5 Fun Cardio Exercises You Can Do At Home to Burn Fat Fast

If you are looking to trim down and tone up for the summer, you really need to be incorporating cardiovascular exercise into your routine.

Why Is Cardio Important?

Cardiovascular workouts get your heart rate working, the blood pumping, and the pounds falling off. It is one of the most important components of a well-rounded exercise regimen.

What Can Cardio Do for Me?

Jazzercise class. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A great cardio workout can help you shed pounds and target problem areas, not to mention how important it is for heart and overall health.

How Much Cardio Should I Be Doing?

It is recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day or more. You can, however, combine that amount into specific days' workouts. For example, you can do one hour of cardio every other day.

I Don't Have Time to Go to a Gym; Can I Get Enough Cardio in My Own Home?

Absolutely; there are tons of cardio workouts that you can do from home. Most require little to no equipment, and you can also get home workout machines to help you.

Home Cardio Exercises

1. Jump Rope - You can purchase a jump rope very inexpensively at most sporting or department stores. This simple piece of equipment is one of the very best cardiovascular workouts and can actually be a lot of fun. You probably remember how to do it from when you were a kid, and you will be surprised how fast it gets your heart rate up! Even a few minutes per day can really help melt off some of that stubborn fat fast.

2. Trampoline - Whether you go outside and use your kids' giant trampoline, or purchase a small single use trampoline for your home, simply bouncing around on one of these is a great cardio workout. You can do it while you are watching television or listening to music, and it is fun to work in lots of arm and hip movements as well.

3. Walking/Jogging - Using a treadmill, your staircase, or getting outside for a walk or jog is perhaps the easiest way for anyone to get some great cardiovascular exercise. A brisk walk around your neighborhood can do wonders for your overall health and fitness level.

4. Aerobic Exercises - These days, you can download, purchase, or watch exercise videos of all types just about anywhere. Aerobics, Jazzercise, Zumba and more are all excellent cardio workouts that you can do in the comfort of your own home.

5. Home Machinery - If you have the room and budget for it, you can purchase gym equipment for your own home. Machines like treadmills and elliptical machines are excellent for getting regular cardiovascular exercise.

Cardio workouts are more than just great workouts for weight loss and shedding pounds for bathing suit season. Getting enough cardio is important for your overall health and is one of the most important parts of a heart-healthy lifestyle.

You can improve your cardio by working these simple exercises into your daily life, or increasing your cardio workouts to something a little more intensive if your heart rate isn't quite high enough. On top of it all, cardio workouts are virtually guaranteed to make you feel great as well as look great!


Try These Fun Cardio Workouts At Home:
   

Video: 15-Minute Full Body Bodyweight Workout

This quick workout from Body Ripped gives you an intense full-body workout in just 15 minutes, with just 2 bodyweight exercises which challenge your entire body, plus give you a great cardio boost! (Hang in there through the first minute, when the microphone is a little static-y.)

You will ideally need a jump rope for this routine, but you could do it without one as well. You may also want a mat (optional), and you will want to warm up first as this video does not include one.

Be prepared to burn fat, sweat, and strengthen your abs, glutes, thighs, calves, arms, shoulders, back, and more!



Find More Great Workouts from Body Ripped Here...

Video - Fun Family Exercise Idea with Toddlers

This week we don't have an actual workout for you, but this video was so cute I just had to share! Working out when you have your hands full with little kids isn't always easy, but if you just use your imagination and involve them in the activity as much as they would like to be, you'll find that not only are they having fun with exercise, but you're having more fun as well!

As you can see by the example in this video, exercise for kids isn't WORK - it's PLAY!  They will jump right in and try to do whatever you do, and in doing so, they'll bring the fun and enjoyment back to your exercise routine as well. Don't worry about exactly what you're going to do - just get outside like this family did, and try a few fun moves, yoga poses, jumping jacks or jump rope, or just run around in circles together! Toddlers and kids under 5 will be completely happy just doing this for a little while, and you'll get a good workout in too, even though it might not be as structured as a regular gym routine.

Make your exercise into play, and it won't feel like so much of a "workout" anymore!

Fun Family Exercise Routines
http://www.yourkickinthepants.com Teaching my kids healthy living. Working out and having fun with the kids. Motivating moms and women to exercise and fitness.

Try These Fun Fitness Ideas

It is not vital to enroll at a local gym or build a home gym to improve your health and fitness. There are a lot of fun ways to get in a workout, that you may not have thought of, but which can help you build up cardiovascular conditioning as well as develop your muscular endurance and strength without paying expensive gym membership fees and purchasing loads of exercise equipment. Here are a few ideas to try.

Rollerblading (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1.  Choose an aerobic exercise which you like and can be done outdoors like walking, hiking, running, soccer, tennis, or inline skating. These types of exercise work many different muscle groups in a natural way, and can improve cardiovascular capacity, strength, flexibility, and balance.

