{"id":42157,"date":"2018-02-06T11:15:49","date_gmt":"2018-02-06T16:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=42157"},"modified":"2018-02-06T12:49:47","modified_gmt":"2018-02-06T17:49:47","slug":"cardio-workouts-at-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/cardio-workouts-at-home\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Killer Cardio Workouts That Don\u2019t Involve Running"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"No<\/div>\n

Sure, running is a great workout to have as a part of your cardio repertoire \u2014 it\u2019s not only a great way to get fitter<\/a>, but it improves your mental wellbeing, too. (Read one woman\u2019s story about how running saved her life<\/a>.) But it\u2019s not right for everyone, and more importantly, running is not the only way to stay in shape. In fact, there are many different types of dynamic cardio exercises that give you a stellar calorie burn, while sculpting muscle at the same time. Try these six\u00a0workouts, instead of going through the motions, maximize your efforts with the expert-approved tips below. Can\u2019t make the modifications just yet? No problem. Work your way up incrementally, and bookmark this page for when you\u2019re ready to take your sessions to the next level.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>6 Easy Ways to Add Cardio to Your Strength Workout<\/a><\/p>\n

6 Cardio Exercises You Can Do At Home\u00a0\u2014 or At the Gym<\/h2>\n
\"Circuit
Photo: Ryan Kelly \/ Daily Burn 365<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

1. <\/strong>Circuit Training<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Maximize It:<\/strong> Circuit training works by interspersing aerobic and strengthening moves, with minimal rest in between. (Just tune in to <\/span>Daily Burn 365<\/a> to see what we mean!) The key, just like a HIIT workout<\/a>, is to master your rest and recovery period. Make sure you take a minimum of 15 seconds to catch your breath and grab a sip of water. Need more time? Take it. As our <\/span>DB365<\/a> team always says, adjust any workout to your individual fitness level. (Water breaks included.) Make sure you\u2019re mixing up your moves, too \u2014 check out these <\/span>three circuit-training workouts<\/a> to get you started.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> 50 Ab Exercises to Score a Stronger Core<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Cardio
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

2. Indoor Cycling<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Maximize It:<\/strong> After setting up properly<\/a>, boost your burn by \u201cfocus[ing] on pulling your pedals up behind you,\u201d says Holly Rillinger, Master Instructor at Flywheel Sports. \u201cMost times [when spinning] we are only pushing down with our quads, but when you\u2019re clipped in [to a spin bike\u2019s pedals], you have the advantage of using the full stroke.\u201d Focusing on the upwards motion helps target your glutes<\/a> and hamstrings, so you\u2019ll increase burn more calories while sculpting your entire lower body, too. Rillinger also suggests adding more resistance during quick sprint sessions: \u201cWhen you have momentum, you can handle more resistance<\/a> than at the beginning of the sprint.\u00a0It\u2019ll raise your heart rate and blast more fat,\u201d she says. Use your core to resist that urge to collapse onto the handlebars when you\u2019re exhausted \u2014 your abs will thank you later.<\/p>\n

\"Cardio
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

3.\u00a0<\/strong>High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Maximize It: <\/strong>HIIT\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0involves drills like sprints, lunges, and speed skaters with brief periods of rest in between. \u201cIt keeps your engine revved after [exercising], so you burn more calories than a workout at a steady, moderate pace, \u201d says Yusuf Jeffers, a trainer at HIIT studio Tone House in New York City. But make sure you\u2019re giving your body its deserved rest periods, says Jeffers. You can\u2019t push yourself hard enough if you\u2019re not recovering fully between rounds. \u201cPlus, insufficient recovery results in overuse injuries and diminished results.\u201d\u00a0What\u2019s the right amount of rest? Catch your breath for at least half as long as you just worked. A recent study<\/a> in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research <\/em>found that a 2:1 work to rest ratio is ideal. Try it at home with this workout<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>3 Fat-Blasting HIIT Workouts to Try Now<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Cardio
Photo: Courtesy of Rise Nation<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

