Cardio, short for cardiovascular exercise, is any activity that increases your heart rate. It strengthens your heart and lungs, burns calories, and lifts your mood by triggering the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals. Cardio exercises are also known to improve sleep, reduce stress, and boost your overall stamina. The beauty of cardio is that it requires minimal equipment – a resistance band, a skipping rope, a yoga mat, a yoga chair, and an inversion table are enough for a full-body workout.

Now, let us dive into 23 cardio exercises you can do at home with minimal equipment!

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1. Jumping Jacks

Stand straight with your feet together and hands at your sides. Jump up, spread your feet apart, and swing your arms above your head. Jump back to the starting position and repeat.

2. Spot Jogging

Stand in one place and jog. Swing your arms and lift your knees as high as you can.

3. High Knees

Similar to spot jogging, but lift your knees higher, aiming for waist height.

4. Mountain Climbers

Start in a plank position. Pull your right knee into your chest, then switch and pull the left knee in. Alternate as if you are climbing a mountain.

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5. Squat Jumps

Start in a squat position, explode upwards, and jump as high as you can. Land back in a squat and repeat.

6. Burpees

Begin standing. Squat down, place your hands on the floor, and jump your feet back into a plank. Jump your feet back towards your hands and stand up.

7. Jump Rope

Swing the skipping rope over your head and jump over it, landing softly on your feet. Repeat.

8. Skaters

Leap to the right, landing on your right foot and swinging your left foot behind you. Repeat on the opposite side.

9. Tuck Jumps

Jump as high as you can, pulling your knees to your chest while in the air. Land softly and repeat.

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10. Stair Climbing

Find a set of stairs and simply climb up and down. Be sure to keep a steady pace.

11. Shadow Boxing

In a fighting stance, throw punches into the air, as if boxing an invisible opponent. This is a great full-body workout.

12. Plank Jacks

Start in a plank position. Jump your feet out to the sides as if doing a jumping jack, then back to the starting position.

13. Donkey Kicks

Start on all fours. Kick one leg back and up, keeping your knee bent. Switch legs and repeat.

14. Fast Feet Shuffle

Stand with feet hip-width apart and run in place as fast as you can.

15. Kickboxing

Combine kicks and punches in a fast-paced sequence for a high-intensity workout.

16. Dancing

Put on your favourite music and dance. This will get your heart rate up and burn calories.

17. Pilates

Perform a series of low-impact flexibility and muscular strength-endurance movements.

18. Resistance Band Exercises

Use a resistance band to perform exercises such as squats, rows, or lunges, adding resistance to build strength.

19. Yoga Flow

Move through a series of yoga poses, keeping a continuous flow. This will increase your heart rate and flexibility.

20. Chair Aerobics

Use a yoga chair to perform seated exercises or as support for standing exercises.

21. Tabata Training

Perform an exercise at high intensity for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat for four minutes.

22. Circuit Training

Perform a series of exercises in quick succession, with short breaks in between.

23. Inversion Table Exercises

Use an inversion table to perform exercises such as inverted squats or crunches. This can help to improve posture and flexibility.

Summing Up