The importance of performing regular cardio exercises to stay fit and maintain a healthy body cannot be overlooked. However, going to a gym or exercising outdoors may not always be possible. This is where at-home cardio exercises come into play. These exercises, which can be easily done without any equipment, will help you elevate your heart rate and stay active while effortlessly maintaining your energy levels. If you’re wondering, “But how can I do cardio at home?” it’s the perfect time to explore the guide we’ve prepared for you!
8 Cardio Moves You Can Do at Home
There are many cardio options available that can help turn your home into a personal gym without any cost or the need for transportation. Whether you’re a beginner or someone looking to maintain your fitness on days when you can’t make it to the gym, you can discover options that suit everyone interested in trying cardio exercises at home.
Shadow Boxing
Also known as shadow boxing, this move involves mimicking the movements of a boxer and aims to improve agility, coordination, and cardiovascular endurance.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your fists in front of your face and your elbows close to your body.
- Alternate between throwing punches into the air with your left and right hands.
- Gain speed by moving your feet back and forth with quick steps.
Mountain Climber
The Mountain Climber exercise gets its name from the motion, which you’ll quickly realize as you try it out. This full-body move targets your core, shoulders, and legs while also elevating your heart rate.
- Get into a high plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Bring your right knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs, bringing your left knee toward your chest.
- Continue alternating legs at a quick pace, as if you are running in place.
Jumping Jack
Jumping Jacks are as attention-grabbing as their name and are a simple yet effective cardio exercise that works your entire body.
- Stand with your feet together and arms at your sides.
- Jump while simultaneously spreading your legs apart and raising your arms above your head.
- Jump again to return to the starting position, with your feet together and arms at your sides.
- Repeat continuously at a steady pace.
Burpee
Burpees are another high-intensity exercise that combines a squat, plank, and jump, targeting multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
- Start by standing upright.
- Drop into a squat position by placing your hands on the ground.
- Kick your feet back into a plank position.
- Quickly return your feet to the squat position.
- Explosively jump into the air, reaching your arms above your head.
- Repeat this sequence continuously without interruption.
Knee Up
The ‘Knee Up’ is another effective cardio exercise that targets your lower body and core.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your right knee toward your chest.
- Quickly lower your right knee and lift your left knee toward your chest.
- Continue alternating your knees rapidly as if you are running in place with high steps.
Box Jumps
‘Box Jumps’ are a plyometric exercise that enhances your explosive power and cardiovascular conditioning through sudden jumps.
- Stand in front of a sturdy box or a similar platform if a box is not available.
- Bend your knees and swing your arms back to generate jumping power.
- Jump onto the box with both feet, landing softly.
- Carefully step down and repeat.
Jump Rope
Jumping rope is a fun and highly effective cardio exercise for those looking to improve coordination and agility simultaneously. While there are many variations, starting with the basic jump rope technique is more than enough to get closer to your goals.
- Hold the jump rope handles in your hands.
- Swing the rope over your head in a circular motion and jump as it passes under your feet.
- Keep your feet close together and continue jumping at a steady pace.
Running in Place
Running in place is a form of at-home cardio that mimics the motion of running without requiring much space.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Lift your knees and pump your arms back and forth as if you are running.
- To increase intensity, lift your knees higher while maintaining this pace.
What Are Cardio Exercises and What Are Their Benefits?
The term “cardiovascular training” is derived from the Greek word “kardía,” meaning “heart,” and over time, it has come to be known simply as cardio exercises. To put it simply, these exercises are designed to increase your heart rate and keep it elevated for an extended period, thereby primarily aiming to maintain heart and circulatory system health. Cardio exercises consist of a series of high-speed physical movements performed consciously and in a coordinated manner.
What Are Cardio Exercises?
The most important feature of a successful cardiovascular workout is that it pushes you to the point where you are breathing faster than you would at rest. This forces the heart to pump more blood—and consequently more oxygen—throughout the body to provide the necessary energy.
Cardiovascular exercises, commonly referred to as cardio exercises, are often also called “aerobic exercises.” This concept emphasizes the use of oxygen to produce energy and the use of high-speed, challenging, and gradually intensifying movements. If you’re wondering, “So, how do you do cardio?” the answer lies in many common and traditional forms of exercise that are neither complex nor costly.
Some classic forms of cardio exercises include:
- Cycling
- Running
- Walking and brisk walking
- Rowing
- Swimming
- Step exercises
These are some of the most common options that come to mind when thinking about cardio exercises.
Why Are Cardio Exercises Preferred?
In addition to being extremely fun and high-paced, cardio exercises offer undeniable benefits. Among these benefits, reaching an ideal weight or maintaining current weight control is at the forefront, but protecting against heart disease is also one of the prominent benefits of cardio exercises.
It’s no secret that all exercises can be beneficial for boosting your mood and energy levels; however, when it comes to improving your state of mind, it’s important to know that cardio plays a significant role in increasing your happiness. The pace of cardio exercises and their physically challenging nature support the production of hormones known as endorphins, which not only make you feel good but also act as natural painkillers.
Many studies show that people who regularly engage in cardio exercises have the potential to live longer lives. The benefits of cardio are not limited to this; there are several other important and valuable advantages of cardio exercises that you should know to maintain your motivation and learn how to do cardio as soon as possible:
- It helps protect cognitive functions that decline with age and may help prevent diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
- It serves as a preventive measure against bone health-related issues such as fractures and osteoporosis.
- By optimizing stress levels, it may reduce chronic skin problems like eczema.
- It enhances blood flow and oxygenation of tissues, helping to nourish the skin, leading to a brighter and younger appearance.
- It aids in increasing muscle mass, contributing to a fit appearance and enhanced strength.
- Cardio exercises can help regulate your gut microbiome, balance blood sugar levels, reduce fatigue, and improve sleep quality, offering many benefits in a single workout.
Things to Know Before Doing Cardio Exercises at Home
One of the best aspects of cardio exercises, which can enhance your quality of life in multiple ways, is that you can continue doing them in the comfort of your own home. The discipline, comfort, and social aspects of a gym can be quite motivating. However, for those who leave no room for excuses, doing cardio exercises at home without the need for any equipment remains a good option.
Doing cardio exercises at home is considered quite safe due to reasons like using your body weight and being able to easily adjust the pace according to your personal fitness level. However, as with any type of exercise, cardio also comes with certain rules that require attention. Paying attention to these warnings can help you create a safer and more effective exercise routine.
Consult a Professional: If you have existing health issues or concerns, it’s important to consult your doctor or a healthcare professional before starting a new exercise program. This is especially crucial for those with heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions to set up a routine under expert guidance.
Make Choices that Suit Your Goals: If your goal is to lose weight, you might focus on high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or longer, moderate-intensity cardio sessions. To improve cardiovascular endurance, cardio exercises like running or cycling with the help of home equipment can be preferred. Mixing different cardio exercises can make your routine more interesting and balanced, especially if you aim to feel generally fitter and healthier.
Stay Hydrated: It’s important to drink water before, during, and after your workout to prevent dehydration. According to the American Council on Exercise, drinking 0.5 – 0.6 liters of water 2-3 hours before exercise and 0.2 – 0.3 liters every 10-20 minutes during exercise can be sufficient to meet your hydration needs.