Cardio workouts, also known as cardiovascular or aerobic exercises, can help you boost your fitness and overall health. These workouts boost your heart rate, which enables your blood to pump faster. It enables your heart to deliver more oxygen to the rest of your body, which ensures that your health remains in top-shape. Regular cardio can help you lose weight, help you manage your stress, and reduce your risk of coronary heart disease.
Common cardio exercises include running, swimming, and cycling. However, these are all exercises that require you to step outside the house. If you don’t have the time to do that or if the COVID situation is not under control in your area, there are numerous cardio exercises at home for women that you can try. These workouts don’t depend on gym equipment or ample space, which means you can easily perform them at home.
Let’s explore the best cardio workouts you can perform at home!
18 Best At-Home Exercises for Women
Here are eighteen incredible cardio exercises for women to do at home:
- High Knee Workout
This workout requires you to run while standing in place, which means you can easily do it at home. All you have to do is stand with your arms at your sides and legs together. Lift your right knee toward your chest, as high as you can. Lower the leg and repeat this step with the left knee. Continue switching between the knees while pumping your arms up and down.
- Butt Kicks
This workout is the exact opposite of the high-knee workout. Instead of elevating your knees, it requires you to lift your heels up toward your posterior. Start by standing straight, keep your arms at your side, and put your legs together. Bring your right heel toward your butt, hold the position, and then lower your foot. Repeat the step with your left heel. Continue to switch between the two heels while pumping your arms.
- Lateral Shuffles
One of the best ways to boost your heart rate while increasing your side-to-side coordination, lateral shuffles are the ideal way to exercise at home for women. All you have to do is stand with your feet as wide apart as your hips. Keep your hips and knees slightly bent and lean forward while bracing your core. Lift your right foot, shove off your left one, and move to the right while holding your position. Put your feet together and continue shuffling to the right. Repeat the pattern while moving to your left.
4. Standing Oblique Crunch
This is a low-impact cardio workout that is ideal for beginners. It allows you to engage your core muscles on the sides. To perform a standing oblique crunch, stand with feet as wide apart as your shoulders. Put your hands on the back of your head and point your elbows outward. Bend to your right while moving your right knee up and right elbow down. Return to your starting position and repeat the step for the left side.
5. Speed Skaters
This sideways workout mimics how a skater moves, hence the catchy name. To perform a speed skater, begin with a crusty lunge by bending your knees and putting your right leg behind you diagonally. Bend your right arm and straighten your left arm. Move your right leg forward while you push off your left leg. Put your left leg diagonally behind you as you switch your arms. Continue this movement as you go from left to right.
6. Crab Walk
The crab walk is a fun way to exercise at home for women. It gets your blood flowing while burning your calories. It also strengthens your upper arm while working your core, back, and legs. Sit on a floor, with your feet flat and knees bent. Put your hands on the floor underneath your shoulders. Make sure that your fingers are pointing forward. Boost your hips off the floor and use your legs and arms to walk backward while holding your posture. Try to keep your weight evenly distributed between your legs and arms.
7. Toe Taps
Toe taps are an easy workout that you can perform on the lowest step of your staircase. Stand in from of the step and rest your right foot on it with your toes facing down. Swiftly switch your legs to bring the left foot on top. Continue alternating between your feet to build momentum and burn calories. Once you have gotten the hang of the movement, you can move in either direction while performing toe taps.
8. Jumping Jacks
If you want a full-body cardio workout, try jumping jacks. You can easily incorporate this workout in circuit training with other exercises, such as squat jumps, jumping rope, and burpees. Stand with your arms at your side and legs together. Bend your knees a little and then jump and spread your legs wider than the width of your shoulders while lifting your arms overhead. Get back to your starting position and then repeat the jump.
9. Lunge Jumps
As suggested by the name, a lunge jump combines a standard lunge with a jump to get your heart racing. Start the workout by keeping your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Make sure your feet are pointing forward. Pull your shoulders down, brace your core, and swing your arms back. Swiftly swing your arms upward and jump. Switch your legs midair and land in a starting lunge. Repeat the movement.
10. Diagonal Jumps
The diagonal jump increases the difficulty of the lunge jump. Instead of facing forward, a diagonal jump requires you to rotate your body while jumping to elevate your heart rate. To perform a diagonal jump, start in a lunge position with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Turn your body so that it is facing the right corner of the room.
Brace your core and pull your shoulders down to swing your arms back. It will build the momentum you need to swiftly swing your arms up and then jump as high as you can. Switch your legs and rotate your body midair, and land in a lunge as you face the left corner of the room. Repeat and continue switching legs to perform back to back diagonal jumps.
