How to Do Cardio Workouts at Home With No Equipment

Jumping Jacks are a good cardiovascular exercise needing no equipment.

Cardiovascular training is done by moving the body in a repetitive motion for an extended period of time. This is a very common type of training for many people. They go to the gym and run, ride, row, step and spin their way to a healthy, well-conditioned body. With that in mind, there are a large group of people who may not like the idea of going to the gym. They want to get a cardio workout at home with no equipment. Not only is this possible, but it can be very fun, too.

Instructions

Home Aid

1. 

   Do some jumping jacks. This is one of the most basic exercises in the book, and yet one of the most effective. Stand with your feet together and your arms down by your sides. Jump up and extend your legs out to the sides as you swing your arms over your head. Repeat this back-and-forth motion continuously.

2. 

   Do power ropes. For this exercise, you are simulating rope jumping. Stand with your feet together. Turn your palms out and up slightly, bounce up and down. Slightly swing your wrists just like you are holding a jump rope.

3. 

   Do burpees. Stand with your feet together. Now squat down and touch the floor with your hands just outside of your feet. Kick your legs back behind you and go right into a push-up. Now snap your feet back forward to the starting position and do a forceful jump squat. When you do this, extend your arms up in the air above your head like you are signaling a touchdown.

4. 

   Do skaters. Start with your feet together. Lift your left foot off the ground and hop to the left by pushing off with your right foot. Land on your left foot, and let your right leg swing behind you. Tap your toes on the floor, then swing your right leg back to the right. Hop up in the air by pushing off of your left foot, and now land on the right. Swing the left leg behind you and tap your toe. Alternate back and forth in a continuous motion.

5. 

   March and swing. Start with your feet together and your arms at your sides. Now march in place while simultaneously swinging your arms in big circles. Lift your knees up as high as you can and go at an even pace.

6. 

   Do jump jacks. This is similar to a jumping jack but a lot more intense. Stand with your feet together. Squat down and tuck your arms in close to your body. Imagine you are skiing and are in a tuck position. Now jump up in the air and sprawl out with your arms and legs. Then tuck yourself back in right before you land, and repeat a whole series of them.

7. 

   Do side hops. Stand with your feet together. Bend the knees slightly and hop from side to side as high as you can. You can also do these forwards, backwards and in place.

8. Kick your own butt. Stand with your feet together. Jump in the air and try to get your heels to touch your butt.

Tips & Warnings

• When doing the jump ropes, to add a little more resistance, grab a couple cans of soup and hold on to them.

• When you are doing the march and swing exercise, keep the arms straight. Also, mix forward swings in with backward swings. You can also hold on to the soup cans for extra intensity.

• When you are doing jump jacks, you are basically doing a jumping jack in the air.

• Be careful when doing the skater exercise. This is not recommended if you have knee issues or recently had surgery.