If you're looking for cardio workouts, consider yourself lucky for reading our chosen workouts. Well, people do not need a lot of equipment for cardio workouts. Instead, they can take part in these cardio workouts by working with their body weight.
Cardio workouts, if you don't know, are an essential component of your health and wellbeing. You do not have to spend time in the gym to maintain your cardio and fat. You can effectively perform these workouts at your home with no problems at all.
But what exactly is a cardio workout? The basic definition of a cardio workout can be defined as the exercises that increase your heart rate, which opens up various possibilities much more than just running or walking. Cardio exercises, however, are known as aerobic exercises as well.
So, let us ask you this once, are you tired of your daily running and walking routine? Would you rather work out at home instead of jogging at a track? Just hear us out, as here are some of the best HIIT workouts that will fire up your heart rate and muscles in no time!
Jump Rope
Jumping rope not only increases the intensity of your heart rate but also improves coordination and cognitive function. It helps you burn about 1300 calories per hour. Before starting this exercise, you need to warm up.
However, for that, you can jump 8 to 10 times. Now, start with the exercise and jump continuously for 1 and half minutes. Take a rest for about 15-30 seconds and repeat. You will have to complete three sets of this exercise.
You can further make some tweaks with the exercise, as you can jump with one leg and complete a set, one set with both legs, and one set while running in place.
Mountain Climbers
The Mountain Climber is an intense full-body exercise. So, if you are new, start with this exercise slowly and gradually pick up the pace.
How to Perform
- Get yourself in a high plank position with your hands kept under your shoulders and your body straight. Flatten your back and brace your core.
- Lift your left knee towards your chest. Quickly switch, moving your left knee out and bringing your right knee inwards.
- Continue switching between legs.
Diagonal Jumps
The diagonal jump takes the lunge jump to an all-new level. Instead of facing forward, you will have to rotate your body during each jump to create a pumping effect on your heart.
How to Perform
- You will start the exercise in the lunge position, with both knees bent at 90 degrees. Turn your body towards the right corner of the room.
- While bracing your core and pulling your shoulder down, swing your arms back. Quickly swing your arms up, jump, and switch your legs.
- Move towards the left corner while landing in a lunge.
- Continue with the jumping and switching legs.
Rotational Jacks
Rotational Jacks combine squats, jumps, and body twists. All of these movements are combined to fire up your muscles and heart rate.
How to Perform
- Start with your hands and feet together.
- Jump into a squat while your knees bent, keeping feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with toes slightly pointed out. Rotate your waist simultaneously, with your right hand up and left hand down.
- Now, jump into the starting position before jumping into a squat, reaching your left hand up and right hand down.
- Continue with this jumping and keep switching arms.
Inchworm Crawl
While you perform the exercise Inchworm Crawl, this motion offhand and feet will stress your heart and muscles.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet kept together. Brace your core and bend forward at your hips.
- Slowly reach your arms towards the floor, keeping your knees straight and relaxed.
- Keep your fingers on the floor, softly bend your knees.
- Keep your feet still, and slowly walk your hands forward into a plank with your hands below your shoulders.
- Stiffen your core and perform a pushup.
- Slowly walk your feet towards your hands, and reach your hands forward.
- Repeat.
To make this a bit harder, you can try performing more than a pushup. For an easier move, you can skip the push-up altogether.
Screamer Lunges
Want to build your leg muscles keeping your heart engaged as well? Well, Screamer Lunges will help you build your leg muscles by challenging the heart.
How to Perform
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Extend your right leg back into the lunge position.
- Push off with the right foot to help you lift your right knee to your hip height, do this while you jump.
- Then return your right foot to the initial position and perform ten lunges on one side.
- Repeat the same for the left leg.
Pop Squats
Pop squats is a plyometric exercise that helps build your leg muscles. Moreover, it also helps you burn fat quickly if you continue it for a longer period. In addition, this exercise is a perfect way to improve endurance and jumping power.
How to Perform
- Stand with your feet kept together, core engaged, while your hand at your chest.
- Jump your feet wide and set yourself in a wide squat position, engaging your glutes and bending both knees until your thighs get parallel to the floor. Gently tap the floor with your right hand.
- Jump back to the starting position. Do small hops while in starting position, immediately jumping feet wide, dropping yourself into a wide squat, and tapping the floor using your left hand this time.
- Continue with the pop squats, alternating the hands each time you reach the floor.
Conclusion
Maintaining a good healthy heart is very important nowadays. So, go on and try these workouts that we have mentioned above for you. They are undoubtedly some of the best cardio workouts that you can do at home without any piece of equipment.
We have made a checklist of our workout, have you as well?
Author
Kevin Murphy of GuzFitness
