Cardio doesn't automatically mean jumping on the treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bike. In fact, the best cardio workouts are the ones that don't require the use of equipment. Body weight exercises entail the use of more energy, resulting in burning more calories faster. There are several traditional and simple cardio exercises to do at home or in your neighborhood that provide a great challenge and gain results.
Plyometrics
Plyometric exercises demand more effort and use of energy and cause your heart rate to increase quickly. You can design an effective 15- to 20-minute, high-intensity workout with a combination of these great exercises: jumping jacks, squat jumps, lunge jumps, squat-thrust jumps, mountain climbers and high knees. For a boot camp-style training session, perform each exercise for one minute with a 30-second recovery between exercises. Rest for three minutes after completing the first set, then carry out two more sets.
Jumping Rope
A fun way to maximize your cardio routine is to jump rope. By using a simple, inexpensive jump rope, you can create a 15- to 60-minute intense total body workout that helps develop lean muscle tissue and burn fat. Jumping rope is challenging and requires focus on balance, coordination, timing and endurance.
Hill Sprints
Hill sprints can be done on a steep driveway or hill in your neighborhood. Start at the bottom of the hill and sprint to the top as fast as you can. Use your walk back down the hill for recovery. As soon as you reach the bottom, quickly sprint back up the hill. You should be able to complete 10 sprints in a 20- to 30-minute time frame depending on your level of fitness; try different workouts that involve short and long hills to add variety to your routine. Additionally, sprinting engages your abs, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and gluteus muscles; the uphill climb helps slim, shape, and even tightens your thighs and buns for a more athletic appeal.
Interval Training
Interval training is a combination of high- and low-intensity exercise performed for a set time during a workout. High intensity interval training workouts burn more calories compared to traditional high-intensity exercises or endurance training workouts. A good place to start is on the street right in front of your house. Find a starting point and begin to either power walk or jog (high-intensity interval) for 30 seconds or to your neighbor's mailbox, tree or telephone pole. Walk (low-intensity interval) at a slower pace for 30 to 60 seconds to recover between high-intensity bouts; recovery time is dependent on your endurance level. As you become stronger, sprint or run for your high-intensity exercise and then power walk or jog for your low-intensity exercise. Each workout should last anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes.
Member Comments
Giant_Squid May 11
Anything that doesn't involve annoying my downstairs neighbors?
boostednorm May 11
If jumping is too noisy, you could try assorted arm and leg movements such as left jab, right crosses, then switch around and do right jab, left crosses; then left hook, right uppercut, then switch to right hook, left uppercut. For legs you could do assorted kicks... this will be low impact and therefore low noise for downstairs neighbors. Keep an eye on your heart rate... speed up or slow down your movements to keep yourself in your target heart rate zone.
Giant_Squid May 11
Thanks boostednorm. I love riding my bike, but on bad weather days I need some indoor cardio. What you suggest sounds good to me.
ry011 May 11
Im training for a tri sprint and run and bike extensively but the swimming is harder to do being inland in the N.E. what would be a good equivalent or combination equivalent exercise for that?
alphamodron May 11
I have lost 94 pounds over the last year and the cardio exercise of my choice is walking, with intervals of power walking, speed walking, and using wrist weights while working my arms during the walking. I live in Canada, and our winters are not conducive to walking outdoors, so I purchased several of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away the Pounds DVDs, and used them religiously, 5 days per week, rotating through her various workouts. I never had to leave my living room (and my living room is very small!). It works. Walking is low impact, so easy on the joints (I am 54 years old), but can be very intense if you work your upper body with arm movements during the walk, and really work up you pace and the speed or power walking for intervals, if you are doing it outside.