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30-Minute Cardio and Core Workout At Home (Zero30, Day 9)

This cardio and core workout at home will tone your midsection and burn calories, no equipment needed! Each circuit supersets two cardio moves with two core moves for an efficient, fat burning workout at home.

This is DAY NINE of our Zero 30 Program.

Woman performing a punch in this full body bodyweight HIIT workout at home.

LET’S GET STARTED

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Cardio and core workouts tend to be some of your favorites – they were the most popular workouts of our SplitStrong (Days 5 and 10) and HIITStrong (Day 8) programs.

This HIIT workout for your abs supersets cardio moves with core moves and is designed to efficiently increase core strength and decrease body fat. 

This is a solid core workout targeting the obliques, rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis and glutes. This no equipment workout will challenge every muscle in your core to help you strengthen while you burn calories.

woman laying on her back performing a single sided crunch

Cardio and Core Workout At Home FAQs

What Are The Most Effective Core Exercises?

In my opinion, the best core exercises train your core to do what it is INTENDED to do — stabilize your trunk as your limbs move away from your body (think planks and push-ups). Remember, your core is more than just your ab muscles. Core workouts should include functional training for your abs, back, hips, glutes, and pelvic floor. 

Why Pair Cardio And Core Together?

Pairing cardio and strength training together is key for building muscle and maximizing fat burn. I personally love to pair cardio and core together because your core should be engaged during cardio exercises. This workout gives you a lot of bang for your buck as you’re keeping your core engaged throughout each exercise while also improving your cardiovascular endurance.

woman standing in a loaded sumo squat position performing a jab

Engage your core and work up a sweat with today’s bodyweight workout. You need zero equipment and just 30 minutes to complete this workout at home!

This is a timed interval workout – meaning you do as many reps as possible in the ‘work’ period. Your pace, your tempo (rep ranges will vary from person to person).

Workout Equipment:

None. Just your bodyweight.

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woman in a defensive position

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Cardio and Core Workout At Home on YouTube, led by personal trainer Lindsey Bomgren.

Your Workout Looks Like This:

  • 4 Circuits (each circuit contains 2 cardio exercises and 2 core exercises)
  • Timed Intervals (complete 30 seconds per cardio move for a total of 1 minute of work, rest 30 seconds, then complete 30 seconds per core move for a total of 1 minute of work)
  • Repeat Each Circuit x 2 Sets

Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE:
CARDIO
1. Eight Mountain Climbers and One Burpee
2. Criss Cross Jacks
CORE
1. Seated Reverse Crunch
2. Big X Crunch

CIRCUIT TWO:
CARDIO
1. Two Plank Jacks and Two Standing Jacks
2. Ski Jumps
CORE
1. Plank and Crossbody to Center Knee Drive
2. Lying Glute Stamps

CIRCUIT THREE:
CARDIO
1. Squat Inner Heel Tap
2. Three Fast Feet and Ground Tap
CORE
1. Advanced Clamshell

CIRCUIT FOUR:
CARDIO
1. Two Drop Squat Jabs and Two Hops
2. Lateral Heisman Runner
CORE
1. Single Sided Crunch

woman performing a heisman runner to the right

Prefer to Watch On YouTube?

youtube icon Cardio and Core Workout

8 Best Cardio and Core Exercises

Crossbody Mountain Climbers To Burpee

Targets: Arms, shoulders, back, legs, glutes, quads, abs, obliques and core.

woman performing eight mountain climbers and one burpee

How To Do Crossbody Mountain Climbers To Burpee

  1. Start in high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers.
  2. Hold this high plank position, maintaining a straight line with your body, gaze slightly in front of you.
  3. Then perform 8 crossbody knee drives — pulling right knee towards left elbow and left knee towards right elbow. Repeat this motion at a rapid pace, as if ‘running’ in a plank position.
  4. Then, step or jump your feet up to meet your hands to perform a burpee. Explode up, sending your arms overhead and jumping high.
  5. Land softly and step or jump your feet back to find high plank position and repeat the sequence.

Modification: Option to make this low impact by slowly performing the crossbody mountain climbers, then stepping the feet in and standing tall for the burpee.

Seated Reverse Crunch

Targets: The rectus abdominis (your ‘six-pack abs’), deep transverse abdominals, upper abs, lower abs and obliques.

woman performing a seated reverse crunch

How To Do A Seated Reverse Crunch

  1. Start in a seated position, sitting back on your sit bones with your hands behind you, resting your palms lightly on the ground for balance support. Slight bend in the elbows, fingertips facing your butt.
  2. Pull your legs in towards your chest, knees bent at a 45-degree angle and lift the heels off the mat.
  3. Send both legs long, extending them as far away from your body as possible. As you do so, lean back a bit keeping the core engaged.
  4. Then, pull the legs back in towards your chest.

Modification: Option to rest your feet on the ground and alternate sending one leg long at a time.

