Here's my story behind this workout video - I had to film it twice, in 24 hours. I was excited to start filming and in my rush I forgot to connect the mic's feed to the camera. After uploading the video I was pretty disappointed to find a couple of hours of film of me working out, giving cues and cheering you on, flapping my mouth in complete silence. Not the best way to start out, but because of the nature of this workout - high calorie burn without too much heavy strain on any one muscle group - it was an easy workout for me to recreate, even in that 24 hour period. If I had filmed one of our upper or lower strength training routines, or a brutal HIIT, I would have been a lot more sour about it, as I would have had to wait a good 48-72 hours to challenge those same muscles again.
It's also a fun workout. You're going to break a sweat but you're not going to feel wiped out by the time you're done. Instead you'll likely feel refreshed, maybe even like you have more energy than when you first started.
This bodyweight cardio workout can be used in many different ways. It's a great cardio workout to use when you really want to exercise or burn off some extra calories, but you have one or more muscle groups that are healing from a previous HIIT or strength training routine. It also makes for a great add-on routine for a strength training day. It's challenging enough to significantly increase your overall caloric expenditure for the day, helping you burn fat fast, but it's also beginner friendly cardio that can easily be modified to meet a very wide range of fitness levels. There are several different groups of exercises that focus on the abs, obliques, and back.
Make it harder: Move faster. Contract your muscles throughout the entire workout. Wear a weighted vest or hold onto dumbbells.
Make it easier: Move slower than we show in the video. Take extra breaks when you need to.
Workout Structure
- Groups of 3 different exercises
- 40 Seconds on, 10 Seconds off
- Repeat each group twice
- Warm up & cool down included
The exercises start off light enough that you wont need a separate warm up. You wont need any equipment for this workout, aside from an option exercise mat, if you happen to be on a particularly hard surface (like me). I've included a quick cool down and stretch at the end.
Printable At Home Cardio Workout
Group 1:
Steps + Rows
Slow Burpees
High Kick Pulls
Group 2:
4 Split Jumps + 2 Jacks
Walkdowns + Shoulder Slaps
Pendulum Swings
Group 3:
Lunge Jacks
Butt Kickers
Up & Over Steps
Group 4:
Push Up Back Bows
Bicycle Crunches
Toe Touch Crunches
Group 5:
Fly Jacks
Standing Oblique Crunches + Squats
Jumping Oblique Twists
Group 6:
Bows + Knees, alternating
Torso Twists
Oblique Toe Touches
This cardio workout is light enough on all of the major muscle groups that you can do it frequently, pretty much as many times as you’d like to in a week as long as you’re not sore from it, though we do recommend using a combination of our workouts (HIIT, strength training, stretching, etc) for best results. Check out our 8 Week Fat Loss Programs for the ideal combination of our free workout videos.