What is cardio | Precautions | 15 best cardio | At home Cardio | At gym cardio | Benefits | Cardio for weight loss | How much cardio to burn fat | Factors
If you want to weight loss or burn belly fat, cardio probably one of the best exercises. Cardio exercises are very efficient to burn fat calories eventually results in weight loss.
Cardio is the simplest exercises, you can do them at home, gym, garden, or everywhere. It needs very little space and some of the exercises do not need any equipment.
You need to do moderate to high-intensity cardio exercises to burn fat or weight loss.
Cardio increases heart rate and the body more calories more easily and eventually burn fat too.
Before knowing “what is the best cardio to burn fat”. You should know a few things.
What is cardio?
Cardio exercise is the physical activity that increases your breathing rate and also challenges the cardiovascular system to work.
During cardio, you repeatedly move a large muscle group such as arms, legs, etc. and your heart rate increases.
Aerobic exercises are also one form of cardio.
The commonly cardio exercise includes jogging, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, etc.
Cardio helps to burn calories and it also helps to burn fat in a healthier way which results in weight loss.
Precautions before cardio
Physical activities contain health benefits as well as risks. You need to take some precautions before cardio. Otherwise, you can injure yourself.
Here are some precautions before exercise
- Wear comfortable clothes
- Take breaks in between activity
- Take 5-10 minutes to warm up and cooling down
- Gradually, increase the intensity of the exercise
- Do all the exercises in a proper way as described to take maximum advantage.
- Listen to your body instead of others.
Cardio Exercises easy and suitable at home to burn fat
These exercises are suitable for everyone. But, these exercises are suitable for a woman. Because women need to do a lot of work and they don’t have much time to go to the gym. These are some fat-burning cardio exercises, it will definitely help you to lose weight.
1. Jump rope sprinting in place
While jump rope in place you need to maintain proper jump over the rope. Get in rhythm it would be easier for you. While you are swinging the rope sprint in place and jump higher.
Increase the intensity moderate to high. Only intensity will help you to burn more calories and burn more fat.
Easiness – very easy to do, you can do at any place and just rope required (beaded jump rope or licorice jump rope)
Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: 200 to 300
How to do jump rope sprints in place?
- Take a rope and swing just to check the rhythm
- Start jumping at a place with the alternate foot without a rope
- Combine first and second step with chest up, shoulders down and hope with high knees
- Once you are in rhythm move faster for more intensity.
2. Double under with jump rope
Double rope with under jump rope is similar to skipping rope but in this, you need to jump higher than usual while swinging rope twice as fast.
In one jump rope should pass two times under feet.
It will help you to improve coordination, burn more calories, improve cardiovascular health, etc.
Easiness – very easy to do, you can do at any place and just rope required (beaded jump rope or licorice jump rope)
Duration: 30 mins
Calories Burned: 500-600 kcal
How to do jump rope sprints in place?
- Take a rope and swing just to check the rhythm
- Start high jumping without the rope
- Combine the first and second steps with chest up, shoulders down and swing the rope faster than usual.
- Use your wrist to swing the rope rather than whole arms.
- Once you are in rhythm move faster for more intensity.
3. Jump squats
This is one of the most effective exercises can be done without equipment. In this, you use our own body weight to lose weight.
Jump squats are a high-intensity plyometric exercise that uses the explosive power of the muscles and joints of the lower body.
Jump squats should be performed correctly to prevent injury and burn off calories. This cardio is best to lose weight. More is weight, the more you will lose weight.
Easiness – very easy to do, you can do at any place. No equipment is required and suitable for everyone.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 300-400 kcal
How many reps a day 50-60 would be enough or more as much you can
How to do jump squats?
- Open your feet shoulder-width apart
- Squat down on your heel, neutral spine, open chest, and knees tracking the toes.
- When squat, touch your bottom, squeeze your butt and jump as hard you can, pushing your toes at the last moment.
- Land softly to go right into your next squats.
- One rep is completed, do this continuously for 30 seconds.
4. Burpees
This is the single best exercise to burn a lot of calories in a very short time. Burpees are explosive in nature and have fat-burning abilities.
It engages every muscle group in your body in a single rep. Do reps with high intensity for one min and take rest for 30 seconds. Repeat this for 8-10 times.
Easiness – very easy to do, you can do at any place. No equipment is required and suitable for everyone.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 300 to 500 kcal. 10 to 15 calories per minute, depending on your weight.
How many reps a day – 100 burpees a day at max speed would be enough
How to do burpees?
- Stand on your feet shoulder-width apart and weight should be on heels.
- Bend your knees and lower body into a squat position.
