Why it rocks: Working the glutes and core, the kettlebell swing is wonderful at generating power in your hinge, she explains—it's low impact, but high reward! Why it rocks: It's a great warm-up move, especially if you have a hard time connecting your feet and ankles, Girard says.

Just make sure you don't lock out your knees. The pencil jump works the core, calves, and feet. Pro tip: To level up this move, put your arms overhead for a little more of a core challenge. Why it rocks: They work the shoulders, chest, triceps, and core, and build coordination and confidence in the upper body, Girard says.

Plus, they're always challenging! In terms of form, make sure the hands are planted under the shoulders so your neck doesn't become tense. Pro tip: Perform the move from your knees if a full plank is too challenging.

Level it up by adding a shoulder tap to work the core more. Why it rocks: It's a great warm-up move, working the hamstrings, calves, and core, Girard says. Why it rocks: The half get-up is incredible at strengthening core and shoulder stability.

However, the cardio benefits from it are more limited, Girard says. Why it rocks: A tuck jump has a lot of impact, "which is great for strong bones and joints, but also means these will be difficult to sustain to build up cardio endurance," Girard says.

That means you will really rev up your heart rate. Why it rocks: It trains your coordination and lateral movement, so feel free to modify it if you want, Girard says. Modify it: Perform traditional jumping jacks.

Why it rocks: The push press is super simple, but works your shoulders, quads, and core, Girard says. Why it rocks: While it won't get you the most out of breath, it will strengthen your quads and glutes, she adds. Pro tip: To add a variation, load one heavier weight either contralaterally opposite side or ipsilaterally same side to add core and stability training, Girard recommends.

Consider adding a hop at the top instead, for more power. Why it rocks: It's great for building mental skills while working multiple major muscle groups. Why it rocks: This plank move has all the benefits of a jumping jack with extra upper body and core work, so it trains your shoulders and core.

Modify it: Step your feet out side-to-side for less impact and more focus on the core. Why it rocks: Bear crawls are "great for a coordination challenge, and also help build ankle mobility, especially moving backwards," Girard says.

They work your shoulders, core, and quads. Why it rocks: This bear plank variation develops balance, stability, and major core strength, Girard says. It's especially beneficial for dancers or new parents who often carry their children at their hips. Why it rocks: First and foremost, the impact is good for our bone and joint health.

Pro tip: You can perform this move with or without an actual jump rope. The form is the same either way. If it feels like the benefits of cardio are endless, they kinda are, TBH. It's worth repeating the biggie boosts that come with these exercises, according to trainers. Outside of topics related to lifestyle, relationships, and dating, she also loves covering fitness and style.

In her free time, she enjoys lifting weights at the gym, reading mystery and romance novels, watching and critiquing! the latest movies that have garnered Oscars buzz, and wandering around the West Village in New York City.

In addition to Women's Health , her work has also appeared in Allure , StyleCaster , L'Officiel USA , V Magazine , VMAN , and more. Don't Miss Lululemon's 'We Made Too Much' Restock. The 20 Best Back Workout Moves For Women. New Balance Shoes Are Back In Style. The 17 Best Butt Exercises For A Super-Toned Tush.

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Below is a chart detailing a sample week of cardio workouts for a person who exercises six days a week. This is simply an example of how to incorporate different types of cardio workouts into a typical week.

Modify the workouts according to your own fitness level, time constraints, and preferences. Start slowly, if you're a beginner, and work your way up to this level of exercise. How much you need is based on a number of factors, including your fitness level, age, gender, and your goals.

Be sure to warm up before each workout and cool down after. Stay hydrated , and stretch after your workouts.

Cardiovascular exercise has many benefits beyond weight loss, such as improved heart health and decreased risk of chronic disease. If weight loss is not your primary goal, you can still garner the effects of these workouts. Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al.

Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. Ramakrishnan R, Doherty A, Smith-Byrne K, et al. Accelerometer measured physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the UK Biobank cohort study.

