Best Types of Cardio Exercises for Indoors and Limited Living Spaces

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Our bodies need to exercise from time to time to help develop our strength and endurance. Regular exercises help the heart, mind, and body stay healthy. It strengthens the heart and improves blood circulation, reducing the risk of heart diseases. Now that most people stay at home due to the pandemic, it is more convenient to do regular exercises indoors. Aside from keeping yourself safe, you will also be more comfortable doing workouts at home. Your time would be flexible because you can do exercises on your preferred schedule, too. The only issue with indoor exercising is the limited space that people have. There could be no allotted area for your regular workout sessions. To resolve this, it would be important to know various exercises or workout routines that can be performed within a small space, whether you have workout equipment or not. Here are some of the best cardio exercises you can do in your living space.

Cardio Exercises With Equipment

Cycling

Indoor cycling is one of the most common cardio exercises done by people who want to stay fit even when at home. Cycling burns belly fat quicker than you’d expect it to since it utilizes most of the major muscle groups in the lower body. It also doesn’t put too much strain on the body. Most athletes recovering from injuries usually start with cycling as a form of rehabilitation exercise.

Older people also prefer this type of exercise since it does not put too much strain on their joints since the circular motions of cycling follow the natural movement of the knee joints and ankle joints. The pacing of this exercise can also be adjusted depending on the person. It can be fast-paced for more athletic people, or it can be slow-paced for people just looking to exercise a bit and get their blood pumping. 

Cycling can be done at home due to innovation efforts in health and lifestyle.

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Indoor cycling can be done using exercise bikes or stationary bikes. Exercise bikes are exercise equipment that simulates the motions of cycling, and most of these bikes come with technological features that can track the distance traveled cycling speed and even the amount of calories the user has burned. Most exercise bikes have adjustable handles and seats that can adjust the position when cycling. Having one of these will be a great addition to your home and improve your healthy lifestyle. 

Jump rope

Jump rope exercises are also one of the best cardio exercises that anyone can do. This exercise is usually done as a warm-up or training to improve rhythm and body coordination. This also helps in strengthening the ankles and knees since the exercise consists of repetitive, low-impact jumps. It is also very convenient for people with limited spaces since the exercise can be done while staying in place. 

A jump rope can be used for cardio exercises.

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To perform jump rope drills, all that is needed is a jump rope. A jump rope consists of a long piece of rope that is light and is approximately longer than your height, and it has two handles at both ends. A makeshift jump rope can be made with other materials that are light, durable, and flexible. Then, perform jumps in different rhythms or try alternating the jumping feet, adding variety to the exercises. Do this for an hour, and you will surely be sweating at the end of the routine.

Boxing

Boxing is also a good form of cardio exercise that utilizes the whole body. Some people think that boxing only exercises arm muscles, but there is more to boxing than just punching. Boxing also exercises the lower body since footwork and weight shifting are used during this exercise. This puts a strain on lower body muscles, especially the knees, so it helps develop the joints around that area. Boxing also helps develop the upper body, especially the chest, back muscles, and shoulders, since the strength from punching comes from these muscle groups. Boxing as a cardio exercise is done over an hour and at a steady pace, which helps the blood flow and the lungs to manage breathing consistently.

Different sizes of punching bags can be used for boxing exercises.

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Boxing exercises can be done by individuals at home using a punching bag. There are good-quality punching bags that can be bought online as well. This setup takes up minimal space, and it can be done in small condominium units as well.

Cardio Exercises Without Equipment

Burpees

For people looking to get some cardio exercises in their free time without spending money on exercise equipment, doing burpees is one of the best solutions! Burpees is a form of full-body exercise that utilizes the legs, arms, and upper body muscles. This exercise can be done with several variations, such as adding push-ups and jumps to increase the utilization of the whole body. Doing burpees for a long time can be a great alternative for aerobic exercise since it will greatly increase your lung capacity as you breathe harder for a longer period. This is also a great exercise to perform in the morning as you wake up, and it only takes a small amount of space since you will just lean forward and jump in a fixed position. Burpees can also burn a lot of calories if done correctly, so it is a great exercise for people of all ages and sizes.

Mountain climbers

Another cardio exercise that you can do without equipment is the mountain climbers exercise. This exercise is done in a leaning facedown position while the legs are brought up to the chest alternatively. This is done in short intervals while maximizing the repetitions to ensure that your body will be experiencing a strenuous workout. This workout will surely develop the core muscles since these muscles are holding the center of mass of your body for a long period. It is a great workout for the abdominal muscles, and it improves breathing as well. This exercise can be done on the floor, so it does not take up much space, and it does not require any equipment, but a foam ma can help cushion your body while doing this exercise.

Cardio Exercise With or Without Equipment

Running, jogging, or walking

Running, jogging, and walking are also great cardio exercises that enhance the body’s endurance, stamina, and lung capacity. Running outdoors is great, but for some people who are stuck in their homes, they can always do the alternative and try simulating running exercises by running back and forth or jogging in place. 

For limited indoor spaces, jogging in places is also a great form of cardio exercise because it keeps our leg muscles active while keeping the heart rate and breathing rate up. Doing this for almost an hour can bring great results to our overall fitness. It has several benefits, including increased stamina, higher metabolism, better blood pressure, and it helps in burning calories daily. This exercise is also great if you don’t have any gym equipment to use.

Additionally, if you want to upgrade your jogging exercises, having a treadmill will be a great help to your daily routines. If you live in condo units with treadmills for its occupants, that would be great because you can utilize these working equipment. If not, you can purchase a good quality treadmill for a fair price and put it in your unit. When using the treadmill, you can adjust the speed of the machine to suit your pace. A slow setting will let you take walks as your exercise, and a faster setting will help you maintain a constant speed while jogging.

Exercising can be done with or without the help of gym equipment. With the proper knowledge of different cardio exercises that you can perform using only your body or with the use of exercise equipment, you can achieve a healthy body even if you have limited resources. Always try to exercise daily and maintain your fitness even while staying at home!

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