4. The VersaClimber\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Maximize It: <\/strong>You\u2019ll never go back to that dusty StairMaster once you get the hang of this interval-based workout. The key to getting the most from the VersaClimber? Simply keeping up. Because you\u2019re working your lower and upper body together into one climbing motion, expect to get fatigued fast. But even though you\u2019ll feel tired, you\u2019ll be building strength, endurance and coordination, according to Jason Walsh<\/a>, founder of Rise Nation, an LA-based VersaClimber studio. \u201cThe act of climbing on a VersaClimber not only makes you strong, but also reinforces better moving patterns while working against gravity,\u201d Walsh says. \u201cThe motions on the VersaClimber build a stronger core and back which gives you better posture and makes you a more deadly athlete.\u201d Win, win.<\/p>\n

RELATED:<\/strong> Sculpt Your Back With Jason Walsh’s Go-To Moves<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Cardio
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

5.\u00a0<\/strong>Indoor<\/strong> Rowing<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Maximize It: <\/strong>Hop on an indoor rowing machine<\/a> to work your entire body in ways you didn\u2019t think were possible. Every stroke you take incorporates about 84 percent of your muscles, says Helaine Knapp, founder and CEO of CITYROW. And unlike running, it\u2019s super-low-impact on your joints. But as with any exercise, proper form is essential<\/a>.\u00a0\u201cThe stroke can [feel] counterintuitive if you’re new to rowing,\u201d Knapp says. \u201cMost of the power should come from your legs as you push back, hinging forward at your hips. Your arms move last and are also first to release as you return to starting position.\u201d Sit up straight with your abs pulled in tight, and focus on your power \u2014 not speed. Pick up your pace and you\u2019ll likely take short strokes that don\u2019t work the full range of muscle. It can even put excess stress on your lower back, according to a study<\/a> in the Journal of Sports Sciences<\/em>. \u201cThe minute you prioritize speed over proper form, your stroke breaks down and you’re cheating yourself out of the full benefits of the workout,\u201d Knapp says.<\/p>\n

RELATED:\u00a0<\/strong>3 Rowing Machine Workouts for Cardio and Strength<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Cardio
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/i><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

6.\u00a0<\/strong>Plyometrics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

How to Maximize It: <\/strong>See people cranking out jump squats<\/a>, burpees<\/a>, or box jumps at the gym? Those are all moves in what\u2019s referred to as plyometrics<\/a>, a method of metabolic conditioning reliant on explosive movements. Think: hops, bounds and fast feet. The goal is to contract the maximum number of muscle fibers in the minimum amount of time<\/a>. Plyometrics \u201c\u2018trick\u2019 your nervous into executing movements with maximum force very quickly,\u201d says Jeffers. Channel the need for max force and quick feet by working out when you\u2019re \u201cfresh and ready-to-go, never tired or completing after another workout,\u201d he warns. \u201cDoing so trains your nervous center to react slower and weaker, which defeats the cumulative benefits of the workout.\u201d\u00a0Try doing these explosive exercises at home!<\/p>\n

Originally published August 2015. Updated February 2018.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Read More
\n<\/strong>275 Bodyweight Exercises to Shake Up Your Workout Routine<\/a>
\nDoes Fasted Cardio Really Burn More Fat?<\/a>
\n50 Butt Exercises to Sculpt Stronger Glutes<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Not a fan of running? These six cardio workouts will give you the same heart-pumping, calorie-burning benefits minus the high-impact risks on your joints. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":42184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,24,6],"tags":[288,129,289,139,259,221,212,341,343],"class_list":["post-42157","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cardio","category-exercise","category-fitness","tag-cardio","tag-cycling","tag-exercise","tag-hiit","tag-plyometics","tag-rowing","tag-spinning","tag-tax1living-well","tag-tax2exercise"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42157","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42157"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42157\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/42184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42157"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42157"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42157"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}