11. JUMPING JACKS
Jumping Jacks is an effective form of cardio, because you breathe more deeply while jumping, which delivers oxygen to your bloodstream and ultimately to your muscles. In addition, you will also burn fat at a rapid rate, promoting weight loss. Stand with your feet together and arms at your side. In one motion, jump your feet out to the sides and raise your arms above your head. Immediately reverse the motion back to starting position. Repeat 2 or 3 sets of 10 reps.
12. REVERSE LUNGES
There aren’t many lower-body exercises better than the forward lunge, but one of them is the reverse lunge. Take a big step back with your left foot. Bend both knees to lower into a lunge, making sure your right knee is above the ankle and does not go too far beyond your toes. Drive off the ball of your right big toe to return to standing. Repeat, this time stepping back with your right leg. That’s one rep. Do 10 reps total, keeping your chest up the whole time.
13. KETTLE BELLS
Kettlebells are a great tool for exercises that are a mix of cardio and strength training. Grab a kettlebell and use it to do squats or lunges with kettlebell lifts, using one hand or both the hands. Adding weights will give you more resistance to help you burn more calories.
14. ELLIPTICAL
An elliptical machine is the most sought after cardio equipment for burning calories and boosting stamina. It provides both an upper body as well as a lower body workout, and helps you balance your body. Step on the elliptical machine, hold a handle with each hand and start pedalling. Press the quick start button and add resistance to a higher level. Keep breathing while you keep moving as fast as you can. Pedal backward with the same intensity.
15. INTERVAL TRAINING
With exercises that are slightly longer in duration, interval training alternates levels of intensity. For example, if you enjoy running, you would run or sprint for 30 seconds, then bring down your heart rate and walk for two minutes. Alternate between any two of the basic cardio workouts, at different intensity levels- one at high intensity (to be done faster) and the other at lower intensity (slower). Pick two intensities per interval, usually one at 85 percent of your maximum heart rate and the other at 60 percent, and alternate between them.
16. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
HIIT is an extremely popular workout because it can be done quickly, burn calories in a short amount of time, and the best part is that you don’t need any equipment. With the use of your body weight, HIIT is typically 20 seconds of high intensity exercise like push-ups, squats, burpees, mountain climbers or jumping jacks, followed by 10 seconds of active rest which can include jogging or arm swings, which means your heart rate remains elevated for the entire 15-minute workout.
17. MACHINE WEIGHT TRAINING CIRCUIT
A Machine weight training is usually done in a gym with the help of an instructor. A machine circuit workout targets the entire body- upper body, lower body, and the core. By limiting rest periods between exercises to 30 seconds, your metabolism will go into over-drive. A machine circuit may include exercises such as the bench press, shoulder press, machine incline press and machine lateral rise, leg curls, extensions, raises and a lot more. Consult your gym instructor for a personalised workout routine for your body type.
18. CYCLING
Cycling- be it indoors or outdoors- is not just one of the best cardio exercise but also helps you strengthen your leg muscles and burn excess fat from the lower body. While stationary cycling at home or gym is not at all a bad idea, nothing would beat cycling in the open. It will not just burn the calories, but also give you a boost of fresh air and vitamin D.
19. ROWING
The rowing machine is one of the most neglected piece of equipment in the gym. But it also happens to be one of the most efficient one if you want to lose weight. Like the elliptical, the rowing machine works out your entire body and can help you lose as many as 600 calories per hour. Advanced users can even burn as many as 1,000 calories an hour.
20. SWIMMING
Compared to any other cardio exercise in this list, swimming has far fewer downsides and is a great way to lose weight, if done right. Swimming can help you lose as much as 14 calories a minute, and it does workout the entire body. Movements like the breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke and water crunches engages the core and abs for the effective calorie burn. Setting a goal for the day or the week might be an effective way to start shedding those extra pounds and build endurance. When combined with a healthy diet and lifestyle, the cardio exercise routine will work wonders on your body within a short time span, if done on a regular basis.
Editors tip: one of the most important factors when it comes to your physical performance is getting a good nights sleep. If that’s something your currently struggling with, perhaps your mattress is the problem. Need a hand choosing the right mattress for you?