PLOS Medicine. Park I, Díaz J, Matsumoto S, et al. Exercise improves the quality of slow-wave sleep by increasing slow-wave stability. Sci Rep. Choi KW, Chen CY, Stein MB, et al. Assessment of bidirectional relationships between physical activity and depression among adults: a 2-sample mendelian randomization study.

JAMA Psychiatry. Wittfeld K, Jochem C, Dörr M, et al. Cardiorespiratory fitness and gray matter volume in the temporal, frontal, and cerebellar regions in the general population.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Messier SP, Mihalko SL, Beavers DP, et al. Effect of high-intensity strength training on knee pain and knee joint compressive forces among adults with knee osteoarthritis: the start randomized clinical trial.

Nystoriak MA, Bhatnagar A. Cardiovascular effects and benefits of exercise. Front Cardiovasc Med. Use limited data to select advertising. Create profiles for personalised advertising. Use profiles to select personalised advertising.

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We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article.

Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS. Day Intensity Length Sample Workouts Mon High intensity min Sprint interval HIIT workout Tues Moderate intensity min Brisk walking or jogging Wed Low to moderate intensity All day Use a pedometer and try to get 10, steps Thurs Moderate to high intensity min Treadmill workout Fri Moderate intensity min Cardio endurance intervals Sat Low to moderate intensity min Walking or a long bike ride Sun Rest All day None.

Also make sure to stretch your muscles to cool down after every run too. Running or jogging for 30 minutes a day, five days a week can lead to improved cardiovascular health and more endurance.

Once you start running regularly, you'll be able to go for longer runs without batting an eyelash. Squat jumps are a plyometric exercise that improve the strength in your legs and butt. They can also help improve your balance while raising your heart rate and encouraging a good sweat.

For squat jumps, form is important. Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Squat your butt down like you're about to sit on a chair. It's important that as your knees stay directly above your feet when you bend them. Don't let them go past your toes.

At the bottom of your squat, your thighs should be perpendicular to the floor. Engage your core and glutes to propel yourself back up and jump straight off the ground. When you land, gently sink into another squat and repeat. Squat jumps are great to do as part of high-intensity interval training.

They're also great to add to any other workout as a warmup. Do a circuit of 25 of them and then move onto something else. High-intensity interval training is a method of circuit exercising that involves short bursts of intense cardio or strength training and periods of rest. Many exercises can be done in HIIT, and this can improve strength and raise your heart rate to help your cardiovascular system.

Consider the exercises you want to do for HIIT. Perhaps it's running. To turn your run into a HIIT workout, you'd sprint for 30 seconds to a minute, and then jog or walk for 2 minutes.

Then sprint again, and walk again. You'd do this for a full circuit of 30 minutes or so. You can also do HIIT as a circuit of multiple exercises. You could include jumping jacks, burpees, mountain climbers and a number of other cardio exercises, interspersed with rest periods.

HIIT is a great way to have a variety of cardio exercises. Do HIIT for 30 minutes a day, five days a week. Dance is a great and fun way to get your heart rate up. It gets your blood flowing, which can benefit your heart, and it can help improve endurance. Plus, the beauty of dance is that it's what you make it -- you can go hard or do a more moderate workout with it.

What we love about dance is that there are no rules and no wrong way to do it. If you want an organized dance workout, you can look for a group fitness class in your area or even just a dance class.

Either way, you'll get a workout. If you want to dance at home, put on some of your favorite heart-pumping music and dance around your house. With any cardio exercise, minutes a week is a great baseline, so you can break that up however you want. Dancing for about 30 minutes a day, five days a week is optimal.

It's also a good idea to balance your cardio with some strength training for better fitness. Cycling is a low-impact aerobic exercise, meaning it's great for people who don't want to put too much pressure on their ankles and knees.

It gets your heart rate up and helps you build muscle and endurance, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Make sure your bike is set up properly, whether it's a traditional bike or a stationary bike.

You want the seat, pedals and handlebars aligned properly for your body so you don't strain your neck or back. Once properly set up, start at a leisurely pace to warm up your muscles.

