent and hovering behind your right leg, and your left fingers touching the ground. This is one rep. Repeat this process for 30 to 60 seconds, then move on to your next exercise. Once you've completed all three or four moves in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat the circuit three to four times total.
If you find this move difficult to balance, you can try tapping your back toes on the floor instead of hovering your foot.
11. Fast Feet With Punches
This is a great workout for your entire body as it gets your blood flowing and works on your coordination with the quick movements.
To start, stand with feet slightly wider than hips, knees softly bent, and arms bent with fists up at chin height. Take small, quick, alternating steps with feet while at the same time, extending arms in an alternating pattern to perform quick punches. That's one rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, then immediately move onto your next exercise. After you've completed all three or four moves in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
Begin practicing either just the fast feet or punches. This will help you develop the coordination required for this activity.
12. Tuck Jumps
The reason tuck jumps are effective is because they require a lot of lower-body power, which in turn gets you sweating fast.
To do this exercise, start by standing with your feet under your hips and your elbows bent so your hands are in front of your chest with your palms facing down. Engage your core, squat down slightly, and push off the floor with both feet to jump up and tap your hands at the top of the movement. Land softly with a slight bend in your knees. That's one rep. Repeat the process for 30 to 60 seconds, then move on to your next exercise. After you've completed all three or four moves in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat the process for three to four rounds total.
You can also add extra steps after jumps to increase the intensity You can add a hop between jumps to help build momentum, and you can also add extra steps after jumps to increase the intensity.
13. Tricep Dips
Start by sitting on the ground with your hands behind you, palms on the ground and fingers pointing towards your butt. Press down firmly with the palms of your hand. Next, bend your knees so they are in front of you and press up onto your feet and hands so that your butt is hovering above the floor. Bend your elbows and dip down, then press back up. Repeat 10 times.
Modification:
Intermediate: Lower all the way down to the ground before pressing back up. Repeat 10x.
14. Bicycle abs
Lie on the ground with your knees pulled up to your chest and your hands behind your head. Curl up, reaching your left elbow to your right knee as you extend the left leg on a 45 degree angle. Switch side and crunch the right elbow to the left knee as you extend the right. Do this 10x to each side.
Modification:
Place your head on the ground and keep your neck relaxed while you perform the exercise.
15. Reverse Lunges with Knee Drives
Knee drives improve the basic lower-body move by making it more heart-revving, providing double the benefits.
Begin in a low lunge position with your right foot forward and your left foot back, both bent at 90 degrees, with your torso parallel to the floor. Place your right hand on your right thigh and extend your left arm out to the side, keeping your emails on the mat. Push through your right leg to take a small jump up into the air, lifting your left knee off the floor and driving it toward your chest as you swing your bent right arm forward until your elbow is in line with your shoulder. Reverse the movement to return to the start. That is one rep. Continue for 30 to 60 seconds, then immediately move onto your next exercise. After you have completed all three or four moves in your circuit, rest for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat for three to four rounds total.
