10 Cardio Workouts on the Gym: From Easy to Intense

Have you ever ever felt bored or sick of the identical cardio routine? Reducing weight or getting in shape is not probably the most fun process. Between restrictive diets and the identical boring, monotonous cardio workouts, it may possibly be difficult to remain motivated. Running on the treadmill or riding the bicycle aimlessly will be brutally boring and sometimes doesn’t produce the outcomes you were hoping for. Finding the right combination of intensity and effectiveness is crucial when selecting a cardio routine. Depending on one’s body composition and goals, people can select high-intensity cardio (HIIT) or low-intensity cardio (LISS). In this text, we are going to offer you the ten best cardio workouts on the gym, from easiest/beginner-level to most difficult. 

Table of Contents

• Cardio Workout Basics: High-Intensity vs. Low-Intensity
• 10 Cardio Workouts
• Other Cardio Workouts
• Advantages of Cardio
• Cardio Suggestions
• FAQs

Cardio Workout Basics: High-Intensity vs. Low-Intensity

Cardiovascular exercise and cardio workouts generally fall into two categories: high-intensity interval training (HIIT) or lower-intensity steady-state (LISS) cardio. Your fitness goals will determine which cardio workouts to make use of in your fitness routine. 

One study compared the caloric expenditure of strength training, high-intensity interval training, and lower-intensity aerobic workouts on the treadmill and cycling for a similar duration. The outcomes showed that HIIT workouts burned significantly more calories than strength training, running, and cycling.¹ High-intensity workouts with periods of rest look like probably the most efficient option to burn calories quickly. 

Top 10 Cardio Workouts: Easy to Intense

An efficient cardio workout must have a warm-up, essential workout, and cool-down portions. On this section, we will provide you with ten workouts ranked from easiest to hardest. 

1. Brisk Walking/Light Bike Ride (Low Intensity)

Perhaps probably the most straightforward cardio workout of all – walking! You possibly can substitute the brisk walk for a light-weight bike ride, leisurely swim, or other low-intensity exercise. A brisk walk, or roughly 3.5 miles per hour, burns roughly 260 calories per hour for a 150-lb person. 

• Walk briskly (or light bike) outside or on a treadmill (or bike) at a gradual pace. 
• Concentrate on maintaining the identical speed the entire time. 
• 30-60 minutes
• Add an incline on the treadmill (or other resistance), or select a tougher walking route with hills/inclines for a sophisticated or harder option. 

2. Beginner Body weight Circuit

There are a number of more advanced circuits below, but this beginner body weight cardio workout is easy and effective. The nice part about body weight exercises is that you could do them anywhere, not only within the gym. After the warm-up, you complete one set of every exercise, then repeat two times for a complete of three rounds. To make this system tougher, try adding weights to the exercises, adding an extra exercise, or adding rounds to the circuit. 

• Warm-Up

• 5 minutes of brisk walking on a treadmill (2-3 MPH)

• Workout

• Jumping Jacks: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Hindu Squats: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Mountain Climbers: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
• Burpees: 3 sets of 5 reps

• Cool-Down

• 5 minutes of static stretching (full body)

3. Treadmill Intervals 

A basic treadmill interval workout is a wonderful introduction to HIIT. It is a straight-forward HIIT formatted workout that alternates light walking periods with bursts of all-out sprints. 

For a median treadmill, the next speeds ought to be used:

• 2-3 MPH = warm-up and cool-down speed
• 4-6 MPH = moderate jog
• 6-8 MPH = moderate/fast job at roughly 8-10 minute mile
• 8-10 MPH = HIIT goal speed 
• 10-12 MPH = extremely fast, for advanced runners

• Warm-Up

• 5 minutes of sunshine walking on a treadmill (2-3 MPH)
• 2 minutes of dynamic stretching (leg kicks, walking toe touches, knee grabs, trunk rotations, etc.)

• Workout

• Run for two minutes at a pace you possibly can comfortably run for five minutes. 
• 1 minute of sunshine walking. Keep your abs engaged, and take deep breaths to get your heart rate down.
• Repeat for five rounds and increase speed each round by 2-3 levels (2-3 MPH)

• Cool-Down

• 5 minutes of sunshine walking

4. 10-20-30

The ten-20-30 workout is a standard cardio template that will be adjusted for various difficulty levels. It involves 30 seconds of low-intensity exercise, 20 seconds of moderate-intensity, and 10 seconds of max-intensity, due to this fact “10-20-30”.

