Cardio workouts are a great way to burn calories, build endurance and increase energy levels. However, many people have difficulty sticking with a cardio routine.
It’s important to find an activity you enjoy and make it fun! Try energizing music, group classes or fitness communities to help you stay motivated.
Trampoline
If you’re looking for a fun and calorie-burning cardio workout, look no further than the trampoline. A trampoline provides a great way to work your entire body and tone your core. The exercise also burns calories at a higher rate than other exercises, such as running.
Trampoline exercises are known as rebounding and help build strength, physical fitness, balance and coordination. They’re also easy on the joints and are easier to do than traditional high-impact exercises.
Start off your workout with simple bounces to familiarize yourself with the trampoline surface and regain your balance. Then move on to tuck jumps, which work the core by utilising its most powerful muscles. This workout also helps to develop your leg and back muscles.
For another trampoline exercise that will build your core, try split pike jumps. These workouts involve jumping in the air, separating your legs and then lifting your arms to create the star position at the top of each bounce. Then you land in a tucked position on your feet and knees. Repeat this movement for 30-60 seconds, with short breaks in between.
Bike
A bike is a classic piece of gym equipment that can be used for an effective cardio workout at home or in the gym. For beginners, try a beginner-friendly workout that incorporates high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with short rest periods. Or, for a more low-impact option, ride while following a free YouTube video that provides choreographed moves or simply ride to music that you enjoy.
Rowing is another great choice for a low-impact, full body cardio workout that helps burn calories and build muscle. The key is to find a workout that works up a sweat and challenges you but doesn’t cause pain in your joints or back.
The best way to get the most out of your cardio workouts is to perform them consistently and at a time of day that suits your schedule, says White. He adds that performing cardio workouts in the morning may increase your energy and metabolism throughout the day, while evening workouts can help regulate appetite and sleep patterns. Either way, it’s crucial to stick with your cardio workouts to experience the physical and mental health benefits, including boosting your heart health, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, and releasing feel-good hormones called endorphins.
Dance
Whether you have a bouncy trampoline in your living room or simply crank up the music, dancing is an effective cardio workout. It can help you achieve your recommended 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week, as per the American Heart Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Unlike the treadmill, elliptical, and bike at your gym, dance is a fun way to burn calories. It also helps you stay mentally engaged, which can be a challenge when you’re trying to work out at home.
A good dance workout starts with a warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints, and you can either follow along with a free YouTube video featuring choreographed moves or just go all out by dancing to the beat of your favorite music. If you’re not comfortable jumping around, you can perform lateral movements like skaters or lateral lunges that engage your single-leg strength and stability as well.
As the days get shorter, it may feel easier to skip a cardio workout at the gym or put your own at-home workout on hold for longer trips to the grocery store. But with a few easy bodyweight exercises, you can create your own heart-pumping and sweat-dripping workout that fits into your schedule.
Elliptical
When ellipticals first hit the gym scene, runners with achy joints rejoiced. They provide an efficient way to get your cardio fix in, since you can work both your upper and lower body at the same time without ever having to stop the workout for a break.
But be careful not to slouch during your session. “Standing up straight lengthens your trunk, works your core muscles, and burns more calories,” Freytag says. Plus, long-term, it can help prevent back and shoulder pain.
A good elliptical workout should make you feel like you’re going for a casual walk or jog, with low to moderate resistance and an incline that feels natural. “Start with a few minutes at a moderate pace and then increase your speed and incline, working up to a higher-intensity interval workout,” Weiner suggests.
Try alternating between sprints at high-intensity and then slowing down to recover during the recovery period. Doing this type of workout consistently is an effective form of HIIT that can help you burn more calories and lose fat—but again, it’s important to be in a calorie deficit to see the weight loss effects.
Bodyweight
Achieve cardio fitness with moves that build strength and endurance. You can perform these workouts at home or at the gym with minimal to no equipment. Moves like tuck jumps, mountain climbers and burpees help you get your heart rate up while also building functional strength.
If you’re a fan of the treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike, mix up your routine by adding in a few short HIIT sessions. These high-intensity workouts include a series of short bursts of exercise followed by recovery periods, and can burn more calories in less time.
Conclusion
Cardio has plenty of health perks that make it an essential part of any fitness routine. In addition to its potential for weight loss, it boosts mood, improves sleep and decreases stress levels. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. But getting enough cardio can be tough if you’re not sure where to start. To help you, we’ve rounded up the best cardio workouts to try.
