Raise your heart rate at home with this 10-Minute Beginner Cardio Workout. There’s no jumping and no equipment in this quick and effective, tabata-style cardio workout.
This low impact workout will boost your heart health and make everyday tasks like climbing stairs easier. It’s a great way to burn some calories, too.
Free Beginner Workout Plan
Beginner Cardio Workout FAQs
What Is The Best Cardio Workout For Beginners?
A good beginner cardio workout is low impact, meaning it’s joint-friendly and reduces your risk of injury. Low impact cardio might include walking, stationary biking, elliptical training, or rowing. I prefer cardio workouts that are accessible (no equipment required) and can be done at your own pace.
How Often Should A Beginner Do Cardio?
As a certified personal trainer, I recommend 10 to 20 minutes of cardio for beginners, four to five times a week. Add strength training two to three times a week if you can. This 10-Minute Beginner Cardio Workout is a great place to start, but you can also try this All Standing Cardio Workout or go for a walk.
What Is The Best Workout Challenge For Beginners?
The best way to stay motivated is to follow a workout plan. This takes the guesswork out of how many reps, what exercises, and how many days a week to workout. I recommend following one of our free beginner workout plans.
10-Minute Beginner Cardio Workout At Home
Follow along with five of my favorite bodyweight cardio exercises in this challenging tabata-style workout.
This low impact workout will challenge your cardiovascular endurance and can be adapted for any fitness level.
Add a cardio workout like this one to your exercise routine 1-2 times a week.
Workout Equipment:
No equipment, just your bodyweight.
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Targets: Core, shoulders, back, glutes, hamstrings and quads.
How To Do 2 Jabs And A Squat
Start standing tall, feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent and core engaged.
Hold your arms up in a boxer position, fists clenched in front of your face.
Alternate punching each arm out in front of you to complete two jabs. Flex your bicep as you punch.
Then lower your hips down parallel to your knees to perform a squat.
Drive through your heels to stand tall, returning to the starting position.
Lateral Jack Walks
Targets: Quads, hamstrings, glutes, chest, shoulders, arms and back.
How To Do Lateral Jack Walks
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Sit back and down a few inches, finding a loaded squat position.
Extend your arms out to your sides, slight bend in the elbows.
Holding your loaded squat position, take two wide lateral steps to your right. With each step, pull your arms in, contracting the muscles in your chest, then open your arms back up (squeezing your shoulder blades).
Pause for a moment, then reverse the movement by taking two lateral steps to the left.
Stand with feet wider than hips, heels in and toes pointed slightly out (sumo squat stance).
Bend your knees to lower down into a squat, pushing your knees out towards your pinky toes as you drop your hips parallel to your knees.
At the bottom of your sumo squat, tap your fingers down, tapping the ground if possible.
Then drive through your legs to stand back up. Think about squeezing your inner thighs together as you stand tall, legs straight, reaching both arms overhead. Option to add a calf raise at the top, raising your heels off the ground.
Wide Knee Pulls
Targets: Core, abs, obliques, outer glutes, arms, shoulders and back.
How To Do Wide Knee Pulls
Start standing tall, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and core engaged, both arms raised overhead.
Pull your arms down towards your hips in a ‘goal post,’ bending the elbows at 90 degrees.
As you pull your arms down, drive your right knee up and out to meet your right elbow (performing a wide knee drive). Think of crunching through your oblique as you strive for that knee to elbow connection.
With control, lower the right leg back down to the ground as you send the arms straight overhead. Then alternate, this time driving the left knee up and out to meet your left elbow.
Alternate the knee drive for the timed interval.
Knee Drive And Tap Back
Targets: Core, lower abs, hip flexors, hamstrings, glutes and arms.
How To Do A Knee Drive And Tap Back
Start standing tall, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent and core engaged.
Drive your left knee up towards your chest as you pull your arms down towards your knee. Think of swinging your arms down to meet your knee. Return your left foot to the ground.
Then tap your right foot back about 6 inches behind you. Return your right foot to starting position.
Repeat this knee drive, tap back or rocking horse motion on the right leg for the timed interval, switching legs on the next set.
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Beginner Cardio
Awesome, quick workout that gets the heart rate up and works on muscle strength!
Way to go Bridgid! Yes, quick + effective heart rate riser is what this one is! Nice work! -Lindsey