15-Minute Quick & Easy Cardio Workout

Cardio just got a lot less boring!

15-Minute Quick & Easy Cardio Workout

The human body is an incredible machine. It allows us to do so much! While belonging to a gym offers many great benefits, we absolutely don’t need a gym membership to get and stay in shape. When it comes down to it, our body is the only tool that we need! This quick & easy cardio workout can easily be done from home as it does not require any specific gym equipment.

Performing regular cardio exercise is imperative to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Our heart is a muscle and like any other muscle in our body, it needs to be trained consistently. This will keep our heart (and lungs) strong for many other activities. The American Heart Association recommends getting in at least 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of high intensity cardio per week. That is NOT a lot of time out of the week, ladies! Just perform this workout 5 times a week and you’ll always hit your cardio goal! Simple, right?! Let’s get to it!

What you’ll need: A step or a chair for step-ups, a timer, and an open space or treadmill for sprints.

What to do: You will perform each exercise consecutively for 30 seconds. NO breaks in between exercises! At the end of the circuit you will rest for 60 seconds before beginning again. Complete 4 rounds.

The Workout

  1. Alternating Step-Ups
  2. Alternating Jumping Lunges
  3. Squat Pulses
  4. Sprint (as fast as YOU can go)
  5. Plyo Jacks
  6. Alternating Side Lunges
  7. REST

Modifications

Alternating Step-Ups: If you don’t have a step or chair available, jog in place or perform the high knee exercise.

Alternating Jumping Lunges– If you can’t jump, you can just do alternating reverse lunges.

Squat Pulses– If holding the squat position is too difficult at first, hold on to the back of a couch or chair to assist yourself. Slowly try to work up to not having to hold on to anything.

Sprint– If you can’t jog/run/sprint, walk at the fastest pace possible. 

Plyo Jacks– Again, if you can’t jump you can do a movement that will be easier on your joints like alternating side kicks or skaters.

Alternating Side Lunges– Your goal is to get as low as you can with out your knee tracking over your toe. Go as far down as possible and remember to push up through your heel. Side step-ups are a perfectly acceptable replacement.

Alternating Step-Ups

Alternating Jumping Lunges

Squat Pulses

Sprint (As Fast As YOU Can)

Plyo Jacks

Alternating Side Lunges

Burn calories quickly and efficiently with this quick & easy cardio workout. If you enjoyed this one, try our 30 Minute Fat Melting Cardio Workout or this No Running Cardio Workout. Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all our the latest cardio workouts and sign up for our Newsletter!

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Erin Miller

Erin is an NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Corrective Exercise Specialist. She is also a Performance Nutrition Coach, certified through the Clean Health Fitness Institute. Some of Erin’s favorite hobbies include hiking, kayaking, and hanging out at the beach, although weight lifting is her greatest passion. She says, “Weight training is one of the most empowering things a person can do. Not just seeing, but feeling yourself transform… There’s just nothing else like it.”

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