Plank Jacks And Standing Jumping Jacks

Targets: Full body with an emphasis on the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, obliques, hips and back muscles.

woman performing two high plank jacks to two standing jumping jacks

How To Do Plank Jacks And Standing Jumping Jacks

  1. Start in high plank or push-up position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers.
  2. Hold high plank as you “jack” your feet out wide, then “jack” them back to center. Repeat for a second plank jack.
  3. Then, step or jump your feet up to meet your hands to perform two standing jumping jacks. “Jack” your feet out wide, raising your arms overhead. Then “jack” them back to center dropping your arms to your sides. Repeat for a second standing jumping jack.
  4. Then, drop to the ground, jumping your feet back to find high plank position and repeat.

Modification: Option to make this low impact by stepping your feet out rather than “jacking” them out.

Plank And Crossbody To Center Knee Drive

Targets: Arms, shoulders, back, legs, glutes, quads, abs, obliques and core.

woman performing a crossbody to center knee drive from a high plank position

How To Do A High Plank And Crossbody To Center Knee Drive

  1. Start in high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists, weight evenly distributed amongst all 10 fingers.
  2. Hold this high plank position, maintaining a straight line through your torso, gaze slightly in front of you.
  3. Perform a crossbody knee drive by pulling the right knee in to meet the left elbow.
  4. Then pull the right knee across your body to meet your right elbow.
  5. Send the right knee back to find high plank again.
  6. Repeat on the opposite side, performing a crossbody knee drive by pulling the left knee in to meet the right elbow.
  7. Then pull the left knee across your body to meet your left elbow before sending the left knee back to find high plank.

Squat Inner Heel Tap

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, quads and core muscles.

woman performing a squat and inner heel tap

How To Do A Squat And Inner Heel Tap

  1. Start in a standing position, feet hip-width apart or slightly wider, core engaged.
  2. With chest up, lower down into a squat, pushing your hips back and down until your hips align with your knees (making a 90-degree angle with your hips and knees). Knees push out towards your outer three toes.
  3. Then drive through your heels with power, performing a small jump as you squeeze your glutes to stand tall. As you stand tall, kick your right foot up so your leg from knee to heel is nearly parallel with the floor. Tap the right heel with your left hand.
  4. Drop the right foot back to the ground and repeat the squat to heel tap, this time tapping the left heel with the right hand.

Modification: Option to make this low impact by removing the hop and performing a standard air squat and heel tap.

Advanced Clamshell

Targets: Gluteus medius (which lays on the outer edge of the buttocks and is responsible for stabilizing your pelvis), gluteus minimus (hip extension), obliques and core.

woman performing an advanced clamshell

How To Do Advanced Clamshell Or Modified Side Plank Clamshell

  1. Lie on one side, with legs stacked and knees bent at a 45-degree angle, soles of the feet to touch.
  2. Rest on the forearm of the lower arm, shoulder stacked over elbow.
  3. Exhale to engage the core and stabilize your spine and pelvic floor.
  4. Keeping your feet touching, use your outer glutes and hips to lift your rest hip off the floor. Simultaneously as you lift your hips off the ground open your legs; raising your upper knee as high as you can without shifting your hips or pelvis (mimicking a clamshell opening).
  5. Pause, and hold at the top of the movement for a moment. Then return to the starting position.

Lateral Heisman Runner

Targets: Legs, core, hip flexors, and glutes.

woman performing a lateral heisman runner

How To Do A Lateral Heisman Runner

  1. Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width distance apart, knees slightly bent.
  2. With control, spring off of your left foot to your right foot, landing softly on your right foot.
  3. Shuffle to the right side of your mat by bringing the left foot to center as you bring the right foot up again. Then spring off the left foot again, raising your left knee above hip level as you drive your right arm forward.
  4. Immediately reverse the lateral shuffle, springing to your left.
  5. Continue alternating sides, never letting both feet touch the floor at the same time.

Single Sided Crunch

Targets: Lower abs and obliques.

woman performing a single sided crunch

How To Do A Single Sided Crunch

  1. Lie flat on the floor on your back, fully extending both legs long at a 45-degree angle. Keep the lower back pressed firmly into the mat.
  2. Pull your extended left leg in towards your body as you perform a crossbody crunch bringing your left knee to meet your right elbow. Twist the torso slightly but keep the left shoulder on the mat.
  3. Send the left leg long again and repeat.

Modification: Option to keep the right foot flat on the ground.

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2 comments
  1. Hello! First off, thanks for everything you do! Ive been working out with you for 14 months and have now been at my goal weight for about 7 months. I know everyone is different, but can you tell me about how many calories are burned on average in this workout? Or maybe what you burn in this workout? Thank you!

    • Hi, Claire! Thanks for putting the workouts to such good use! You’re correct – calorie burn varies a ton person to person based on a lot of different things, but on average it’s around 250-350 calories per workout for me personally. Keep up the awesome work!! -Lindsey