11. Squat Jumps
If you add a jump to a regular squat, you can turn it into a powerful cardio workout that works wonders as an exercise at home for women. You start out in a squat with your knees bent and your feet shoulder-width apart. Swing your arms back to gain some momentum and then swing them upward and jump as high as possible. Land back in a squat. Since this is a high-impact workout, you need to be careful so that you don’t damage your knee.
12. Standing Toe Touches
This full-body workout will work your core, arms, and legs. All you have to do is stand with your feet as wide apart as your shoulders. Keep your arms to your side and brace your core. Elevate your right leg straight up while raising your left hand up and over so that it reaches toward your right toes. Repeat this move with your right hand and left leg.
13. Plank Jacks
Think of this workout as a horizontal jumping jack. To perform a plank jack successfully, keep your hands under your shoulders and your body straight in a plank position. Bring your feet together and then jump and spread your legs wider than the width of your shoulders. Go back to your plank position and repeat.
14. Mountain Climbers
This is an intense full-body workout that you need to perfect gradually instead of rushing into it. Begin by forming a plank position with your body straight and your hands under your shoulder. Flatter your back while bracing your core. Elevate your right knee till it reaches your chest. Swiftly change your position by moving the right knee away and lifting your left knee to your chest. Continue to alternate between the two legs for an intense workout.
15. Plank Ski Hops
Also known as plank skiers, plank ski hops combine rotational jumps with planks. The turning movement in the workout will build your endurance and strength. Begin by taking a plank position by keeping your body straight, keeping your legs together, and putting your hands under your shoulders. Jump to your right as you rotate and make sure your knees are sticking beyond the width of your right elbow. Make sure to keep your legs together and then go back to the original position. Repeat the steps as you jump to your left.
16. Jump Rope
Rope jumping is an easy at-home exercise for women. All you need for this cardio workout is a jumping rope. If you’re not used to jumping a rope, it might be best to start slow and work your way up to a 30-minute workout. Keep your hands at hip level while holding the jumping rope. Rotate your wrist to swing the rope and jump as the rope reaches your feet. You can start the exercise by jumping with both feet at the same time and then alternating between your feet as you go.
17. Rotational Jacks
This exercise combines squats, jumps, and body twists for an intense cardio workout that fires up your muscles and boosts your heart rate. To perform a rotational jack, start by placing your feet and hands together. Jump into a squat by landing with your knees bent and feet wider than the width of your shoulders with your toes slightly pointing outward.
Rotate your wrist and extend your right hand up as you move your left hand to the floor. Jump into the starting position and then return to the squatting position while putting your right hand down as you put your left hand up. Rotate the hands while you jump and squat.
18. Burpees
The burpee is another extensive cardio workout that engages your entire body. It involves a jump, squat, and push-up. To do a burpee successfully, you will have to switch between a plank position and jumping frontward into the air. Stand with your feet as wide apart as shoulders. Squat and put your hands on the floor. Make sure that they are flat on the ground and that your back is straight.
Jump upward and put your feet back into a plank position. Follow it up with a pushup and then jump back into the squat position. As you jump up, make sure to extend your arms upward. Repeat this extensive pattern to burn calories quickly. Since it’s a complicated and strenuous workout, it’s best if you do it slowly and in small increments to prevent injury instead of diving straight into it.
Tips to Get the Most Out of Your At-Home Cardio Workout
Here are some handy tips that will help you get the most out of your at-home exercises while preventing the risk of injuries:
- Don’t forget to warm up before your workout session. Try to warm up your body for at least 10 minutes. It will increase your blood flow and help your muscles relax, which will lower the risk of injuries.
- Allow your body to cool down before you end your workout. Instead of stopping an intense workout abruptly, gradually slow down the intensity of your workout for the last 10 minutes. It will ensure that your muscles don’t become stiff the next day.
- Try to exercise at least five times a week for about 30 minutes each day to keep your body in shape.
- If you haven’t exercised in a while, it’s best to take things slow instead of jumping headlong into an intense workout that can cause injuries.
- If you have a history of health conditions or physical injuries, it’s best if you talk to your healthcare provider before engaging in intense cardio workouts.
The Bottom Line
There is a wide array of at-home cardio exercises for women. The workouts mentioned above don’t require you to use any equipment, and you can easily perform them at home. They also have varying degrees of difficulty. It means you can try the easier ones when starting out and move on to the more intense workouts as you build your endurance and strength.
