Cardio is one of those healthy habits that can provide you with a great deal of feel-good endorphins. It also helps you achieve a feeling of achievement with literal milestones – such as reaching a new mile marker or breaking your personal best in your favourite race.
Whether you’re a complete exercise beginner or returning to cardio after a long break, we’ve got you covered. These workouts are designed to suit your fitness level and ignite your enthusiasm, so you can get back into it safely and with fun.
Trampoline
Trampolines aren’t just for kids: they’re also a great way Cardio Workouts to boost your cardiovascular fitness. Rebounding is a low-impact workout that can burn calories and strengthen the muscles of your legs, hips, back, arms and core. It can also help you improve your balance and coordination. Plus, it can help with lymphatic drainage and support your immune system.
You can purchase an exercise trampoline, also known as a rebounder or trampette, at most department and big-box stores. These smaller trampolines have a lower bounce than larger recreational and competitive trampolines, so they’re better for those with joint pains or who want to avoid high-impact exercise. They’re also quieter, making them a good choice for workouts done at home.
To begin a trampoline workout, warm up with a few minutes of jumping to build your cardiovascular endurance. Then, try adding in a few jumping jacks to increase the number of repetitions and challenge your cardiovascular strength. Alternatively, you can use your trampoline to do boxing drills, which will give you a fat-blasting, heart-racing power workout that works all of the major muscle groups in your body.
If you have trouble with balance or have a history of ankle or knee injuries, it’s best to try these bouncy exercises in a class setting so that a trained instructor can ensure you’re using proper form to prevent injury. If you’re going to try these calorie-burning moves at home, Lo Russo recommends the Stamina 14-inch trampoline: It’s lightweight and compact, takes up minimal floor space when folded, and comes with 30 resistance bands to give you a strong, supportive workout without metal springs.
Bike
Whether you swap your car for a bike on your next trip to the grocery store or take up indoor cycling at a beginner-friendly studio, biking is another great option for low-impact cardio workouts. Stationary bikes offer the flexibility to increase or decrease intensity with the turn of a dial, so you can tailor your exercise experience to your fitness goals and comfort level.
In addition to its many health benefits, biking also provides an opportunity to explore new neighborhoods, parks and trails. You can even find outdoor adventure-based classes, like hiking and mountain biking, that combine coordination, strength, and cardio in one fun workout.
If you’re a beginner to fitness, walking is an easy way to get your heart pumping and meet your cardio exercise requirements without the need for equipment or a gym membership. For an added challenge, try interval training with jump jacks or running in place to burn more calories in less time.
Aside from burning calories, cardio workouts can boost metabolism by increasing muscle mass and regulating appetite, according to Chakoian. They also improve cardiovascular function and can help you sleep better at night. Plus, many cardio workouts can be performed in your home, saving you money on gym fees and travel costs. And because cardio can be so difficult to maintain, having a variety of equipment-free and home-based options is important to keep your exercise routine interesting and effective.
Stair Climbing
If you’re not a member of a gym and don’t have access to expensive equipment, a good old-fashioned walk up and down some stairs can still get your heart pumping and your muscles working. Climbing stairs burns 5-11 calories per minute, which can be a great boost to anyone trying to lose weight or hit their body recomposition goals.
Climbing stairs targets some of the largest muscles in your lower body, so it’s also a great way to tone and strengthen your legs and buttocks. And, since it’s so challenging, it’s a perfect way to get your blood pumping and burn calories quickly.
Stair climbing can also help to strengthen your core, as it requires a strong core to keep the hips level when you’re moving up the stairs. If you’re not quite ready for a full-on stair workout, try doing some simple bodyweight exercises such as grapevine up and down or jumping up the stairs on one leg, then jogging back down.
The Jacob’s Ladder machine is another great piece of cardio equipment that can provide a challenging workout. It’s sort of like a hamster wheel with ladders, so it engages both the upper body and lower body muscles, which is more beneficial than a traditional stair machine that only works the legs. The Jacob’s Ladder machine is available in most fitness clubs, so check your local gym or search online to see if they have one.
Walking
Walking is a low-impact, free exercise that anyone can do. When walked at a brisk pace, it’s the best workout to burn calories and strengthen your heart. It also makes a great option for those with existing heart conditions. Regular brisk walking can make your heart muscle stronger and ease symptoms over time, if you have heart disease.
Brisk walking can be boring if you walk the same route each day, so make sure to vary your routes. Try going to work, class or a friend’s house via a different route to add some variety. Listen to music to motivate yourself to up the pace – nothing beats a banging beat or joyful tune to get you moving faster.
For days when outdoor exercise isn’t feasible, head to your gym or your own home and turn on a YouTube fitness video to get your heart rate up and break a sweat. For example, check out Kat Musni’s cardio YouTube workouts that offer a wide variety of sweat sessions for experience levels. Her videos include ballet sculpting, belly dance, cardio conditioning workouts, and country line dancing routines.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an extra challenge, try adding some stairs to your walking routine. This will help you increase your endurance, strength and agility. You can even incorporate a few minutes of jumping rope for a high-intensity cardio workout.
