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With a little creativity and enough space to move around, you can easily do your cardio workouts at home. You do not necessarily need sophisticated equipment or machines to make a good cardio session at home. Thanks to simple cardio exercises, you can improve your heart rate and burn calories without having to set foot in a gym or buy expensive equipment.
Your cardio training must be stimulating. When you take breaks, you give your heart and lungs the time to catch up, which reduces the intensity of your workout. Therefore, the goal is to set up a tonic workout that is relatively easy to follow so you do not need to stop frequently for too long.
Are home cardio exercises safe?
Fortunately, cardio exercises that can be done from home, like jumping jacks or mountain climbers, are generally safe for beginners and are easy to learn. It is recommended to start your cardio session with a warm-up.
Engaging in an intense workout with unhealthy muscles is the worst thing you can do because you increase your risk of injury. Although it is not necessary to have fitness equipment for your home, it is better at least to have a comfortable and safe environment for exercising and warming up.
What next?
Before you start your cardio workout, choose a place at home where you have enough space to move. You must be able to stretch, jump, and move from one side to side. Ideally, you should be able to lay down a yoga mat and leave one or two extra meters of space on each side.
Then, go get a glass of water and start your warm-up by stretching and hopping in a designated area for one or two minutes. Once you are ready, you can start your home cardio workout.
The best cardio workouts with no equipment
Hip bridge
Lie on the floor with your knees up, back and feet flat on the floor, and your arms lying along the body. Lift your hips from the floor until your hips, your knees, and shoulders form a line. Keeping your glutes tight, hold this position for a few seconds then come back down.
Mountain climbers
The mountain climber starts with a position similar to a pushup, with one leg positioned near the chest with your hands under the shoulders. Keep your body well aligned. Extend your knee to your chest then bring it back to the same position as your other leg. After bringing back one leg back, you have to repeat the process with the other knee from the other leg in the same manner.
Jumping jacks
Start by standing up with joined feet, tense legs, and arms released on the sides. Jump and spread your feet beyond the width of the hips while bringing your arms over your head. Finally, jump once again, lowering your arms and bringing them closer to the legs to return to your starting position.
Cross jacks
Cross jacks are a variant of jumping jacks. Stand with your feet apart at the width of the hips and your arms stretched at the height of the shoulders. Jump and cross one leg in front of the other while also crossing your arms in front of you. Then, jump again and return the feet and arms to starting position.
Squat jumps
Stand with your feet apart a little more than the shoulder width. Crouch as if you were attempting to sit down, then spring up as high as you can. Try to keep your back and buttocks as straight and parallel to the wall as possible.
Crunches
While lying on your back, bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor, spreading them to the width of the hips. Contract your abdominals and lift the top of your body towards your lap, holding your feet and buttocks on the ground. Keep your head and neck well relaxed. Inhale and return to the starting position.
Make each of these cardio exercises last for 30 seconds, then take a break of 30 seconds before going to the next exercise because these exercises require a lot of energy. After performing all the exercises, rest for a minute, and then repeat the cycle about two more times.
The best cardio exercises with small equipment
If you want to exercise at home without buying expensive machines or gym equipment like an exercise bike or a treadmill, it is quite possible to train at home with inexpensive equipment. Here are some really cheap workout tools and accessories that will help you improve your cardio at home and burn a lot of calories.
Jumping rope
It may have been a long time since you’ve used one, but the jumping rope is a great cardio exercise tool. The jumping rope is a great way to burn calories. In addition, the jumping rope allows you to work on your agility and coordination.
Gliding disks
Gliding disks will allow you to perform many exercises by dragging your feet on the floor. In addition to improving your cardiovascular system, gliding disks will also strengthen your stabilizing muscles.
Hula hoop
Using a hula hoop is a real cardio activity that allows you to improve your cardio and burn a lot of calories while also having fun. In addition, hula hoops improve stamina, coordination, balance, and flexibility.
Agility grid
As the name suggests, the agility grid makes it possible to achieve many agility exercises. The goal is usually to jump into the different rings quickly in a coordinated manner.
Abdominal wheel
Although often associated with bodybuilding, the abdominal wheel, or ab wheel, can strongly improve the cardiovascular system. This accessory will also make it possible to enhance the results from other accessories related to ab training, such as an abdominal belt.
Conclusion
Not having enough money for equipment, or not having enough space at home are often used as excuses for not exercising at home. As we have just seen, ways to do physical activities at home are numerous and are very accessible. Therefore, no more excuses! Practice these exercises to improve your cardio and get in shape at home today.