15-Minute Cardio Workout At Home (No Equipment + No Jumping)

9 of the best cardio exercises you can do at home in a no equipment, no jumping workout! This is a low impact but high intensity cardio workout at home for all fitness levels. Raise your heart rate and burn calories with this quick, 15-minute full body home cardio workout.

These 9 bodyweight cardio exercises can be done anywhere.

Bonus: this high intensity cardio workout is completely low impact. That means no jumping which makes this a great cardio workout at home for beginners.

But don’t be fooled — just because this cardio workout is low impact, doesn’t mean it’s easy. This is a high intensity cardio workout scalable for all fitness levels.

Cardio Workout At Home FAQs

Is A Cardio Workout At Home Effective?

YES! When you think of cardio, you might think of logging miles on a treadmill or elliptical (or any other exercise that requires cardio machines and expensive gym equipment). But in my opinion, the best cardio workout at home uses no equipment. You can get your heart rate up at home with exercises like mountain climbers and jumping jacks, or the unique exercises in this workout!

What Are The Benefits Of Low Impact Cardio Workouts?

Low impact exercise is great for ALL seasons of life and has several health benefits. Low impact exercise is scalable for various fitness levels (from beginners to pregnancy and postpartum, AND advanced fitness enthusiasts alike); raises your heart rate and burns calories (without running or jumping); is joint-friendly (limits stress on joints); is quiet and apartment-friendly (also great for nap time and sleeping babies); prevents injury and risk of heart disease.

15-Minute Cardio Workout At Home (No Equipment, No Jumping)

These are the 9 BEST cardio exercises for a fat burning cardio workout at home, no equipment!

This cardio workout includes a lot of variety to get you moving in ALL directions and planes of motion.

This fat burning, high intensity, low impact cardio workout at home will:

• Increase your cardiovascular endurance
• Help you hit your daily step count
• Burn calories and facilitate weight loss
• Boost your mood

Add a HIIT cardio workout like this one to your workout routine 1-2 times a week.

Workout Equipment:

No equipment needed, just your bodyweight! 

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Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Cardio Workout At Home on YouTube, led by certified personal trainer and fitness instructor, Lindsey Bomgren. 

Your Workout Looks Like This:

• 9 Low Impact Cardio Exercises
• Timed Intervals (30 seconds work, 10 seconds rest)
• Repeat Each Move x2 (then move on to the next move)

Workout Outline

1. 3-Way Lunge and Knee Drive
2. Curtsy Lunge to Lateral Lunge
3. Squat Alternating Toe/Heel Taps
4. Staggered Squat and Knee Drive
5. Staggered Squat and Wood Chop
6. Loaded Squat and Lateral Push Back to 45 Degrees
7. Step In Burpee and 2 Lunges
8. Forearm Plank and Alternating Star Taps
9. Reverse Table Kick

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

Cardio Workout

9 Best Cardio Exercises To Do At Home

3 Way-Lunge And Knee Drive

Targets: Lower body — glutes, quads, outer glutes, thighs and core.

How To Do A 3-Way Lunge And Knee Drive

1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart, core engaged.
2. Step forward with your left foot as you drop your back right knee towards the mat performing a front lunge. Aiming for a 90-degree bend in both knees.
3. Then, push off your front heel to return to the starting position. Option to tap your left foot on the mat or drive your left knee up towards your chest.
4. Next, step your left foot out to your left side for a lateral lunge. Think of performing a single leg squat on the left leg; left knee bent and right leg straight. Push off your left foot to return to the starting position. Again floating or tapping your left foot.
5. Finally, step your left foot behind you, lowering your back left knee towards the mat into a reverse lunge. Aiming for a 90-degree bend in both knees. Drive through your front heel to stand tall, returning to the starting position.

Modification: Tap your foot to the mat for balance support as you return to standing between each lunge variation.

Curtsy Lunge And Lateral Lunge

Targets: Legs, outer glutes, inner thighs, quads, core and shoulders.

How To Do A Curtsy Lunge And Lateral Lunge

1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-distance apart, core engaged.
2. Step your left foot out to your left side for a lateral lunge as you sweep your arms overhead and reach your fingertips to the mat at the bottom of the lateral lunge. Think of performing a single leg squat on the left leg; left knee bent and right leg straight.
3. Drive off your left foot, making a half circle motion with your arms as you float your left foot through your mid-line and step back into a curtsy lunge. Bringing your left knee behind your right calf. Again, fingertips reach to the mat at the bottom of the curtsy lunge.
4. Drive through your front right foot to return to standing and go directly back into a lateral lunge.

Squat Alternating Toe Taps (Runner Squat)

Targets: Legs, glutes, thighs, hamstrings, calves and core.