Don't put too much pressure on your handlebars or you may strain your neck. Increasing pace or incline can work different muscles and raise your heart rate more, but you'll still get a great workout if you stay on a flat pace. Spend the last few minutes of your ride slowing down and make sure to stretch your muscles to cool down when you're done.

The Cleveland Clinic recommends minutes of aerobic exercise each week, so if you're choosing to do it all with cycling, you can accomplish that by riding for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

According to the Centers for Disease Control , swimming is a great low-impact aerobic exercise. Swimming is especially great for people with arthritis, as it doesn't put any added pressure on your joints while you exercise.

Whether you simply swim laps or take part in a water aerobics class, this is a good way to raise your heart rate -- and you don't have to worry about getting sweaty.

How you choose to swim for exercise is up to you. You can swim laps in a pool or you could find a group fitness class at your local gym or YMCA. These instructor-led classes will take you through various exercises in the water.

You can choose to get all your cardio through swimming by doing it for minutes per week or you can mix it up with your other workouts.

Consider swimming 30 minutes a day a couple days a week and filling in your cardio time with another activity like dance or running.

Rowing -- whether you're in a boat or on a rowing machine -- is an exercise that works your quads, glutes, arms, abs and more. It's low-impact and can be beneficial for some people with arthritis, as it provides a means to work out without adding pressure to the joints.

It will also get your heart rate up and can benefit your cardiovascular system as a whole. Using a rowing machine isn't exactly as easy as it looks, as your form is important. If you round your shoulders too much, it can put strain on your back. Sit in the machine and grab onto the handles.

You'll start with your legs bent and your feet on the foot pads. Extend your legs back, and as they extend, start to pull your hands back. When your legs are extended, start to sit back until your back is straight and pull the handles toward your lower chest. Keep your abs engaged and don't pop your elbows out to the sides.

You can add rowing into your HIIT routine by doing it for a minute interval and mixing it with another workout for a circuit.

Overall you should get about minutes of cardio per week, and rowing can be one piece of the puzzle. Elliptical training is another low-impact workout that's not too hard on your joints. It will elevate your heart rate and get you sweaty without putting pressure on your ankles and knees.

It works both your arms and legs and can also help burn calories and fat. The elliptical can be as intense or as easy as you'd like. Most ellipticals offer two ways to use them -- with or without the arms.

If you opt to do only your legs, step one foot onto each foot pad and hold onto the handles of the machine. You can either start moving your feet forward the machine will make them move in an elliptical motion or if you're using a machine with a screen, you can follow the intensity it gives you.

If you opt to use the arms as well, hold onto the arm bars as they move back and forth in coordination with your feet. If you're worried about your coordination level, start with your feet and add your arms later.

Make sure you stretch your muscles to warm up and then cool down with another stretch when you're done. But too many high-intensity workouts can lead to burnout , overtraining , or even injuries. The key to a well-rounded cardio program is to include all levels of intensity each week so that your workouts don't get stale and your body isn't always doing the same thing all the time.

Incorporating cardio workouts into your exercise regime can have many benefits and can lead to improved health and wellbeing. Cardio exercise is, as the name suggests, a way to benefit your cardiovascular system. Studies have proven that increased levels of exercise can benefit your heart and lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

A study even found that the benefits of physical activity on cardiovascular health are limitless. Study authors found that there is no threshold at which physical activity does not benefit the heart. Sleep and exercise are intricately tied together. You need good sleep to support exercise, and regular exercise leads to better sleep.

A study found that a minute cardio session can reduce the amount of time it takes a person to fall asleep and overall improves sleep quality. A scientific study explored the effect of physical activity and mood, and found that adding 15 minutes of vigorous activity such as running or 60 minutes of lower-impact activity such as walking can reduce the risk of depression.

Alongside physical benefits, studies have found that cardiovascular workouts also aid in brain health. A study reported that cardiorespiratory workouts — ranging from walking to running and biking — slow the reduction of brain gray matter volume, which happens naturally when we age.

