Rev Your Heart Rate and Get a Serious Sweat with These At-Home Cardio Workouts
Of course you get an aerobic workout done whenever you ride and that’s likely your preferred method for getting the heart rate up and your breathing heavy. But sometimes the weather doesn’t cooperate or you want to move your body in new ways (as you should!). That’s when it’s time to get cardio done at home with bodyweight exercises that don’t require equipment and that make it super easy to spike your heart rate anytime, any place.
Plus, you gain extra advantages from making these at-home cardio workouts part of your regular routine: Changing your movement patterns can strengthen muscles you don’t normally use, and perhaps to your surprise, offer a greater cardio boost than a moderate cycling workout.
“Mixing up your cardio can strategically target your glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, core, and hip muscles, all crucial muscles that can help your riding,” says Dennys Lozada, NASM-certified personal trainer and trainer at Fhitting Room in New York City. And if you go the HIIT route, you can score a serious calorie burn and boost your cardiovascular conditioning, Lozada adds.
Enter these at-home cardio workouts—perfect for any day you need a boost, without leaving your house. Lozada included a high-impact workout for max benefits, along with a low-impact version that’s easier on your joints. Both will elevate your heart rate and make you sweat.
How to use this list: The exercises below are demonstrated by Lozada himself so you can master the proper form. If you want to avoid jumping, opt for the low-impact routine and follow the instructions below. If impact isn’t an issue, opt for the high-impact routine. You can also combine all the moves—just follow the instructions below.
These exercises can also be paired with any cardio machine of your choice—a treadmill, indoor bike, elliptical, etc.—to create one killer cardio workout at home. An exercise mat is optional.
Low-Impact Cardio at Home
Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds, followed by 15 seconds of rest. Repeat 4 times. Once you master the perfect form, perform each rep as fast as possible to keep your heart rate up.
1. Air Squat
Stand with feet just wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out, and hands clasped in front of chest. Send hips back to drop down to a squat position. Drive through feet to stand back up, keeping chest lifted and without rounding your back. Repeat.
2. Alternating Reverse Lunge
Start standing, with hands clasped in front of chest. Step left leg straight back and drop down to a lunge position, both legs bent 90 degrees. Push through right front heel to stand back up, left leg stepping forward. Repeat on other side. Continue alternating.
3. Mountain Climbers
Start in a high plank position, hands beneath shoulders, body forming a straight line parallel to the floor. Drive right knee toward chest. As you return right leg to starting position, drive left knee toward chest. Continue alternating.
4. Forearm Plank
Start on all fours then lower onto your forearms and step both feet back into a forearm plank with elbows directly beneath shoulders, and core engaged so body forms a straight line parallel from shoulders to heels. Hold, activating your core and glutes and keeping back straight.
5. Walking Plank
Start in a high plank position with hands directly beneath shoulders, and core and glutes engaged so body forms a straight line from shoulders to heels. Lower each elbow to ground to drop into a forearm plank. “Walk” each hand back up to return to high plank position. Repeat.
High-Impact Cardio at Home
Perform each exercise for 3o to 60 seconds, followed by 10 to 20 seconds of rest. Repeat 5 times. Once you master the perfect form, perform each rep as fast as possible to keep your heart rate up.
1. High Knees
Start standing and hold both arms out, palms down. Drive right knee to right palm. Immediately drive left knee to left palm as you return right leg to starting position. Stay light on your toes and the balls of your feet. Repeat.
2. Alternating Jump Lunge
Start standing, then step left leg straight back and lower into a lunge position, both legs bent 90 degrees. Jump off ground, switching legs in air as you lower back down to lunge position. Continue to alternate between left and right legs. You can pump your arms as if you’re running for extra momentum.
3. Squat Thrust
Start standing with feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out. Send hips back and down to lower into a deep squat with chest lifted. Place hands on floor between legs, then shift weight to hands and jump feet back behind you to come into a high plank position. Quickly jump feet back to hands to return to a deep squat with chest lifted. Drive through feet to stand back up. Repeat.
4. Push-Up to Knee Touch
Start in a high plank position with wrists directly under shoulders, core and glutes engaged so body forms a straight line from head to heels. Bend elbows to lower chest to floor to perform a push-up. Press back up to high plank, then bend left knee to touch right palm. Return left foot and right hand to plank. Repeat the push-up. Touch right knee to left palm. Repeat, alternating the knee drive after each push-up.
5. Quadruped Hold to Shoulder Tap
Start on all fours with wrists directly under shoulders and knees directly under hips, knees bent 90 degrees. Using your core, lift knees up to hover about six inches above floor (also called a bear plank). Draw right hand to tap left shoulder. Return right hand to floor, then use left hand to tap right shoulder. Continue alternating, keeping spine straight.
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