• Perform each exercise for 30 seconds at a moderate pace, then 20 seconds at a faster pace, after which 10 seconds at maximum effort. Rest for 30-60 seconds between exercises. Repeat for multiple rounds.
• Advanced Option: 40/20 (40 seconds work, 20 seconds rest)
• You possibly can select one exercise or do a circuit. 
• Sample exercises: Jump squats, plank jacks, bicycle crunches, jumping lunges, skaters, and high-knees. 

• Warm-Up

• 5 minutes of dynamic stretching

• Workout Circuit

• Low-intensity: 30 seconds of a light-weight jog
• Moderate: 20 seconds of a moderate run
• High: 10 seconds of max-effort sprint
• Repeat for 5-10 cycles

• Cool-Down

• 5 minutes of sunshine walking

5. Strength Training/Cardio Workout Circuit (and 30-30)

This routine combines body weight exercises with cardio exercises for an amazing workout. The study we referenced above showed that combining resistance training with cardio is the very best option to burn calories. This beginner-level workout will be made tougher by adding more exercise, using weights, or doing more rounds. Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds with minimal rest between exercises. Repeat for multiple rounds.

The 30-30 option is a sophisticated HIIT version of this workout. The 30-30 plan consists of 30 seconds at max effort of every exercise, followed by 30 seconds of energetic rest, resembling jogging in place or wall-sits. Repeat for rounds. 

6. Rowing Machine 1500 M Intervals

The rowing machine is probably the greatest cardio machines available, because it combines cardio with resistance training. The user grabs a bar from a seated position (like a cable row) and pulls their body towards their chest in a rowing motion. This works all the body, including arms, back, core, and legs. Make sure you keep your chest up and feet hip-width apart, and interact your entire body through the movement. The largest mistake people make is attempting to only use their arms. 

• Warm Up

• 5 minutes of light-moderate cardio on a treadmill/row machine

• Predominant Workout

• 200 M rows as fast as possible
• 100 M rows low-intensity resting period
• Repeat for five cycles

• Cool Down

• 5 minutes of sunshine cardio on a treadmill/row machine
• 5 minutes of static stretching (full body)

7. Bike/Burpee Ladder

This workout follows the ladder format, which is if you climb upwards or down in weight/reps/sets. For this workout, you begin at the highest of the ladder for distance traveled and reduce (go down) each round. At the identical time, you begin at the ground for burpees and climb up the ladder by doing more reps. 

• Warm-up
• 5 minutes of light-to-moderate cycling
• 2 minutes of lower body dynamic stretching
• Workout
• Round 1: 500m stationary bike as fast as possible, then 2 burpees
• Round 2: 400m bike as fast as possible, then 4 burpees
• Round 3: 300m bike as fast as possible, then 6 burpees
• Round 4: 200m bike as fast as possible, then 8 burpees
• Round 5: 100m bike as fast as possible, then 10 burpees
• Cool-down
• 5 minutes of sunshine cycling
• 5 minutes of static stretching

8. Tabata (HIIT)

Tabata is arguably probably the most famous HIIT workout, nevertheless it’s not for the faint of heart. It involves one full-body workout divided into four-minute blocks that blend maximum-intensity spurts of cardio and strength training with rest periods.

After you complete a four-minute cycle, take a break for a number of minutes, and you then can do one other Tabata cycle. The typical Tabata workout burns roughly 14.5 calories per minute, which ends up in roughly 280 calories for a twenty-minute workout. 

• Perform each exercise for 20 seconds at maximum effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for 8 rounds (4 minutes per exercise). 
• You possibly can select one exercise or alternate between different exercises.
• 4 minutes is the usual, but you possibly can work as much as 10 minutes. 
• 10 minutes = 20 sets total = 6.6 minutes of high-intensity work total
• Other exercises you need to use:
• Squat jumps
• Push-ups
• Burpees
• Mountain climbers
• Sprinting
• High knees
• Jump rope
• Box jumps
• Pull-ups
• Hindu squats

Tabata Workout: Repeat 8 Rounds

• Body weight squats

• 20 seconds of squats
• 10 seconds rest

• Push up

• 20 seconds of push-ups
• 10 seconds rest

• Burpees

• 20 seconds of burpees
• 10 seconds rest

• Mountain Climbers

• 20 seconds of mountain Climbers
• 10 seconds rest

9. StairMaster HIIT Intervals/Pyramid

The Stair climber machine is probably the greatest within the gym, as few can rival the full body sweat it produces. The stair climber can also be great for sculpting muscle by working the calves, quads, hamstrings, glutes, and hips. It is a highly advanced workout I even have used for cutting with excellent results. Fair warning – you will likely be dripping from every pore in your body, including your knuckles. 

