If you don't feel like heading out for a run, paying for an indoor cycling class, or trekking it over to your gym for a swim, you can still get in a heart-pumping, muscle-burning cardio workout at home, at the office, in your hotel room, while visiting your in-laws — or wherever you are — with this five-minute, five-move circuit. These five bodyweight cardio exercises will also tone your arms, core, butt, and legs, which is an added bonus.
Directions: Perform the first move for 40 seconds, then take a 20-second rest. Perform the next move for 40 seconds, take a 20-second rest, and so on, until you complete all five moves. Perform this five-minute circuit for a total of four to six times, depending on how much time you have.
Burpees
- Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
- Do a squat thrust by jumping your feet back into a plank position.
- Do one basic push-up, bending the elbows and then straightening back to plank.
- Jump the feet forward to the hands, and come into a squat.
- Do an explosive jump straight up, getting as much height as you can.
- Complete as many burpees as you can for 40 seconds.
- Take a 20-second rest.
Jumping Lunge
- Stand with your feet staggered, your left foot slightly in front of your right. Making sure you're not too stiff, keep your stance active with your knees bent in a slight but not full lunge.
- With your core engaged, push off the bottom of both feet into a jump, switching the position of your feet in midair, landing in a basic lunge with your right leg in front.
- Without rest, repeat this movement, alternating which leg is in front. This completes one rep.
- Perform as many reps as you can for 40 seconds.
- Rest for 20 seconds.
Plank With Bunny Hop
- Begin in a plank position with your feet touching.
- Pull your abs in, and jump your feet to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow. Your torso will twist to the right.
- Jump your feet back to plank.
- Jump your feet to the left, then jump back to plank to complete one rep.
- Do as many reps as you can for 40 seconds.
- Rest for 20 seconds.
Around-the-World Squat Hop
- Before you start this move, visualize a large square on the floor and you're standing in the bottom right corner, feet hip-distance apart.
- Keeping weight in the heels, bend the knees and squat down. Take a huge jump forward to the top right corner of that imaginary square, landing quietly back into a squat.
- Keep going around the square, jumping to the left, jumping back behind you, and jumping to the right. Now you're back where you started.
- Reverse your jumps around the square in the opposite direction.
- Perform as many jumps as you can for 40 seconds.
- Take a (well-deserved) 20-second rest.
Cross Jacks
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and extend your arms straight out to either side with palms facing down.
- Jump and cross your right arm over your left and your right foot over your left. Jump your legs to the sides and open your arms, then cross with the opposite arm and foot.
- Perform as many cross jacks as you can for 40 seconds.
- Rest for 20 seconds.