By increasing cardio workouts, researchers concluded, study participants decelerated brain aging. When mapping out your weekly cardio workouts, you'll want to include three different intensity zones so you hit all your energy systems without overdoing it or spending too much time at an uncomfortable intensity which may turn you off of exercise.

You'll want low-moderate intensity workouts, moderate workouts, and high-intensity workouts. You should be able to talk easily. This type of workout could be:. Low-intensity exercises should be done at a casual or leisurely pace.

These can be great exercises for those with joint issues, as they generally do not put as much stress on your joints as high-intensity workouts. You should still be able to talk, with some effort. Examples of this type of workout:. By picking up the pace, you're able to level up the intensity.

When performing moderate intensity workouts, you should work up a sweat. Moderate intensity workouts can also be sports. Tennis, for example, can be a moderate intensity exercise which requires brief periods of quick movements or sprints.

You should have difficulty talking. High-intensity workouts pack quick movement into short bursts and are generally followed by periods of brief rest.

While higher in intensity, HIIT workouts tend to feature shorter moments of movement, but at increased power. You should be breathing hard when finishing a high-intensity workout session. To monitor your intensity , make sure you keep track of your target heart rate or use a perceived exertion chart.

Below is a chart detailing a sample week of cardio workouts for a person who exercises six days a week. This is simply an example of how to incorporate different types of cardio workouts into a typical week. Modify the workouts according to your own fitness level, time constraints, and preferences.

Start slowly, if you're a beginner, and work your way up to this level of exercise. How much you need is based on a number of factors, including your fitness level, age, gender, and your goals. Be sure to warm up before each workout and cool down after.

Stay hydrated , and stretch after your workouts. Cardiovascular exercise has many benefits beyond weight loss, such as improved heart health and decreased risk of chronic disease.

If weight loss is not your primary goal, you can still garner the effects of these workouts. Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. Ramakrishnan R, Doherty A, Smith-Byrne K, et al. Accelerometer measured physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the UK Biobank cohort study.

PLOS Medicine. Park I, Díaz J, Matsumoto S, et al. Exercise improves the quality of slow-wave sleep by increasing slow-wave stability. Sci Rep. Choi KW, Chen CY, Stein MB, et al.

If you only do slow workouts, you not only risk boredom, you may experience slower weight loss. Working harder forces your body to adapt by building more stamina while also burning more calories. But too many high-intensity workouts can lead to burnout , overtraining , or even injuries. The key to a well-rounded cardio program is to include all levels of intensity each week so that your workouts don't get stale and your body isn't always doing the same thing all the time.

Incorporating cardio workouts into your exercise regime can have many benefits and can lead to improved health and wellbeing.

Cardio exercise is, as the name suggests, a way to benefit your cardiovascular system. Studies have proven that increased levels of exercise can benefit your heart and lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases.

A study even found that the benefits of physical activity on cardiovascular health are limitless. Study authors found that there is no threshold at which physical activity does not benefit the heart.

Sleep and exercise are intricately tied together. You need good sleep to support exercise, and regular exercise leads to better sleep. A study found that a minute cardio session can reduce the amount of time it takes a person to fall asleep and overall improves sleep quality.

A scientific study explored the effect of physical activity and mood, and found that adding 15 minutes of vigorous activity such as running or 60 minutes of lower-impact activity such as walking can reduce the risk of depression.

Alongside physical benefits, studies have found that cardiovascular workouts also aid in brain health. A study reported that cardiorespiratory workouts — ranging from walking to running and biking — slow the reduction of brain gray matter volume, which happens naturally when we age.

By increasing cardio workouts, researchers concluded, study participants decelerated brain aging. When mapping out your weekly cardio workouts, you'll want to include three different intensity zones so you hit all your energy systems without overdoing it or spending too much time at an uncomfortable intensity which may turn you off of exercise.

You'll want low-moderate intensity workouts, moderate workouts, and high-intensity workouts. You should be able to talk easily. This type of workout could be:. Low-intensity exercises should be done at a casual or leisurely pace. These can be great exercises for those with joint issues, as they generally do not put as much stress on your joints as high-intensity workouts.

