If you have an exercise bike, elliptical or treadmill at home, you are in luck and you can easily do a fat-burning workout at home. But what if there are no such simulators? Running in place and jumping rope are fun, but only for 5-10 minutes.
In this material you will find a home cardio exercise program in a circular mode – a similar training method increases the heart rate, creating an aerobic load. The advantage of such a workout is that the exercises do not require equipment and can be performed with your own weight.
Cardio at home
Cardio is physical training to increase the heart rate. Traditionally, cardio means running, cycling, swimming and other aerobic workouts. However, to increase the heart rate, body weight exercises are also quite suitable.
The key rule of cardio training at home is a fast pace of exercise and the duration of the training is at least 30-40 minutes. The ideal would be to use the exercise bike as a warm-up, and then a full workout in a circular mode.
Recall that circuit training involves performing the exercises of the program one after the other, with minimal rest time. Despite the fact that the exercises themselves are quite easy, the fastest rhythm turns the workout into a full-fledged cardio.
Benefits of Cardio
The body needs regular exercise to stay healthy. The recommendations of doctors say that it is necessary to take at least 7-10 thousand steps daily – or do fitness 3-4 times a week for 30-40 minutes.
The health benefits of cardio include both burning excess calories and increasing blood circulation in the body through an increased heart rate. Ultimately, this helps the body get rid of toxins, and also strengthens the walls of blood vessels and improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Home exercise program
To do your workout at home, you’ll need a rubber mat (a yoga mat works), a timer clock, and upbeat music to keep you motivated. When exercising, pay attention to breathing, as well as the feeling of muscle involvement in the work.
1. Jumping with clapping hands
Start your home cardio workout by doing jumping jacks. Starting position – standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms along the body, stomach retracted. While inhaling, in a jump, spread your legs to the sides, at the same time making a clap with your hands above your head. As you exhale, return to the starting position.
2. Wall Squats
After doing the previous cardio exercise, without rest and keeping the heart rate high, do a static exercise to strengthen the muscles of the legs. Hold in the wall squat position, keeping your abs and glutes tense. 30-45 seconds motionless.
3. Push-ups from the floor
Starting position – bar on outstretched arms. As you inhale, slowly lower yourself down – hands at waist level, elbows at an angle of 45 degrees to the body. The press is tense, the spine is straight. As you exhale, push your hands up sharply (this will increase cardio efficiency), then linger at the top point.
4. Static twisting on the press
Starting position – lying on your back, legs bent at the knees and standing on the floor, arms extended upwards. As you exhale, by activating the abdominal muscles, begin to stretch forward, lifting your upper back off the floor. Hold in the top position, keeping the press in tension. 2-3 sets of 30-45 seconds.
5. Stepping onto the platform
One of the simplest, yet effective exercises for the gluteus medius. When performed in a fast cardio mode, it makes muscles more elastic, increasing blood circulation and helping to burn fat. Alternately step up the hill, keeping the press in tension.
6. Bodyweight Squats
Without rest, move on to squats with arms outstretched forward. Starting position – standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt. As you exhale, lower yourself down as if sitting on a chair (you can use a chair or a fitball to maintain the correct technique) – arms extended forward. Go back up, repeat.
7. Reverse push-ups for triceps
Exercise to strengthen the muscles of the upper body – the main load falls on the triceps, deltoid muscles, upper back and upper chest. When performing in cardio mode, focus on powerfully pushing the body up, trying to fully straighten your arms.
8. Elbow Plank
After completing the dynamic upper body exercise, move on to the static elbow plank. The stomach should be pulled in, the press should be tense. Hold the position for 30-45 seconds, maintaining a normal breathing rhythm.
9. Running in place with high leg raises
One of the most powerful cardio exercises at home workouts. Perform alternating raises of the legs bent at the knees as high as possible – for balance, helping with your hands. Keep your abs tight, and follow the cycles of inhalation and exhalation, trying to breathe faster.
10. Lunges
Starting position – standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands on the belt. As you inhale, take a step forward while bending your leg at the knee. Make sure the body stays upright. Exhale as you come back, then repeat for the other leg.
11. Push-ups with a twist of the body
Complicated exercise, suitable for people with a good level of physical fitness. When performed at the end of a workout, it allows you to achieve the maximum cardio effect. First, do a regular push-up from the floor, then push off and lift your arm up, keeping your body extended in a line.
12. Side plank at the elbow
This exercise helps to strengthen the transverse muscles of the body, as well as the muscles of the buttocks and thighs. When performing, make sure that the elbow is located exactly under the shoulder joint – this will help to avoid injury. Do not drop your hips down or raise them too high up.
Cardio: how many calories are burned?
When doing cardio at home, the rhythm in which the exercises are performed plays a role. The faster, the more calories burned. In addition, the level of physical fitness affects – in particular, the ability to consciously involve muscles in work.
On average, doing the above cardio workout program burns between 300 and 600 calories per hour. If you complete the exercise program quickly enough, repeat it again. Circuit training involves from 3 to 6 cycles – while a break is only allowed between cycles, but not exercises.
In order to train in a more active mode (and therefore increase your heart rate), prepare yourself a cup of strong coffee before starting a workout. Due to the stimulating effect, caffeine increases the effectiveness of cardio, helping to burn more calories.
The key rule of cardio at home is the regularity and duration of training. The best way to conduct an active workout at home in the absence of simulators is circuit training with exercises performed one after the other. In total, from 3 to 6 cycles of exercises are performed.