A lot of us are not that fond of doing tons of cardio to try to stay fit and trim.
What if you didn’t have to do a ton to get the results that you want?
Here are some great exercises that I use often to be a lean mean fighting machine!
#1 Burpees – the #1 overall total body exercise. A little will go a long way with this fun movement. You can work your arms, legs, abs, glutes and take that heart rate to another level. Here is a great list of fun workouts that just involve burpees. The best part you can do them anywhere.
#2 Jump Rope – Jump roping is a great cardiovascular exercise with just 10 minutes can feel like 45 on the elliptical. It gets the heart rate up and the blood flowing. Also, your rope is very easy to carry with you wherever you go. You can do workouts like max jumps in 5 minutes 1 minute rest repeat 4x. Or Tabata with the rope just to give you a couple of examples.
#3 Rowing: This is another cardio killer that doesn’t take much time to do a lot of good for you and your body! A Harvard University Study shows that a person weighing 185lbs can burn at least 377 cals in just 25 minutes of rowing (thats 13.5 per minute). The rower is great for your arms, legs, and back. It is also not so jarring on the hip like running can be !
#4 Kettlebell Swings: This little apparatus may seem small but it can do mighty things for your body! Not only will it send your heart rate up up up. Kettlebell brings definition in the back, the abs, and glutes. A study performed by University of Wisconsin people burned 20.2 calories a minute and their average heart rate was 93%. Here is a good video on how to do a proper Kettlebell swing …
#5 Tabata: This 4 minute heart rate blaster will not only stay in your time budget it will give you just the total body workout you are looking for. Tabata is 8rds (20 sec on 10 sec rest). You can do exercises like squats, pushups, mountain climbers, sit-ups, and burpees. This is one of the best fat burning exercises you can do ANYWHERE!
Happy Friday!
Fit Chic