Many struggles to fit fitness into their daily routine due to work, family, and other social commitments. Fat-burning cardio exercises solve this issue by providing an effective workout that can be done anywhere, at any time, and with little to no equipment.
If you don’t have time or money to join a gym, doing cardio bodyweight exercises at home can be an excellent way to lose weight and get in shape. These exercises have various health benefits, including improving heart health, building stamina, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Thousands of studies have found that the more you move, the lower your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, joint pain, and Alzheimer’s. Exercise can also improve your mood, reduce stress, and improve your sleep.
A report published by experts at John Hopkins Medicine suggests that 30 minutes of heart-pumping cardio exercise per day, at least five times per week, is an ideal goal for staying healthy.
There are many different bodyweight exercises to choose from for your next workout, some of which may be better for cardio than others. Here are seven cardio bodyweight exercises to try the next time you want to improve your endurance and burn fat!
Top 7 Fat-Burning Cardio Exercises You Can Do At Home
The exercises listed below are calorie-burning exercises that can be done at home without equipment. For instance, a person could perform each exercise for 45 seconds to 1 minute, rest for 20 seconds, and then proceed to the next set. You can do these exercises in circuits as your fitness level improves. For best results, do this workout at least three times per week for the next 30 days.
1. Skaters
The skaters are a great cardiovascular exercise that works your glutes, hips, outer thigh, calves, and core while increasing your heart rate and improving coordination and balance.
Skaters Instructions:
Start standing with your feet hip-width apart. Lean slightly forward and jump to the right, landing on your right foot and bringing your left leg behind your body and your left arm in front of you. Jump back to the left, landing on your left foot and getting the right foot behind your body and your right arm in front of you. Repeat.
2. High Knee
The high knees exercise is a great full-body exercise that raises your heart rate, warms your lower and upper body muscles, and prepares you for more complex movements.
High Knee Instructions:
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Lift your right knee as high as possible and raise your opposite arm, then quickly switch so your left knee is up before your right foot lands. Continue alternating your right and left leg for the desired number of reps.
3. Jumping Jacks
The jumping jack is an effective way to warm up your muscles before a workout. It also improves endurance, increases the body’s metabolic rate, and helps with weight loss.
Jumping Jacks Instructions:
Stand up straight, feet together, and hands by your sides. Jump into the air, spreading your legs shoulder-width apart and extending your arms above your head. Return to the starting position by jumping once more. Repeats.
4. Burpees
They are one of the most beneficial full-body exercises because they work all your major muscles in one killer move. A standard burpee strengthens the muscles in your chest, shoulders, arms, legs, hips, buttocks, and core while also raising your heart rate, making it an effective cardio exercise. If performed regularly, they can help you burn belly fat faster than any other exercise or diet. High-intensity exercises like burpees have been found in several studies to burn more fat than strength training.
Burpee Instructions:
Begin in a standing position. Move into a squat position with your hands on the ground, your feet about shoulder-width apart, and your back straight. Kick your feet back, putting your hands and toes in a pushup position. Immediately return your feet to the squat position. Stand up and extend your arms above your head. Jump into the air quickly; as soon as you land with your knees bent, squat and repeat.
5. Jump Squats
It is one of the most effective exercises that can be performed with no equipment and only your body weight. While regular squats are beneficial, squat jumps will help you build muscle and strength in your lower body, burn calories and fat, boost aerobic and cardiovascular fitness, improve mobility and balance, and tone your buttocks and legs. This exercise targets the glutes, quads, hamstrings, hips, abdominals, and lower back while also increasing your heart rate.
Jump Squats Instructions:
Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your back straight. Squat down till your thighs are barely above your knees. Drive through the balls of your feet to push yourself upward, so your feet lift off the ground. Land softly on the balls of your feet with your knees bent. Return to a traditional squat position. Repeat as many times as you need.
6. Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are excellent for building cardiovascular endurance, core strength, flexibility, and agility. They engage several muscles simultaneously, giving you a total-body workout with just one exercise. As you perform the move, your arms, shoulders, and chest work to stabilize your upper body while your core stabilizes the rest of your body.
Mountain Climbers Instructions:
Start in a push-up position, keeping your body straight and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bring one knee as close to your chest as possible, then quickly alternate between your legs. Continue alternating as you inhale and exhale with each leg change.
7. Push-Up Jacks
Push Up Jacks is full-body exercise that works your arms, shoulders, chest, back, and core. It is also an excellent way to put your cardiovascular system to the test. The jumping of the feet during the push-up raises your heart rate and causes your blood to pump faster. Push-Up Jacks can be very challenging for your upper body and should only be tried once you have mastered the basic push-up.
Push-Up Jacks Instructions:
Begin in a push-up position with your arms shoulder-width apart, shoulders over your wrists, feet together, and body in a straight line. Lower to a push-up while jumping your feet wide. Maintain a tight core and a straight back. Return to the starting position by jumping your feet back together and straightening your arms. Repeat.