You should still be able to talk, with some effort. Examples of this type of workout:. By picking up the pace, you're able to level up the intensity. When performing moderate intensity workouts, you should work up a sweat. Moderate intensity workouts can also be sports. Tennis, for example, can be a moderate intensity exercise which requires brief periods of quick movements or sprints.

You should have difficulty talking. High-intensity workouts pack quick movement into short bursts and are generally followed by periods of brief rest.

While higher in intensity, HIIT workouts tend to feature shorter moments of movement, but at increased power. You should be breathing hard when finishing a high-intensity workout session. To monitor your intensity , make sure you keep track of your target heart rate or use a perceived exertion chart.

Below is a chart detailing a sample week of cardio workouts for a person who exercises six days a week. This is simply an example of how to incorporate different types of cardio workouts into a typical week. Modify the workouts according to your own fitness level, time constraints, and preferences.

Start slowly, if you're a beginner, and work your way up to this level of exercise. How much you need is based on a number of factors, including your fitness level, age, gender, and your goals.

Be sure to warm up before each workout and cool down after. Stay hydrated , and stretch after your workouts. Cardiovascular exercise has many benefits beyond weight loss, such as improved heart health and decreased risk of chronic disease. If weight loss is not your primary goal, you can still garner the effects of these workouts.

Garber CE, Blissmer B, Deschenes MR, et al. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: Guidance for prescribing exercise.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. Ramakrishnan R, Doherty A, Smith-Byrne K, et al. Accelerometer measured physical activity and the incidence of cardiovascular disease: Evidence from the UK Biobank cohort study.

PLOS Medicine. Park I, Díaz J, Matsumoto S, et al. Exercise improves the quality of slow-wave sleep by increasing slow-wave stability. Regular cardio exercise can also help you lose weight, get better sleep , and reduce your risk for chronic disease.

There are still plenty of cardio exercises you can do at home. Butt kicks are the opposite of high knees. Doing the crab walk is a fun way to get your blood flowing. It also strengthens your upper arms while working your back, core, and legs.

This cardio exercise is low impact and ideal for beginners. The sideways movement of this exercise mimics how a skater moves. For a challenge, add a jump when you move to the side. For a full-body workout, add in some jumping jacks. This classic move works your entire body while increasing your heart rate.

The regular squat is a bodyweight move that targets the lower body. By adding a jump, you can turn it into an explosive cardio workout. Lunge jumps, which combine jumps and standard lunges , will get your heart pumping. The box jump is a cardio exercise that targets your lower body, including your butt, thighs, calves, and shins.

This exercise is like a horizontal jumping jack. It forces your arms to support your weight as you quickly move your legs. Each exercise involves greater coordination and multiple body movements. The mountain climber is an intense full-body exercise. Plank ski hops, also called plank skiers, combine planks and rotational jumps.

The turning movement of the jump will challenge your strength and endurance. The diagonal jump takes the lunge jump to the next level. Rotational jacks combine jumps, squats, and body twists. Together, these movements will fire up your muscles and heart rate. During the inchworm, the motion of walking your hands and feet forward will put your heart and muscles to work.

To make it harder, do more than one pushup. You can also skip the pushup altogether for an easier move. They can offer guidance based on your health status and fitness level.

Cardio exercise keeps your heart, lungs, and muscles healthy. Just remember to warm up and start slow, especially when trying a new move. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Do these for 30 days straight or twice a week to see and feel a…. Sick of running? Try these effective cardio workouts to get your heart rate up instead. Cardio and weightlifting can help you lose weight and burn fat, but they may do so at a different pace and with different results.

Targeting heart rate zones as you exercise is one way to maximize the benefits you get from your workouts. Learn about your different heart rate zones…. There are several causes of numbness in your toes and feet when you run, ranging from poor-fitting shoes to health conditions like diabetes.

For people who run or do other aerobic exercises on a regular basis, starting up a low heart rate training program may be frustrating at first. The average 5K time depends on a few factors, including age, sex, and fitness level.