• Warm Up

• Predominant Workout

• 1 minute of Level 10
• 30 seconds of Level 7
• 1 minute of Level 11
• 30 seconds of Level 8 
• 1 minute of Level 13
• 30 seconds of Level 9 
• 1 minute of Level 14
• 30 seconds of Level 10
• 30 seconds of Level 15
• 1 minute of Level 10
• 30 seconds of Level 14 
• 1 minute of Level 9
• 30 seconds of Level 13
• 1 minute of Level 8
• 30 seconds of Level 12
• 1 minute of Level 7
• 30 seconds of Level 11

• Cool Down

10. “Craziest Cardio Workout” (EMOM)

The “craziest cardio workout” was published in Men’s Health and went viral in 2015. It involves an intense circuit containing nearly all the very best cardio workouts. Each exercise within the circuit targets a distinct muscle, leading to a complete body workout. For the exercises that involve weights (or kettlebells), use a heavy weight that’s difficult to finish.

The routine uses a standard technique referred to as EMOM (every minute on the minute). That is if you start a recent exercise in the beginning of every minute and use the remaining time for rest, then repeat for various rounds. 

Other Cardio Workouts

The ten workouts above will be used exactly as is or as a template with various exercises. Another cardio workouts include:

• Dancing: Dancing is one of the vital fun ways to get your heart rate and blood pumping. Most gyms offer quite a lot of fun dance classes as a option to incorporate cardio into your fitness routine. Some popular classes include Zumba, Jazzercise, and Hip-Hop Abs. There are numerous difficulty levels and speeds, so there’s an option for everybody!
• Swimming: Swimming is probably the greatest cardio workouts since it has a low impact on the body and works all the body just by fighting gravity. One minute of fast swimming burns roughly 15 calories. It is also certainly one of the more fun and relaxing options!
• Jumping Rope: We included this in some circuits, but jumping rope is an entire workout. There may be a reason why boxers and other athletes swear by it – it is simple to do, and it’s effective. 
• Elliptical Machine: One of the popular machines within the gym, the Elliptical is an amazing low-impact alternative to running. It was designed to be an efficient full workout without putting pressure in your knees, hips, and ankles. A mean 180-lb male can lose roughly 500-600 calories per hour on an Elliptical. 
• Kickboxing: Kickboxing and other types of boxing or martial arts are great ways to burn calories. These workouts will be enjoyable and helpful because they teach self-defense while dropping pounds!

Advantages of Cardio

Among the health advantages of consistently doing cardio workouts include:

1. Cardiovascular health: The term “cardio” is derived from the Greek word for heart. Any sort of cardio exercise increases respiratory and heart rate, in addition to blood and oxygen circulation to the muscles. Remember, the guts is a muscle, so cardio workouts help to strengthen the cardiovascular system, making it easier to pump blood. 
2. Endurance: Cardio workouts improve your VO2 max, which is the speed at which your body uses oxygen during exercise. This implies your body can absorb and use oxygen more efficiently during cardio, so you possibly can workout longer. The improved oxygen efficiency and increased lung capability lead to greater endurance overall. 
3. Weight management: People do cardio workouts primarily to burn calories and check out to shed extra pounds. Cardio also helps boost metabolism, which allows the body to burn more calories at rest. This is the reason bodybuilders still perform cardio. 
4. Improved mood: Cardio workouts trigger the discharge of endorphins and other hormones that make you’re feeling higher. Cardio workouts are an amazing option to relieve stress, anxiety, and depression. This can also be why people confer with “runners high,” which is the euphoria of the endorphins. 
5. More energy: Regular cardio exercise helps improve circulation, allowing more oxygen and nutrients to travel through the body. Cardio also tires the body, which makes it easier to go to sleep and allows for a more restful sleep, which allows the body to get better higher. 
6. Brain/Mental health: Studies have shown that regular exercise improves cognitive function as a result of improved blood flow and synaptic activity.² Cardio workouts also help to enhance memory and focus while also protecting from neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s.
7. Overall quality of life: If you consistently do cardio workouts, you’ll slowly notice an improved quality of life. On a regular basis activities, like climbing the steps or unloading the groceries, grow to be easier as you increase your fitness level. Things like improved sleep, more energy, and improved mobility make every day life easier, while staying fit also helps prevent injuries, illnesses, and diseases.

