5 Cardio Exercise Options

5 Cardio Exercise Options

Getting in some cardio exercise each week is essential for your heart health.

However, quite often people get stuck in a routine that they don’t enjoy. As a result, they start skipping this essential part of a balanced exercise routine.

5 Cardio exercise options
5 Cardio exercise options

Treadmill

On a treadmill, you can perform a low-impact cardio exercise such as walking. Or, you can pick up your pace and run or sprint to get your dose of high-impact exercise.

The treadmill is a great piece of equipment with which you can vary your routine, based on your goals and current level of fitness. Most machines have programmed routines to help you work within your target heart rate zone.

Traditional aerobic moves

If you don’t have access to equipment, good old jumping jacks, jumping rope, hopping or any activity that gets your heart rate up is a great choice. There are lots of cardio-inspired routines that you can follow online that require no equipment and limited space.

Battle ropes

If you’ve been into a cross-fit gym, I’m sure you’ve seen the weighted battle ropes attached to a stationary object. They’re perfect for building upper body and core strength. Several of the exercises that you can do with the weighted ropes, such as jumping jacks and jumps, can really increase the impact and intensity level of this exercise.

Swimming

Water exercise and swimming are low-impact forms of cardio that are great for people who are recovering from injury and need a low-impact choice. Swimming is a full-body exercise, and many people find that being in the water can be quite therapeutic.

Rowing machine

The rowing machine, in my opinion, is one of the most underused machines in the gym, yet it’s great for getting in a full-body workout. The rowing action helps to strengthen the upper body and truly engages the core muscles. It’s a very low-impact form of cardio exercise, making it a perfect choice for any beginner. You can vary your intensity level to increase your calorie burn and push your body to a level that feels right for you.