Good things come to those who sweat.
Anonymous
Exercising is extremely important for a healthy lifestyle. Don’t we all keep hearing this now and then? We all want to start working and stay fit, but going to the gym could be a point of laziness. Therefore, figuring out a way to work out at home could be a game-changer. There are many workouts that you can do from the comfort of your home without using any equipment. It’s easier than you might imagine getting in a brief cardio session at home during your downtime. Working out at home is a great option if you want to take advantage of all the benefits of a cardio workout while also saving some cash. Don’t worry; you don’t need a lot of room or expensive equipment to have a good cardio workout.
What is a Cardio Workout?
Cardio is a type of workout where your breathing and heart rate increase while improving the function of your heart, circulatory system, and lungs. Here are some of the benefits of cardio exercises:
- It is a great and enjoyable way to lose weight.
- Cardio exercises help reduce the risk of heart attacks and diseases caused by high blood pressure and cholesterol.
- Since these exercises relate to your heart and blood cells, they help in strengthening your heart.
- They help in keeping your body and mind energized.
- Cardio workouts have proven to be crucial for your mental health.
- They also help in strengthening your immune system.
- Since cardio exercises are intense, they also induce better sleep!
If you have decided to start your cardio workout at home, all you need to do is list down all those cardio workouts that can be possible from the whims and fancies of your home itself. To make your work easier, here is a list of 7 great cardio exercises that you can work out from home:
Jumping Jacks
Jumping Jacks are fun and are more likely to remind you of your childhood! They also help in burning 100 calories per 10 minutes of jumping jacks! What is even better is that you need no equipment for it and can start anytime and anywhere!
How to do it?
- With your legs together and arms by your sides, stand upright!
- Be sure to jump into the air while keeping your knees slightly bent.
- You should be roughly shoulder-width apart as you jump. Make a wide arc with your arms above your head.
- Return to the original position with a jump.
- Repeat the process all over again.
Burpees
The recipe of a burpee is essentially made up of four ingredients: a jump, a squat, a plank, and a push-up.
While performing numerous burpees in a row might be exhausting, burpees can be worth all the sweat and hard work if you want to increase strength and endurance while burning calories and improving your cardio fitness.
How to do it?
- Align your head with your heels and stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Hop up and land back softly into a squat.
- With knees more expansive than your elbows and hands facing down, kick yourself back and land into a plank.
- Do a nice push up there and jump your knees outside of your elbows so that your knees track over your toes.
- Jump back up into the standing position.
Skipping
Didn’t we all do this during our school days? Yes, back then, we never realized how good skipping is for our cardio health, but now we do!
How to do it?
- Have a skipping rope handy.
- Never jump higher than the thickness of the rope. The higher you jump, the more energy you waste.
- Stay and jump low to the ground.
- Keep your elbows in at your waist, your arms at a 90-degree angle. Now your hands are ready to create circular movements, which is what skipping is all about.
- You need to stand straight and look straight, not bending too forward or backward.
- Hold the rope in your hands and start skipping!
Mountain Climbers
Since you cannot literally climb a mountain, mountain climbers will make you feel like you are actually climbing a mountain. Mountain climbers can be extremely beneficial to give you the much-needed core strength and build your muscle.
How to do it?
- Start by getting into a plank position.
- Ensure that your weight is evenly distributed between your hands and toes.
- With your hands shoulder-width apart and your abs engaged, keep your back flat and align your head properly.
- Next, your left knee needs to be pulled closer to your chest as much as possible.
- Now interchange your legs. Pull one knee in and one knee out!
- Keep your hips low and as quickly and as far as you can run your knees in and out. With each leg change, inhale and exhale alternately.
Lateral High Knees
Lateral High Heels are a great way to balance both your fitness quest and your coordination as well.
How to do it?
- Start by facing the sideways while standing on your left leg with your knee slightly bent.
- Bend your right leg at the knee, and your hip should be lined up with your knee.
- Your left arm should be straight, and your right arm should be bent. Also, your chest should have your right hand in front of it.
- As you take a step forward, lift your right leg to the height of your hip and switch your arms.
Plank Jacks
Plank Jacks are an exciting addition to the regular plank movement. Planks become a core-cardio routine when you incorporate some easy training into them.
How to do it?
- Get into a high plank position with your feet mat-width apart.
- Now, all you have to do is remain in the same position and hop back your feet in and out.
- Continue the same for 30 seconds and increase as you get stronger and better at it.
Squat Thrusts
If you are overwhelmed with burpees but want to do a simpler version of a burpee, you can try squat thrusts. They are a great alternative to the highly intense burpees. Once you master squat thrusts, you can go ahead with mastering burpees too!
How to do it?
- Get into a plank position. Keep your wrists and elbows below your shoulders.
- Keep your legs straight and your core tight.
- Bend your knees forward and jump into a low squat.
- Get into the plank position again and repeat.
Dancing
Dancing is perhaps the most exciting kind of exercise that one can do. There is no particular tutorial on how you are supposed to dance. Just pick songs and watch some YouTube videos, and you are good to go! Dancing helps in burning plenty of calories. Zumba, aerobics, and dance fitness- truckloads of videos available for such fitness workouts on the internet. Follow them, dance, and burn those excess calories!
Conclusion
If you really want to start exercising, cardio exercises are not so strenuous and are enjoyable too! Always remember, health is wealth, and wealth is money. Most often, we get lazy when going to the gym. This article lists some of the best cardio workouts that you can do at the leisure of your home. So, go ahead and start tomorrow!
