Photo: mikebaird / Flickr

Everybody wants a fantastic body, but getting to gym is impractical for many of us. The primary reasons for this are either financial, since gyms are rather pricey, or practical, since we don’t have the time to make the up-and-down trip to the gym. Here are a few super simple cardio home workout exercises you can do today. These will not only make you feel more comfortable with getting into shape, but you’ll have full control over how and when you do them.

Run!

Jogging, walking, running, and most any other exercise that includes sporting running shoes and matching them with basic locomotion doesn’t require a gym. Seriously, just hit the pavement and start slow, depending on your fitness level. Instead of pushing yourself to go a little faster, start by pushing yourself to go a little further. Build your stamina first, and once that’s up, you can add a sprint element to your workout. Seriously, running is the timeless gym-free workout.

Bear in mind that if you’re trying to build muscle, you want to sprint in short bursts, whereas if you’re looking to be lean and fit, jogging long distances is the exercise best suited to you. Running is still one of the best home workout exercises because, well, it gets you off your backside and has you moving and everybody can do it!

Body weight exercises

The pushup is widely recognized as the best upper body exercise in the world. It works almost every part of your upper body, while also working your lower body, and it relies entirely on the resistance provided by your own weight.

But using your own weight for resistance as a primary means of home workout exercises doesn’t stop at the push up. There are obvious exercises like crunches and sit ups, but if you’re looking for a dynamic, powerful mass-based workout, try doing a set of burpees and high intensity box jumps to get as complete a workout as possible. Women’s Health Magazine has a perfect guide on a full home workout routine.

Always track progress

Working out is reliant on you measuring your progress, and using it as a reference for pushing yourself harder in feature. If you run a certain distance, go further next time. If you do a set of reps, do more next time. Fortunately, handy devices like sports watches and smartphones that can help you track your performance as you go along with your home workout routine and home workout exercises.

Tags: exercise, running