- Place your hand on the floor in front of you and shift your weight on your arm.
- Jump your feet back on the balls of your feet. Come in pushup like position
- Jump your feet back in the previous position.
- And jump explosively and reach your hand overhead.
- Land in a squat position and this is your first reps.
5. Jump lunges
Jumping lunges are a plyometric exercise which consist a high jump and switching foot before landing. You can also add these jump lunge to your high-intensity interval training. It helps to develop lower body strength.
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 275 to 325 kcal.
How many jump lunges a day – 100 to 200 lunges in just one session would be enough. Adjust according to your capability.
How to do jump lunges?
- Prepare yourself by bending your knees and jumping in the air.
- Bending your knees and lean slightly forward.
- Sink your weight down and explosively jump with both feet with full extension knees and hips.
- As you jump, switch your leg position and arms in the air
- Land softly and maintain a balanced foot position.
- Take a position to another lunge.
6. Speed skater lunge
This exercise is just like skaters do when they try to increase their speed. It needs lots of force and balance maintaining ability. But with the time you would learn. This technique also helps to burn fat, especially belly fat.
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 300-400 kcal.
How to do Speed skater lunge?
- Stand at shoulder-width apart feet.
- Step out with your left legs and bend your left knee and also lower hiney down while keeping your neck straight.
- Now back into the starting position and try this with the right leg.
7. Crab plank
Crap plank exercise helps to boost the power of core muscles, abdomen, and abdomen. It may not be very efficient in burning calories, but it helps in toning and straightening your core.
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 100-200 kcal.
How to do crab plank?
- Start with a plank position and make sure your body as rigid as you can.
- Move both hands and legs at the same time take a step to the side left or right.
- And return to the same position with this exact position.
- Now walk in the opposite direction as the previous.
8. Bicycle crunches
Bicycle crunches are one of the most challenging types of exercise. it targets the obliques and rectus abdominis.
If you want a six-pack, these are better than normal crunches. More than that, it makes strong your core for your abs.
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 50-100 kcal.
How to do bicycle crunches?
- Lie on a comfortable surface
- Place your hand behind head and lightly touches your head with your fingers
- Keep your feet on the floor and bend it on a 90-degree angle
- Lift your legs and uppers in the air away.
- Bring your right knee to closer to the chest and touche left elbow to it.
- And do this with the opposite knee and touch the opposite elbow to it.
9. Jumping jacks
Jumping jacks are simple and great cardio to do anywhere. This exercise helps to boost cardio health and metabolism. It is great to melt fat like snow.
This exercise engages every large muscle group and fires up your core. You can also do this exercise in high-intensity interval training.
This is one of the easiest cardio to burn some extra calories at home
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 300-400 kcal.
How to do jumping jacks?
- Stand up straight open your legs shoulder-width and arms sides.
- Slightly bend your knees and jump in the air
- extend your legs and arms overhead.
- Again, jump and land on starting position.
- Repeat this as you needed also increases movement for more intensity
10. Jumps (knee tucks)
It is also a plyometric exercise. It will help you to increase your endurance and strength as well as burn calories more efficiently.
This exercise is also called a calorie-burner, but you need to practice before mastering it.
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 200-300 kcal.
How to do knee tuck jump?
- Stand comfortably and slightly bent knees.
- Hold your hand in front of your at chest height and palm down
- Dip down a little bit or into a quarter square and launch yourself immediately in air explosively.
- Drive the knee toward chest and touch your hand with knees without lowering down hands
- Jump high as much, you can also raise your knees and ensure you land safely absorb impact with your knees bending a bit
11. Skaters
It is a cardio exercise that is used to lateral jump to increase your heart rate. It helps to improve the legs and balance of your body. This exercise targets mostly glutes and quads.
Easiness – No equipment is required. You can do this at any place and at any time.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 300-400 kcal.
How to do skaters?
- Start with half squats and jump on sideways to the left and land on left legs
- Right leg behind the ankle you can touch the toe of your right foot for balance if you need it.
- Jump to right sideways land on the right foot and left leg behind your right ankle. This is one rep.
Cardio workouts at the gym or you need to get out of your home to burn fat
These cardio need some equipment or you need to go to the gym to do it properly. You cannot these cardio at home. You need to come out on the ground. But, these are fat-burning exercises, it’s worth the time.
12. Running stairs
Running stare is a plyometric exercise that is muscle uses maximum for a short interval of time. It is explosive in nature, In this, legs muscle extent and contract rapidly for a short interval of time. It is good for men and women both.
If you are obese, you should do stair running in moderation.
Easiness – No equipment is required.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 500 to 600 kcal. 16 to 20 calories per minute, depending on your weight.
