6 Best Cardio Exercises You Can Do at Home to Burn Fat

“Cardio” is short for cardiovascular activity, and it simply refers to any sort of exercise that raises and maintains your heart rate. Cardio activities are essential for your overall health and well-being.

To lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit, which means you must expend more calories than you ingest. You may achieve a calorie deficit by changing your diet or exercising more, but the optimal method is to combine the two.

It's easier said than done to lose weight, and there's no magic prescription to do so. Instead, you must expend more calories than you consume. A nutritious diet, as well as a combination of cardio and strength training, are all part of the plan.

To maintain your cardiovascular health and lose weight, you don't need to spend hours at the gym. Even if you don't have a lot of space or equipment, you can accomplish an efficient cardio workout at home.

Best Cardio Exercises to Do at Home

Many people are too busy to spend hours traveling or waiting in lines outside of gyms, but the desire for a flat tummy is stronger than ever. Check out these fat-burning exercises if you want to make the most of the limited time you have at home to construct a fat-burning workout.

The following is a list of some of the best cardio workouts that you may do at home to supplement your exercise routine.

Burpees

Squats, leaps, and push-ups are all combined into burpees. It's a good workout because it burns fat from your entire body while also working different muscle areas such as your chest, legs, and core.

Here’s how to do it:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your body into a squat, place your hands in front of your feet, then hop your feet back to land in a plank position in one continuous action.
• Then, with a forceful jump straight up into the air, return your feet to near your hands. Repeat.
• When you're in the plank position, add a push-up to make it more difficult.
• If you're a beginner, try a squat thrust instead, which is similar to a burpee except you don't finish with the explosive jump at the end and instead simply stand up.

Skater Jumps

Skater jumps, also known as single-leg skater jumps, side skaters, and skater steps, are a classic technique in many high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts because they're like side lunges on steroids.

Skater jumps are terrific cardio and strength-building plyometrics (also known as "jump training") workouts.

Here’s how to do it:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
• Cross your left leg behind you and out to the right side (almost like a curtsy lunge) with your right foot planted. Your right leg should bear the brunt of your weight.
• Swing your right arm out to around shoulder height and your left arm across your body toward your right hip at the same time.
• Then, jump to your left and repeat the movement on the other side.
• Swing your right leg behind you and out to the left side after landing on your left foot.
• Continue springing back and forth in a skating motion with your arms swinging.

Running the Stairs

Stair running is another aerobic activity you can do at home if you have some stairs handy. Stair workouts help you increase lower body strength and power while also getting your heart rate up.

Here’s how to do it:

• Run up the stairs as quickly as you can, then briskly (or jog) back down before running back up.
• Continue climbing up as quickly as you can for as long as you can — it might only be 1-2 minutes or less.
• After a 1- or 2-minute pause, continue with 1 or 2 additional sets of sprints.
• Pump your arms back and forth to keep your tempo. This keeps you going and makes your body work harder.
• If you're doing stair sprints, don't take the stairs two at a time until you're comfortable and safe doing so.

Jumping Jacks

Jumping jacks are great total-body exercises that can be done practically anywhere. Jumping jacks can work your stomach and shoulder muscles as well.

Jumping jacks can be a decent substitute for running on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike. All of these exercises elevate your heart rate, but jumping jacks cause your body to shift out of its natural plane of motion.

Here’s how to do it:

• Begin with your arms at your sides in a standing stance.
• Bend your knees slightly and spring your legs out to a bit wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Push your arms out and over your head at the same time.
• Then return to your starting position and jump continuously for another 30 seconds.

Squat Jumps

The abdominals, glutes, hamstrings, and lower back are all used in this workout, as well as your core. Squat leaps force you to balance your body weight, resulting in a stronger core as a result of increased muscle stabilization. Furthermore, squat leaps help to improve posture.

Here’s how to do it:

• Lower your body into a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart (back and upper body remain raised, but hips and buttocks descend to the ground as if sitting in an imaginary chair).
• Maintain a firm core and launch into an explosive jump.
• Return to a squat as soon as you land lightly on your feet.

Plank Jacks

Plank jacks are a core-strengthening and aerobic workout. They can help you strengthen your upper and lower body muscles. Plank jacks can improve core strength and stability, burn calories, and help you lose weight if you do them a few times a week.

Here’s how to do it:

• Start in a plank posture, with your wrists in line with your shoulders and your body stretched out in front of you in a straight line.
• Your feet should be firmly planted on the ground.
• Jump your legs out wide, then quickly bring them back together.