When It's Raining or Too Hot to Run Outside, I Do These 23 Indoor Cardio Exercises

Updated on 6/25/2020 at 11:40 AM

POPSUGAR Photography | Matthew Kelly

Warmer weather has inspired me to get back into running outside — every summer, I'm reminded how amazing the sun and breeze feels on my skin. But if it's too chilly in the morning, too hot, too humid, or it's raining, I lose all motivation and keep my workout inside instead.

My outdoor runs are usually an hour, but for these indoor workouts, 30 minutes is usually my limit. I still want to get my heart rate up and release endorphins, and these are the indoor cardio exercises I do. Many are bodyweight-only moves, but some require minimal equipment so I keep a jump rope, plyo box (or sturdy coffee table), kettlebell, wall ball, and medicine ball on hand.

I choose six exercises (three cardio and three strength) and do them for 45 seconds with a 15-second rest; five rounds gets me to 30 minutes. I prefer the fresh air, gorgeous farm roads, and time alone on my runs, but it's good for my muscles and mind to mix things up!

Jumping Jacks

Jump your legs out as you bring your hands overhead, and then jump back to standing.

High Knees

Run in place while lifting your knees high to the level of your waist. Engage your abs as the knee comes up.
Pump your arms to warm up your upper body.

Lateral Bunny Hop

Make small jumps side to side as if you are jumping over an invisible line.
Keep your legs as close together as possible, and swing your arms to help you jump.

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, to complete one rep.
Complete the same number of reps on both sides.

Squat Jack

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and slightly turned out in a deep squat. Put your arms in a "goal post" position, with elbows bent and close to your thighs.
Jump up explosively, bringing your feet together and clapping your hands above your head. Keep your core engaged.
Jump your feet apart, landing with control, and lower your body back into the sumo squat position with hands up to complete one rep.

Plank Jack

Begin in plank position with your shoulders over your wrists, your body in one straight line, and your feet together.
Like the motion of a jumping jack, jump your legs wide and then back together to complete the rep. Jump as quickly as you want, but keep your pelvis steady and don't let your booty rise toward the ceiling.

Jump Rope

Grab a regular or heavyweight jump rope and do 300 jumps (called single-unders).

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 a 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. This completes one burpee.

Squat Thrust

Begin standing with the feet hip-distance apart.
Lower into a crouching squat with your hands on the floor.
Keeping the abs engaged, jump your feet back so you're in plank position.
Keeping the arms straight, jump your feet forward behind the hands.
Stand up to complete one rep.

Wall Ball

Stand in front of a wall holding your med ball with both hands in front of your chest.
Squat down low with your hips below your knees. As you straighten your legs, throw the ball up to a specific spot on the wall or a target, about eight to 10 feet from the floor. You want to use the power of your lower body to propel the ball up, coming onto the balls of your feet.
Keep your arms extended, ready to catch the ball after it bounces off the wall. This counts as one rep.

High-Knee Skips

Skip in place by hopping on your right leg while bringing the left knee up toward your chest. Engage your abs as the knee comes toward your chest.
Switch legs, and keep skipping while pumping your arms.

Mountain Climbers

Start in a traditional plank — shoulders over hands and weight in your toes.
With your core engaged, bring your right knee forward under your chest, with the toes just off the ground. Return to your basic plank. Switch legs, bringing the left knee forward.
Keep switching legs and begin to pick up the pace until it feels a little like running in place in a plank position.

Ball Slam

Stand with your feet shoulder-width distant apart with the medicine ball on the floor in front of you.
Squat down and pick up the medicine ball, keeping your head up and trying not to round the spine.
Stand up, lifting the medicine ball above your head, fully extending the arms straight above you.
Forcefully slam the ball down on the floor as hard as you can. If the ball is light enough, catch the ball as it bounces slightly off the floor.
This counts as one rep.

Squat Hop

Start in a squat with your feet set slightly wider than your hips and your hands clasped loosely at your chest.
Maintain the posture of the squat as you hop your feet off the ground a few inches. Land softly on the ground and deepen the squat, keeping your weight on your heels, to complete one rep.

Squat Jump

Start in a squat with your arms by your sides.
Swing your arms to the ceiling, and jump.
Land quietly as you return to the squat position. This completes one rep.

Russian Kettlebell Swing

Stand with your feet wider than hips-width apart, toes pointing out slightly. Squat down, and pick up a kettlebell with both hands. Allow it to hang between your legs.
With a flat back and your core engaged, inhale to bend the knees and push your butt back. The weight should be back in the heels so your knees are in line with the toes.
Keep your abs strong and arms straight. On an exhale, press into your feet, squeezing your legs and glutes as you aggressively explode up, extending through your hips and legs to stand, which drives the kettlebell to shoulder height.
Inhale and with control come back to the starting position, allowing the kettlebell to swing back between your legs.
This counts as one rep.

Ali Shuffle

Keeping your weight on the balls of your feet, scissor your legs front and back.
This is quick footwork, and it should be light and fast. Pump your arms to keep the speed of the feet up in tempo.

Box Jump

Stand with your feet slightly wider than hips-width distance apart in front of a sturdy box that's six to 24 (or more!) inches tall.
Bend your knees and swing your arms back.
Jump onto the top of the box with both feet, swinging the arms forward to give you a little momentum.
Step one foot at a time back to the floor or jump down softly with both feet.
This counts as one rep.

Medicine-Ball Clean

Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart and the med ball between your feet. I like to have the laces pointing up.
Bend your knees, and squat down, placing your palms on either side of the ball, fingers pointing down.
Keeping your arms long, in one fluid explosive motion, use the power of your legs and glutes to pull the ball up from the ground, straightening your legs, then quickly bend your elbows and rotate your fingers up as you squat down. I like to think about popping the ball up and then catching it as I squat down.
The ball is now at your chest in what we call a front rack position. Stand up to complete the rep.
Keep holding the ball and tap it down on the floor between your feet to start the next rep.

Sumo Squat Jump

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and slightly turned out, arms resting on your hips.
Bend your knees and plié, then jump up explosively. Keep your core engaged.
Land with control, lowering your body back into the squat position to complete one rep.

Cross Jack

Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and extend your arms straight out to either side, with your palms facing down.
Jump and cross your right arm over your left arm and your right foot over your left foot.
Jump your legs to the sides and open your arms, then cross with the opposite arm and foot to complete on rep.

Jumping Lunge

Stand with your feet together and your knees soft.
Jump and come into a lunge with your left leg forward.
Push off with both feet, jumping them together, then hopping into a lunge with your right leg in front. This completes one rep.

Side Skater

Start in a small squat.
Jump sideways to the left, landing on your left leg.
Bring your right leg behind to your left ankle, and don't let it touch the floor.
Reverse directions by jumping to the right with your right leg. This completes on rep.