Is it possible to get a good cardio workout without leaving your home?
Absolutely, and you don’t need an expensive treadmill or elliptical
machine either. So throw out any excuses you can come up with because
all you need to do these cardio workout routines is commitment and hard
work. They are a combination of high intensity cardio and body weight
exercises, which will help burn fat, increase strength and improve your
overall health. So leave your swimming suit behind, put the running
shoes away and let’s get this workout started!
Stair Climb – Try to imagine stairs as the cardio
equipment in any building. This is a great way to get your heart rate
up. Keep performing the stair climb until you start to break a sweat.
make sure to travel the entire stairwell to limit the amount of
turn-arounds, otherwise you may start to get dizzy. If your school or
office has stairs, skip the elevator to get in a small workout.
Power Skip
– Raise your knee up towards your hip while reaching your left arm
overhead. Try to land on the ball of your left foot, and then alternate
positions. Try to aim for 10-16 skips and focus on getting as high as
possible to get the most effective workout.
Jumping Jacks – One of the more
classic warm-up exercises, but still very effective. Start with your
feet together and hands at your sides. Jump both legs out to the side
while raising your hands overhead. Keep your knees bent as you jump
again to bring the feet back together and arms back to starting
position. Try to do 20-30 jumping jacks.
Inchworm – While standing tall, bend
over until your fingertips are on the floor. Then walk the hands
forward while keeping your legs straight until you reach a push-up
position. Finish this off by taking tiny steps to get your feet back up
to your hands. Aim for 4-6 reps.
Butt Kicks – This exercise gets its name for a reason.
Jog in place while kicking your heels back towards your rear. Focus on
using your hamstrings so that they are doing most of the work and
you’re not just kicking up dust. Start with performing this exercise
for a minute, and speed up your movement as you get more comfortable.
High Knees – Stand upright with your
feet at shoulder-length apart. Raise your right knee up as high as
possible, and then place the leg back down. Alternate legs and try
picking up the pace. Do this for 45 seconds or longer if you desire.
Full Body Routines
Standard Burpees – The perfect exercise for getting your entire body involved.
Start in a low squat position with both hands on the floor. Next kick
your feet back to a push-up position and quickly return to the starting
position. Lastly jump as high as you can before squatting back down
again. Repeat this 10-15 times.
Tuck Jumps – Stand up straight with
knees slightly bent. Jump as high as you can while bringing your knees
into your chest and extending your arms straight out in front of your
body. Lower your arms when you hit the floor and do 8-10 reps.
Plyometric Push-ups- This definitely
is not your standard pushup. At the top of your traditional push-up,
push yourself up to lift your body off the floor for a second before
coming back down. If you struggle doing regular push-ups, skip this
exercise for now until you gain more strength. Aim for 10 reps.
Punk to Push-ups- Start off in the
plank position with your forearms on the floor. Then lift into a
push-up position and quickly move back down into the starting position.
Continue this for 10 to 15 reps, and remember to alternate your arm
that makes the first move.
Diver Push-ups – Begin in a down-dog
position, with your arms on the ground and look towards the floor. In a
smooth motion, bring your hips to the floor while rising your chest.
Keep moving until your back is arched and you are looking at the
ceiling. Swing back down and continue this for 10-15 reps.
Vertical Jumps – Try to jump as high
as possible. Stand up straight with your knees slightly bent, then us
your arms to propel yourself upwards. Bend your knees and jump up while
extending your arms upwards towards the ceiling. Repeat this 10 times.
Long Jumps – Similarly to the track
and field event, jump forward in a continuous motion. Try to reach
forward with both legs and land on both feet at the same time. To help
yourself jump farther, bend your knees and use your momentum.
Invisible Jump Rope – Hop as if you
were actually jump roping. Stay on your toes and push off with the
balls of your feet. There’s no need to jump more than an inch or two
off the ground. Make quick, small movements with your wrists also to
mimic holding the rope. Do this for 60 seconds.
Arm And Core Routines
Bicycles – Lie down on your back with
your knees near your chest and hands behind your head. Bring your
right elbow towards your left knee while the right leg straightens at
the same time. Alternate sides as if you are riding a bike and do this
for 30 seconds.
Flutter Kicks – Lie on your back with
your arms at your sides and legs extended. Lift your heels off the
floor and start kicking up and down. Try to do this for a minute, and
focus on keeping your core engaged.
Jumping Jack Planks – Start in the
regular plank position but keep your feet together. Then do a jumping
jack with your legs by moving them out to the sides, and then back at
the starting position. Do 12-15 of these.
Power Punches – Stand with your feet
shoulder-width apart with your right leg a few inches ahead of your
left. Raise your fists up and keep your elbows in. Punch with your
fist clenched while rotating your body. Do about 10 punches before
switching your stance and arms.
Upper Cuts – A different variation of
power punches. Get into the same stance as the power punch, but punch
with the opposite hand and swing upward like you’re aiming for the
ceiling. Do about 10 upper cuts before switching. You can even do both
the upper cut and power punch as a one-two combo.
Sprinter Sit-ups – Lie down on your
back with arms by your side and elbows bent at a 90 degree angle. Then
sit up and bring your right knee towards your left elbow. Continue to
alternate sides and do this as quickly as possible so you can to get your core really engaged. Do 15 to 20 reps.
Leg Routine
Box Jumps – Stand in front of a
sturdy box or platform that’s high enough so you can land on top of it
without it moving. With feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees and
launch yourself onto the box. Land with both feet, and then step back
down and repeat. Do 8-10 reps.
Lunge Jumps – Start off standing with
your feet together, then lunge with the right foot forward. Make sure
your knee is bending at a 90 degree angle. Next, jump straight up, and
while in mid-air, switch legs and land in a lunge position with the left
foot forward this time. Do 8-10 reps.
Single Leg Hop – While standing on
one leg, jump forward and land on the same leg. Switch legs with every
jump as you move forward, and leap 10-15 times total per rep.
Frog Jumps – Great for working out your thighs and glutes.
Begin by squatting down and touching the floor with both hands. Then
jump into the air, raising your knees as high as possible and then land
softly on your feet. Basically, jump as if you were a frog. Do 10-12
reps.
Skater’s Lunge – With your legs a bit
wider than shoulder-width apart, lower into an athletic stance and
slide to the left into a side lunge with your hands on your left knee.
Then quickly move over to the right side, and repeat the motion. Go
back and forth for 60 seconds like you’re skating on ice.
Step Up – Find a sturdy, elevated
surface like a bench and put your right foot on it. Rise up until the
left leg is straight, making sure the power is coming from your right
hamstring and glute. Lower yourself back down to starting position. Do
10 reps and then switch legs.
Improve Your Eating Habits
Exercising regularly is a great habit to develop, but
how are your eating habits? Healthy eating will improve your energy
levels and stamina, which will allow yourself to workout harder and
longer. Instructors Chris Cutter and Tammy Chang will show you how to make healthier eating choices
without having to go on a diet. So do your body a favor and enroll in
this course today, as this could end up being one of your best
decisions!
No comments:
Post a Comment