Best cardio workouts
What is a cardio workout?
Is basically any exercise that gets your heart rate up and keeps it elevated for a significant amount of time.
Cardio workout is of course an old-time favourite when it comes to weight loss and speeding up your metabolism.
There are a lot of different cardio workouts you can do even without any gym equipment, from the comfort of your home. Before you choose anything, try to think of things you enjoy doing and don’t focus on trying to burn as many calories as possible in as little time as possible. Make it fun and choose exercises or activities you enjoy or it will turn into a chore and you will get bored. I honestly don’t believe there is a ‘right’ cardio, the best cardio is the one that works for you. Take walking for example, it’s great cardio and depending on your speed, you can still burn up to 200 calories in 30 minutes.
Remember!
Be on the safe side and consult your doctor before you start anything. High intensity cardio workouts can put a strain on your knees, joins, heart and so on. I would strongly urge you to start slow if you are a beginner and build it up. For example, if you have joint or knees problems, don’t choose running as it will add additional strain on your knees and joints.
I will give you some ideas of activities and exercises you can do, some or most without having to join a fitness club:
- Walking. Like I said, you can never go wrong with walking. So just take a walk to the park or walk to your local shop instead of driving
- Cycling. Doesn’t matter if it’s outdoors or indoors, can still burn up to 250-500 calories in 30 min. Take your bicycle to the park, I do it all the time and it’s great fun
- Swimming. It’s one of the best cardio exercises and you can burn about 100 calories every 10 minutes.
- Running. Another old-time favourite, you can burn around 300 calories in 30 min
- Elliptical trainer. Perhaps not as good as the treadmill but better if you have bad knees or joints
- Tennis. Who doesn’t like tennis right? Well I used to live in Wimbledon so shall I say more? J Also, let’s not forget you burn around 350 calories in 30 min
- Basketball. I used to play a lot of basketball in school and although I am not as good as I used to be I still love the occasional game. And considering you burn around 400 calories in 30 min I strongly recommend it even if you never tried it before. I can also guarantee time tends to fly and you just forget you are exercising, it’s just great fun.
- Rowing. OK I have to confess I find it boring but we are all different. If you enjoy it, have a go, you will also burn around 300 calories in 30 min
- Racquetball. It’s great for calorie burning, around 400 in 30 min
- Zumba. If you like dancing try it, it’s great fun and can burn about 250 calories in 30 min
- Belly dancing. Even better than Zumba, about 400 calories in 30 min
- Jumping jacks. Another total body workout with a lot of other health benefits. You also burn about 100 calories in 10 min. But be careful, it might affect your joints so try for 30-60 seconds and alternate with other cardio exercises like jogging, jumping rope etc
- Jumping rope. Can burn around 220 calories in 20 min. Looks easy but it’s not that easy especially if you are a beginner so don’t push yourself
- Squat jumps. Great cardio but requires a strong heart and might affect your joints.
You can also try interval training which basically means moving from one exercise to another in set time intervals, say 15 min elliptical trainer, 15 min stationery bike, 15 min on the treadmill.
AND DON’T FORGET TO STRETCH AND DRINK LOTS OF WATER!
Good luck!