How To Do A Squat With Alternating Toe Tap Back

1. Start in a standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, toes facing forward.
2. Lower your hips down into a squat position. Think about pushing your knees out to avoid the knees caving in.
3. Press through your heels to stand tall. As you stand, transfer your weight into your left foot and tap your right toes a few inches behind you.
4. Return to the starting position and repeat — lowering into a squat, then tapping your left toes behind you as you stand. Run your arms with each rep to raise your heart rate.

Staggered Squat And Knee Drive

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves, abs, core, shoulders and biceps.

How To Do A Staggered Squat And Knee Drive

1. Start in a staggered stance – 80% of your weight in your left foot, 20% of your weight in your right toes. With your right foot staggered slightly behind your left foot (staggered squat or shallow lunge stance).
2. Lower your hips, performing a mini squat or shallow squat.
3. Then press through your front heel to stand tall as you drive your back right knee up towards your chest.
4. Repeat this movement at a fast pace as you run your arms at your sides.

Staggered Squat And Wood Chop

Targets: The deep transverse abdominis muscle, oblique muscles, legs, back and shoulders.

How To Do A Staggered Squat and Wood Chop

1. Start in a staggered stance – 80% of your weight in your right foot, 20% of your weight in your left toes. With your left foot staggered slightly behind your right foot (staggered squat or shallow lunge stance).
2. Clasp your hands together at your left hip.
3. Slightly bend your knees as you bring your hands to the outside of your left knee.
4. Then, exhale as you use your legs, hips and glutes to drive your arms crossbody, extending your arms up overhead on the right side. Think left knee to right shoulder.
5. Lower with control back towards your left knee. Return to the starting position, and repeat this powerful movement.

Loaded Squat And Lateral Push Back 45 Degrees

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, knees, calves, core and obliques.

Training in the transverse plane (pivoting at a 45-degree angle), is a great joint-friendly way to strengthen your knees.

How To Do A Loaded Squat And Lateral Push Back 45 Degrees

1. Start standing in an athletic stance, feet shoulder-width apart, soft bend in your knees, core engaged.
2. Pivot your body 45 degrees towards your right, as you drive off your left leg, transferring your bodyweight from left leg to right leg. Land softly in a loaded squat. Think toes follow hips — as your hips open to the right, so do your toes (mini squat jumps at a 45-degree angle).
3. Then reverse the movement, by transferring your bodyweight from right leg back to left leg (facing center). Again, land in a loaded squat and return to the starting position.

Step In Burpee And 2 Front Lunges

Targets: Full body — legs, glutes, hamstrings, quads, shoulders, chest, back, abs and core.

How To Do A Step In Burpee And 2 Front Lunges

1. Start in an athletic position, feet under hips, core engaged, slight bend in the knees.
2. Lower into a squat to plant your palms on the mat, then step back into a high plank position. Shoulders over wrists, core strong.
3. Step your feet outside your hands, then press through your heels to stand tall.
4. Once standing, step your right foot forward into a front lunge, aiming to bend both knees at a 90-degree angle, making your front (right) thigh parallel to the floor.
5. Press through your front heel to return to standing. Then, lunge forward with your left foot, lowering until your left thigh is parallel to the floor before returning to standing.
6. Repeat this complex full body movement.

Forearm Plank And Alternating Star Taps

Targets: Shoulders, chest, triceps, back, abs, core, glutes and thighs.

How To Do A Forearm Plank With Alternating Star Taps

1. Start in a low plank, forearms on the mat, elbows under shoulders, core engaged.
2. Brace your core as you extend your right hand 45 degrees from your body while simultaneously extending your opposite, left leg 45 degrees to the left. Think about forming a straight line from your left toes to right fingertips (half star).
3. Then bring your right arm and left leg back to center.
4. Repeat this opposite arm and opposite leg extension on the other side (left hand and right leg).

Modification: Perform the star taps from table top position instead of a low forearm plank.

Reverse Table Kicks

Targets: Shoulders, triceps, back, glutes, hamstrings, abs and core.

How To Do Reverse Table Top Kicks

1. Start sitting on the mat, legs bent at 90 degrees in front of you and feet planted on the mat. Place your hands on the mat behind you, fingertips facing your butt. Lean back so your shoulders are over your wrists.
2. Then thrust your hips upward, squeezing your glutes, as you extend your left leg straight in front of you. Think of driving or kicking through your left heel.
3. Return your left foot to the mat as you lower your hips to hover one inch off the mat. Never letting your hips touch the mat or rest on the mat.
4. Then repeat the movement, thrusting your hips upward and kicking through your right leg.

Pin this Workout: 15-Minute Cardio At Home, No Equipment

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