How many stairs runs a day – 20 to 30-minute stair running would be enough
How to do stair running?
- Warm-up for the first few minutes.
- Start by walking up the stairs one step at a time.
- A few steps letters start jogging look up rather than down.
- Run up and down for 2 minutes and take 1 min rest.
- After one or two weeks later you can increase intensity moderate to high.
13. Rowing
Rowing provides you both cardio and strengthening training benefits at the same time, which doubles the calorie-burning speed. In this, you can increase intensity without increasing impact.
But you can only do it at the gym. Although you can do it at home if you have a machine. If you want to lose weight this is the exercise.
You use almost all of your body when rowing. You can buy a rowing machine as low as $100 which is not that big a deal if you want to lose a few pounds a month.
Easiness – you can do it at the gym or buy a machine to do it at home.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 200-300 kcal. It depends on your weight and pace.
How to do rowing?
- Place your feet in the stirrups
- Bend the knees and hinge at the hips
- Take grip around the handle and keep the wrist always straight.
- Extend arms and keep the shoulder down
- Push with feet and extents the knees, but do not lock the knees
- Lean back a little bit and engage the core.
- Draw elbows back to just below the chest.
- And prepare for the next stroke
14. Kettlebells
Kettlebells includes lots of exercises. it can help you burn belly fat, tone muscle, and building muscle. Kettlebells exercises include Kettlebell Swing, Kettlebell Thrusters, the Kettlebell Clean and Press, Kettlebell Snatch, and many others.
Easiness – kettlebell required.
Duration – 30 mins
Calories Burned – 500-600 kcal. It depends on the intensity and weight you are using.
How to do kettlebell swing?
- Open your feet wider than shoulder-width.
- Bend your knees and grab the kettlebell with both hands on the ground.
- Keep your back flat and swing the weight up to shoulder height.
- Return to the start position.
15. High-Intensity Interval Training
High-Intensity Interval Training is very efficient in burning belly fat and weight loss. This is not just an exercise. It is a form of cardiovascular exercise alternating short periods with intense aerobic exercise with a recovery period until too much exhaustion. You can add high-intensity cardio such as burpees, jumping lunges, jumping squats follows with short recovery time.
In this, you can burn 500 or more calories depending on your intensity.
Benefits of cardio
Cardio has numerous health benefits. When you will realize that cardio can this much for you, you may want to do cardio right now. We will not talk about cardio health benefits in detail, to know the detailed benefits of cardio click here.
- Cardio exercise helps to improve the cardiovascular system.
- It also helps to manage high blood pressure.
- Cardio also helps to regulate blood sugar levels in diabetes.
- It can help to reduce asthma symptoms and severity.
- It helps to get better sleep.
- Aerobic exercise has the power to regulate weight. These are easy to do and suitable for everyone.
Does cardio for weight loss really work?
To reduce the weight you need to create a calorie deficit. Just consume fewer calories and burn more calories. Cardio can help you with burning calories with minimum effort.
Yes, cardio will help you to burn more calories and eventually results in weight loss.
To Reduce weight loss to create a calorie deficit and combine it with cardio and strengthening exercise.
Cardio suitable effective in weight loss and shedding extra fat in the long run and in addition it has thousands of other health benefits too.
How much time you should do cardio to burn fat and weight loss?
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, an average person should get more than 150 minutes of exercise of moderate and more than 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week.
You should also include at least two days of strength training exercises.
If you want to lose weight you need to do at least 250-300 minutes per week moderate-to-high intensity exercise.
For example, if you want to lose one pound a week create a calorie deficit, consume 300 calories less and burn 300-400 calories a day. 3500 calories make, one pound of fat,
Factors that will affect your calorie-burning rate?
According to Healthline, there are few factors that can affect your calorie-burning rate and weight loss.
Age – the Older you are fewer calories expect to burn.
Body composition – Greater body mass more calories you burn.
Gender – Men generally burn more calories than women.
Intensity – the Higher intensity of exercise, the more calories you burn.
Weight – Higher body weight, the more calories you burn.
Final words
For weight loss, you should include high-intensity cardio for 40 minutes, 4-5 times a week. Do these activities carefully without getting injured.
You should also take a proper diet with cardio. It will help you to shed some fat and live a healthy lifestyle.
- Healthline “https://www.healthline.com/health/how-much-cardio-to-lose-weight”
- Stylecraze “https://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-cardio-exercises-for-weight-loss/”
- Mayoclinic “https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/calories/art-20048065”
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition/pdf/Physical_Activity_Guidelines_2nd_edition.pdf”