Cardio exercise is also known as cardiovascular exercise or aerobics exercise. Doing this increases the heart rate, which pumps blood faster and oxygen reaches the whole body. This keeps the heart and lungs healthy. It can also help in losing weight, getting good sleep and avoiding serious diseases. Do you know that cardio exercise can also be done at home? Jumping, jogging, skipping, squats and some mobility exercises can be done in cardio. Today in this article you will know which cardio exercises can be done at home -

(Read more - Aerobic exercise: Benefits)

  1. Cardio Exercises To Do At Home
  2. Summary
Doctors for No Gym, No Problem: How To Do Cardio Exercise At Home

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends doing physical activity for 150-300 minutes a week. You can do exercise anywhere, but it should be done regularly. Cardio exercise can also be done at home. It can be divided into 3 parts - Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. Let's know about them in detail -

Beginner Exercises To Do At Home

If you are doing cardio exercises for the first time, then you can start your routine with the exercises given below. Initially, you exercise for 30 to 45 seconds and then after a break of about 30 seconds to 1 minute, start the second exercise -

High Knees Or Marching In Place
Initially, you can do both these exercises. In this, you have to stand in a standing position and do the exercise. During high knees or marching, you have to bring your knees to the chest one by one. In this, it feels like you are running in slow motion. Your hands also move up and down with the flow of the feet.

Jogging
As the name suggests, you have to jog by standing in one place. In the beginning, take your feet so far back that the feet can touch the hips. In both these exercises, the hands remain stable.

Air Jump Rope Or Jumping Jacks
In this exercise, you have to jump in the air without a rope, just like you jump with a rope. On the other hand, you can do jumping jacks exercises anywhere. For this, you have to jump while raising both hands upwards in the air.

Arm Circle Or Standing Crunch
In arm circle exercise, you have to stand straight and rotate both hands in a circle. In standing crunch, you have to stand straight and touch both hands behind the head. After this, raise the left knee and try to touch it with the right elbow. Do the same with the left elbow and right knee.

Toe Tap Or Crab Walk
At the beginning of aerobic exercise, keep a small strong box like steps and do toe tap with it. In this, only the toes have to be touched with the box and tap the toes of only one foot at a time. Touch both the toes on the box one by one. You can gradually increase the speed in this.

Crab walk may seem funny, but it is beneficial in strengthening the muscles of the legs and back. To do this, sit on the floor and bend the legs from the knees while keeping them forward. In this position, the heels will touch the ground, while the toes will be upwards and the hands will be resting on the ground behind. Now lift the body above the ground and slowly walk forward or backward.

(Read more - Kickboxing exercises: benefits)

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Intermediate Exercise To Do At Home

In this, the exercise is done a little faster and the resting time is also less. During intermediate exercise, the heart rate also starts to become fast -

Squats Jumps Or Squats Front Kick
In squats, both the hands are tied together in front of the chest and the hips have to be taken backwards by straightening the waist and bending the knees. Then one has to jump after every squat. Whereas, in front kick, one has to kick in the front after the squat.

Jump Rope
In beginner exercise, jump is done without rope, but in intermediate exercise, jump is done quickly with rope.

Trunk Rotation Or Standing Toe Touching
Both these exercises are done while standing. In trunk rotation, left or right turn is done while keeping both hands in the air in front without moving the feet. In this, only your waist and head move. In standing toe touching, standing straight and kicking in front, one has to touch the right toe with the left hand and the left toe with the right hand.

Lunge Jumps Or Plank Jacks
In lunge jumps, one has to bend down on the knee while moving one leg forward quickly and the moment of the hands also changes according to the feet. In plank jacks, while lying on the stomach on the mat, the entire weight of the body is on the hands and toes and the feet are opened and closed together at the width of the combs.

Box Jumps Or Stair Climbs
In beginner exercise, one has to tap the box with the toes one after the other, but in intermediate exercise, one has to jump over the box while keeping both hands tied to the chest. Instead of this, you can also climb stairs quickly.

(Read more - Exercises for weight loss)

Advanced Exercises To Do At Home

During advanced exercises, the cardio time, speed and repeating time of the exercise increases. For example, if you were doing 10 sets of 30 seconds, then in advanced exercises you can do three sets of 15 each or even up to 6 sets.

Mountain Climbers Or Bear Crawl
In mountain climbers, you have to lie down on the mat like a plank and the entire weight of the body will come on the toes and hands. After this, one by one, you have to bring the feet closer to the hands without moving the hands. In bear crawl, you have to walk exactly like when children learn to walk on their knees. Your toes, knees and hands will remain on the ground, but while crawling the knees will come in the air.

Burpees Squats Or Inchworm Crawl
Burpees Squats is an advanced level. In this, you have to lie down on the ground while doing squats and get up by pushing the body with both hands. In inchworm crawl, your feet will be on the ground and you have to stand straight and crawl forward with both hands on the ground, but the feet will not move and you have to stand back with the hands only.

Plank Ski Hops
In this exercise, you have to come in the plank position. The weight of the whole body will be on the hands and toes. Now, bending the knees, jump in the air to the right and left, but your hands will not move from their place.

(Read more - Secret Workout Tips to Lose Weight)

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Doing cardio exercises at home is easy. You can easily set up cardio at home using some basic equipment. You need a mat, rope and steps along with comfortable sportswear and shoes. Light and slow exercises should be done in the initial stage. In intermediate exercises, exercise should be done at a slightly faster pace and the time of exercise should be increased. At the advanced level, you can increase the time and speed of exercise. Before starting any exercise at home, definitely take the advice of an expert.

Dr. Farhan Shikoh

Dr. Farhan Shikoh

Cardiology
11 Years of Experience

Dr. Amit Singh

Dr. Amit Singh

Cardiology
10 Years of Experience

Dr. Shekar M G

Dr. Shekar M G

Cardiology
18 Years of Experience

Dr. Janardhana Reddy D

Dr. Janardhana Reddy D

Cardiology
20 Years of Experience

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