Photo: Ronald HN Tan / Flickr

Going to the gym can take up a lot of your time, especially when you include the time spent driving there and back as well as changing into suitable clothing and showering after. Not everyone has the time to do it regularly and a great alternative is to exercise at home. You do not necessarily need expensive gym equipment, either, and a simple cardio exercise might just do the trick.

What are cardio workouts?

Cardio is short for the term ‘cardiovascular’ which refers to your heart. Cardio workouts make your heart beat faster and keep it at this pace for a certain length of time. Cardio exercises include all aerobic exercises as well as jogging, running, swimming. This form of exercise is a great way to lose weight and also has many added health benefits such as increasing energy, reducing stress, boosting the metabolism and strengthening the heart.

Some easy cardio workouts

Often the best form of exercise resembles what we used to play as children. One of these is called the Invisible Jump Rope exercise. Start by standing with your feet in line with your shoulders and pretend that you are holding a rope with your hands and elbows at each side. Begin pretending to skip by swinging your arms in a circular motion while pushing your toes off the ground. Repeat this exercise for a specific amount of time. Another cardio exercise which has been inspired by children is the Hopscotch Drill. Begin with your feet in the same position as the last exercise and hop forward with every move. You can start by hopping onto the left leg, then hop forward and land on both legs. The next step is to hop forward onto your right leg before landing on both feet again. Continue doing this for a specific amount of time.

A great workout does not have to mean a trip to the gym. Next time you are feeling too lazy, instead of not going to the gym and sitting at home, why not bring the gym to where you are?

Tags: exercise, keeping fit