Cardio Suggestions

On this section, we will provide you with some essential tricks to help maximize your cardio workouts. 

• Warm-Up: A correct warm-up is essential to a successful workout freed from injuries. Your routine should consist of dynamic stretching (energetic movements) that mimic what you will likely be doing (like arm swings if you happen to’re doing rows). You can even use exercise machines just like the treadmill or stationary bike, but work at a leisurely pace. 
• Start Small: For those who start with a too difficult workout, you may be setting yourself up for failure. For those who cannot complete the complete workout, make adjustments (less time, easier level, etc.) and slowly work your way as much as the finish. 
• Concentrate on Weight loss plan: Weight loss plan is arguably probably the most critical consider dropping pounds because your body must be in a caloric deficit. Eat a balanced eating regimen and check out cutting extra calories, like iced coffee or sugary snacks. This doesn’t suggest ravenous yourself – your body needs the right fuel to get you thru your workouts. 
• Get a Gym Buddy/Trainer: Having a gym partner or personal trainer to maintain you motivated and push you thru the times if you feel like giving up. A gym buddy also can hold you accountable for reaching your goals. 
• Stay Hydrated: Like all athlete, staying hydrated is significant for achievement and overall health. You need to be sweating an honest amount with these workouts, so replacing that and staying hydrated is crucial.

FAQs

On this section, we answer among the mostly asked questions related to cardio workouts on the gym. 

Besides running on the treadmill, what other kinds of cardio can I do?

One of the best cardio exercises include swimming, cycling, jumping rope, kickboxing, dancing, rowing, and the stair stepper. 

How much cardio do you have to do each week if you happen to are attempting to construct muscle? To shed extra pounds?

If you wish to gain size and add muscle, you must do low-impact cardio two to thrice per week, at the very least six hours other than lifting weights. To shed extra pounds, you want to discover a option to do cardio every single day. 

What’s the only best cardio machine for weight reduction and burning calories?

Studies have shown that running on the treadmill burns probably the most calories in comparison with an Airdyne air bike, stationary bike, rowing machine, stair stepper, and cross-country skiing simulator.³

What’s the very best cardio exercise for constructing muscle?

The Stair Master is an amazing cardio exercise that builds muscle. Stair steppers work the calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, and glutes. You possibly can make it harder by wearing a weighted vest or holding light dumbbells.

Outro

Finding the right cardio workout may require trial and error, but it would be extremely rewarding if you do. Most gyms have multiple machines that will be used for cardiovascular exercise, so don’t limit yourself to the treadmill or Elliptical. If you might have limited spare time and should be as efficient as possible, HIIT workouts are the very best option. If you might have joint issues and want to increase endurance, promote recovery, and burn calories over an prolonged time period, a low-intensity regular state (LISS) workout is best for you. Bodybuilders will use LISS through the off-season for overall health and to spice up metabolism, while they are going to use HIIT to chop weight during season prep. No matter where you’re in your fitness journey, we now have a workout plan choice to enable you to reach your goals. 

References

1. Falcone, Paul H., et al. “Caloric Expenditure of Aerobic, Resistance, or Combined High-Intensity Interval Training Using a Hydraulic Resistance System in Healthy Men.” Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 29, no. 3, Mar. 2015, pp. 779–785, https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0000000000000661.
2. Ferrer-Uris, Blai, et al. “Can Exercise Shape Your Brain? A Review of Aerobic Exercise Effects on Cognitive Function and Neuro-Physiological Underpinning Mechanisms.” AIMS Neuroscience, vol. 9, no. 2, 2022, pp. 150–174, https://doi.org/10.3934/neuroscience.2022009.
3. Zeni, A. I., et al. “Energy Expenditure with Indoor Exercise Machines.” JAMA, vol. 275, no. 18, 8 May 1996, pp. 1424–1427, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8618368/.