2.   Either rent or purchase exercise videos. You can select from many various types of videos. For example, a kickboxing video, yoga workout, or step aerobics. This is less expensive compared to buying exercise machines and going to a gym. Many videos can be found for $10.00 or less, so you can test them out to find what you like without spending a bundle - and you can of course use them over and over. For best results, get a  variety of different workouts and exercise types - this way you can avoid getting bored, work different muscle groups, and switch it up between different intensities and workout durations. I have some videos I like for cardio workouts when I really want to move, and others that are more mellow, such as Pilates and Yoga, as well as short and long workouts to choose from, so I can get a workout in in whatever time I have on a particular day. (Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for some of my favorites.)

3.   What about housework? Okay, maybe that's not so "fun," but it's definitely functional - get fit and get the house clean at the same time! Try mowing the lawn using a non electric push mower for a great full-body workout. You can also vacuum your carpets. If there is a snow in your pathways, then shovel it. Carrying things for household chores - e.g. your laundry basket filled with dirty clothes or handbags of groceries is also good. Even these simple household chores can give you some amount of exercise.

4.   Turn on your radio, listen to your favorite dance music (ballroom, hip hop, and more) and get your groove on. This is one of the best ways of working out your body and relieving your stress - and it's tons of fun!

5.   Organize fun outside games with your friends. These can include kickball, football, basketball, soccer, and more. You'll get a great workout without even noticing! Swimming is also a great summer activity that provides a full body workout and is a lot of fun to do with friends and family.

SpeedRope (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

6.   Skipping rope is a very inexpensive way to get in some great cardiovascular activity. 

7.   Visit local parks. Sometimes you can find fitness trails which include exercise stations. Often, exercise instructions are provided. Not only will you relieve stress and get in a good workout, but you'll get to enjoy the beautiful outdoors at the same time.

Before you start any type of workout, be sure to keep a few things in mind.

1.    Any activity must be started in gradual manner. This is important for warming up your body to adapt to the movements. It is not a one-day task to get a healthy and fit body. Be patient with your fitness regimen. 

2.    If possible, perform physical activity for about thirty minutes each day every week.

3.    Select the right equipment and clothes for your exercise. You should also consider weather conditions. Make sure that you have a backup plan in place in case the weather doesn't cooperate, and you have to move your daily exercise indoors.

4.    Encourage a friend to exercise with you. Not only will this make your routine more enjoyable, but also you will be more likely to stick to your program.

5.    Try cross training. You can alter the length and the type of your exercises to prevent boredom and injuries.

6.    Consult your doctor or health care provider before starting any form of new exercise program - especially if you're out of shape or recovering from an injury.

Visit http://www.newholisticliving.com/exercise.html for more fun ways to exercise!

Aerospeed Hyperperformance Jump Rope

If you liked Tuesday's post and workout idea, here is a great resource for you. Depending on how seriously you take rope jumping and where you want to go with it, the type of jump rope you invest in makes a difference. There are many ropes on the market with different price ranges.

The Aerospeed Hyperperformance Jump Rope is one in the higher price range, with Buddy Lee (the Olympian) having been the co-inventor and patent holder. What you get is one powerful rope. The cord is adjustable and is suitable for people up to 6’5". The rope cord is made from high quality synthetic material, but is very thin (about 1/8") to allow for perfect aerodynamics and exceptional speed (after many hours of training). The handles are made of aluminum and are covered with black neoprene sleeves for easy grip. The jumping rope also has a patented swivel bearing system that allows you to jump really quickly and smoothly.

Overall, this is a top notch jumping rope for the more serious and advanced jumper.

Where to buy: www.amazon.com (you can find less fancy jump ropes here as well)

Review - Jump Rope Training for Weight Loss and Toning

Have you tried jumping rope recently? As a child, jumping rope was effortless, we all just did it. Now, jumping rope is hard work and I can feel every jump. I am fairly fit, but rope jumping really gets your heart racing and your muscles in your legs screaming. But like everything, the more you do it, the easier it gets - and it really starts to feel like so much fun, just like when you were 10 years old! And jumping rope is a perfect fitness workout to tone your body, increase your performance in other sports and strengthen your muscles, in addition to shedding some body weight. And why not make this a family affair? Grab a couple of ropes, and join your kids for some great exercise fun!

Jump Rope Training for Weight Loss and Toning with Buddy Lee is a DVD that'll teach you jump techniques to achieve the best workout. Only 5 to 10 minutes a day will get you fit - you will lose weight and feel great and more toned. It starts at a beginner level and works its way up to advanced jumpers, increasing your jumping skills. However, this DVD is not a structured workout you can follow like other workout DVDs. It is more like Buddy Lee giving instructions on how to jump. This might not appeal to everybody.

Overall, if you want to learn the tricks of jumping rope and take it to the next level, Buddy Lee passes on his knowledge on the DVD. If, on the other hand, you are looking to follow a set workout, then this probably wouldn't be the right video for you.

Where to buy: www.amazon.com