What’s the first thing the comes to your mind when you think of cardio? The treadmill? The elliptical? A jog or bike ride around the block? Us too – that’s why we connected with our exercise physiologists at OhioHealth McConnell Heart Health Center for some exercises that can get your blood pumping from anywhere – and get a great workout in just 15 minutes!
Our exercise physiologists recommended bodyweight cardio – and all you need to get started is you. Bodyweight cardio is the perfect solution to squeeze in a quick workout at home without having to head to the gym or run outside in this blustery winter weather — no need to worry about braving the cold to work up a sweat!
Here are some fun exercises to get your heart rate up:
Jump Squats
- Stand with your feet hip distance apart and lower into a squat position by bending your knees.
- Keep your spine straight, chest lifted, knees behind toes and arms in front of the chest for balance.
- Jump straight up and swing your arms overhead.
- Return to a squat.
- Repeat for 4 rounds, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest.
Mountain Climbers
- Position yourself in a plank with your hands and feet shoulder-width apart, and your arms extended.
- Engage your core, maintaining a straight line from your head to your feet.
- Pull one knee up to your chest and back to the starting position.
- Repeat with the opposite leg.
- Repeat for 4 rounds, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest.
Line Jumps
- Secure a piece of tape to the floor or choose a naturally occurring line to focus on.
- Begin in an athletic stance, with your knees bent, rear-end out, and chest lifted.
- Jump up and land on the other side of the line with your knees and hips bending to absorb the impact.
- Immediately spring up out of your landing crouch and jump back across the line.
- Repeat for 4 rounds, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest. You can also perform this exercise forward and back, side to side or clockwise and counterclockwise around a “t”.
Jumping Jacks
- Stand upright with your legs together, and your arms at your sides.
- Bend your knees slightly, and jump into the air. As you jump, spread your legs about shoulder-width apart and stretch your arms out and over your head.
- Jump back to your starting position.
- Repeat for 4 rounds, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest.
High Knee Jog
- Start in a standing position and raise your left leg and right arm in front of you.
- From this position, hop and switch so that your right leg and left arm are in front of you.
- Immediately switch again and continue this way, mimicking a running movement. Focus on staying on the balls of your feet during the whole movement.
- Repeat for 4 rounds, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds rest.
For more exercises like this, check out our exercise page!
