6 Effective No-Equipment Cardio Exercise for Men

Cardiovascular exercise, also called cardio or aerobic exercise, is important for good health. It makes your heart beat faster and raises your heart rate. This gives your whole body more oxygen, which is good for your heart and lungs. Regular cardio exercise can also help you lose weight, sleep better, and lower your risk of getting a long-term illness.

Yet, problems arise when you can't go for a run outside everyday or don't want to go to the gym. However, there is a solution to this predicament since you can still do a lot of cardio exercises at home. Check out six cardio exercises that you can easily do at home for an excellent workout.

No-Equipment Cardio Exercises

1) Squat Jumps

Squat jumps are a great way to make your workouts more challenging and really get your heart rate up. Add them to the end of your regular cardio workout for an extra boost, or do them a few times during your workout when you want to make it more challenging or simply change things a little.

This is an advanced cardio exercise that is hard on your joints, so land with soft knees to protect them. If the hit is too hard, make the move without jumping. Take your time and start with small jumps if you've never done this move before.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Start with your feet about hip-width apart and your core tight.
Get as low as you can and try to touch the floor with your fingertips.
Make sure to push the hips back so that the knees don't get too much pressure.
Jump as high as you can and reach your arms up as high as you can.
Land back into your squat with soft knees, and do this for 30 to 60 seconds.

2) Plyo Lunges

Plyo lunge is a great plyometric move that helps build power and strength in the lower body. This move is also great for getting your heart rate up, burning calories, and working your hips, glutes, and thighs. This high-impact, high-intensity exercise is hard, so if you can't handle it at first, it is best if you stick with static lunges.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Stand with your right leg in front and your left leg behind you.
Lunge by bending your knees and lowering your body.
Jump up quickly and switch your legs so that when you land, your left leg is in front and your right leg is behind.
Land with soft joints, drop into a lunge, and repeat, jumping and switching sides.
Repeat 1–3 times for 10–60 seconds each time.

3) Jogging

If you're stuck inside, one easy way to get your heart rate up is to jog in place. It's not as hard as jogging outside because you're not moving forward and there's no wind resistance. But jogging around the house or up and down the stairs will help you sweat more if you use your arms and move forward.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Move forward while keeping your knees up and your arms moving.
Start with a light jog, keeping your feet close to the ground so you can get a feel for the exercise.
Every time you jog, bring your heels closer to your buttocks.
As you jog faster, pump your arms overhead or lift your knees.
Repeat as many times as you can for 30 seconds to as long as you can.
This move can also be done as part of a cardio circuit.

4) Burpees

This cardio exercise stands out because it works the whole body and gets the heart rate up in a short amount of time. Even though the exercise is easy, it is very hard on the heart, lungs, and muscles. Add it to your regular cardio workouts to increase the intensity and work on your strength, agility, and endurance.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Stand with your feet about the width of your hips apart.
Squat down and put your hands on the floor in front of you.
When you land, you should be in a push-up position, on your hands and toes, with your body in a straight line.
On your toes or knees, do a push-up (this is optional and adds quite a bit of intensity).
Jump the feet back to the starting position right away, stand up, and do this 10–15 times or for 30–60 seconds.

5) Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are slightly more difficult and an advanced cardio exercise that will get your heart rate up and make your workouts harder. This move will make your legs stronger and help you get faster, making it a great all-around exercise.

If you've never done this move before, take your time and start slowly. For this move, you'll need a lot of core strength and upper body endurance.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Start in a push-up position, with your hands and toes on the floor and your back flat and your abs tight.
Bring your right knee in toward your chest and put the foot of that knee on the floor.
When you jump up, switch your feet in the air by bringing your left foot forward and your right foot back.
Keep switching your feet as quickly as you can for 30 to 60 seconds.

6) Speed Skaters

Speed skaters are a great way to get your heart rate up and work your body by moving side to side, which is something we don't often do.

This cardio exercise is good for the heart and also works on the outside of the thighs. Speed skaters are a great addition to exercises like long jumps where you move forward and backward.

Here's how you can do this exercise:

Start with your feet together and jump as far as you can to the right.
For a balance challenge, land on your right foot and cross your left foot behind you.
Again, take a very wide step to the left and land on the left foot.
Keep going from one side to the other, and try not to jump up in the air. Instead, keep your movements low and wide.
Keep switching sides for another 30 to 60 seconds.

Perform these cardio exercises regularly to rev up your metabolism.