Core & Conditioning

Cardio Exercises 15 Moves With How-To Steps

15 cardio exercises, from the rowing erg to the assault bike, with how to do each one. Filter by the equipment you have, then open any exercise for its steps.

15 exercises1 kind of equipment

Photo: Steven Lelham on Unsplash

Cardio
Steps and tips
Riding a fan bike where your arms and legs both drive the resistance. The harder you go, the harder it pushes back.
How to do it
1. Set the seat so your leg is nearly straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
2. Grip the handles and start pedalling, pushing and pulling the handles with your arms.
3. Settle into the pace or intervals your workout calls for.
4. Log the time you rode.
Keep in mind
- Push with your legs and drive the handles with your arms. Both count.
- Sit tall rather than slumping over the handles.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Also works calves.
Skipping rope with the rope passing under your feet twice per jump. A skill that turns jump rope into hard conditioning.
How to do it
1. Hold the rope handles at your hips with your elbows in and start with single skips.
2. Jump a little higher and spin the rope faster with your wrists so it passes under twice before you land.
3. Land softly on the balls of your feet.
4. Keep going for the set time.
Keep in mind
- The rope speed comes from the wrists, not the arms.
- Jump just high enough. A huge jump wastes energy and breaks the rhythm.
Watch a demo on YouTube
Cardio
Steps and tips
Striding on the elliptical machine, with your feet on the pedals and your hands on the moving handles. Low-impact cardio.
How to do it
1. Step onto the pedals and grip the moving handles.
2. Set the resistance and incline, then start striding with a smooth motion.
3. Push and pull the handles with your arms as your legs stride.
4. Log the time you spent on it.
Keep in mind
- Stand tall and keep your heels down on the pedals.
- Enough resistance that you are working, not just moving.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Walking on a treadmill set to a steep incline. Easy on the joints and surprisingly hard on the legs and lungs.
How to do it
1. Set the treadmill to a walking speed and raise the incline, usually somewhere between 8 and 15 percent.
2. Walk with a natural stride, swinging your arms.
3. Keep going for the set time.
Keep in mind
- Hands off the rails. Holding on takes most of the work away.
- Lean slightly into the hill from your ankles, not your waist.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Running at an easy pace, outside or on a treadmill. The basic steady cardio exercise.
How to do it
1. Start with a few minutes of walking or easy jogging to warm up.
2. Settle into a pace where you could still speak in short sentences.
3. Keep going for the set time, then ease off to a walk to finish.
Keep in mind
- Easy means easy. Most jogging should feel comfortable.
- Short quick steps are kinder to the knees than long strides.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Skipping rope with one pass under your feet per jump. A simple conditioning exercise that also builds calf and ankle spring.
How to do it
1. Hold the handles at your hips with your elbows in, and stand on the balls of your feet.
2. Swing the rope over your head with your wrists and jump just high enough to let it pass under your feet.
3. Land softly and keep a steady rhythm.
4. Keep going for the set time.
Keep in mind
- Small jumps and wrist spins. Big jumps and arm swings tire you out fast.
- A rope that reaches your armpits when you stand on the middle of it is about the right length.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Pedalling a bike with a reclined seat and back support. The easiest cardio on the back and knees.
How to do it
1. Set the seat so your leg is nearly straight at the far end of the pedal stroke.
2. Sit back against the support and start pedalling.
3. Set the resistance and settle into the pace your workout calls for.
4. Log the time you rode.
Keep in mind
- Enough resistance that you are working. Spinning freely does little.
- Keep your knees tracking straight, not flaring out.
Watch a demo on YouTube
Cardio
Steps and tips
Rowing on the indoor rowing machine. A full-body cardio exercise driven mostly by the legs.
How to do it
1. Strap your feet in and grip the handle with your arms straight, knees bent, and shins vertical.
2. Drive with your legs first, then lean back slightly, then pull the handle to your lower ribs.
3. Return in the opposite order: arms straight, lean forward, then bend the knees.
4. Keep going for the set time or distance.
Keep in mind
- Legs, then back, then arms on the way out. Arms, then back, then legs on the way back.
- Slow on the return. Rushing back up the slide wastes the stroke.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Sprinting between two lines, touching each one and turning. Builds speed and the ability to change direction.
How to do it
1. Set two lines or cones a set distance apart, often ten to twenty metres.
2. Sprint from one line to the other and touch it with your hand or foot.
3. Turn and sprint back.
4. Repeat for the set number of lengths, and log the total distance.
Keep in mind
- Stay low going into each turn and drive out of it.
- Full rest between sets so every run is fast.
Watch a demo on YouTube
Cardio
Steps and tips
Pulling the handles of the ski machine down from overhead, like poling on cross-country skis. An upper-body driven cardio exercise.
How to do it
1. Stand facing the machine and reach up to grip both handles.
2. Pull the handles down hard, hinging at the hips and bending your knees as they come past your thighs.
3. Stand back up as the handles return overhead.
4. Keep going for the set time or distance.
Keep in mind
- Use your whole body. The pull comes from the lats and the hip hinge, not just the arms.
- Stand tall between pulls to get a full reach.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Riding a spin bike with a heavy flywheel, seated or standing. Hard cardio with no impact.
How to do it
1. Set the seat so your leg is nearly straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and the handlebars at a comfortable height.
2. Clip in or strap your feet in and start pedalling.
3. Adjust the resistance to the pace or intervals your workout calls for.
4. Log the time you rode.
Keep in mind
- Add resistance before standing up. Standing on a light flywheel is bouncy and hard on the knees.
- Keep your upper body relaxed and your grip light.
Watch a demo on YouTube
Cardio
Steps and tips
Running as fast as you can over a short distance, with full rest between runs. Builds speed and power.
How to do it
1. Warm up thoroughly with jogging, drills and a few faster strides.
2. Sprint the set distance at full effort, driving your knees and pumping your arms.
3. Walk back and rest fully before the next one.
4. Log the total distance you sprinted.
Keep in mind
- Never sprint cold. The warm-up is not optional.
- Full rest between runs. If you are still breathing hard, wait.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Climbing the revolving stairs of the stair machine. Hard cardio that works the glutes and legs.
How to do it
1. Step onto the machine and set a comfortable step speed.
2. Climb with your whole foot on each step, standing tall.
3. Keep going for the set time.
Keep in mind
- Hands off the rails, or resting lightly at most. Leaning on them takes most of the work away.
- Stand tall rather than hunching over the console.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Pedalling an upright exercise bike. Simple, low-impact cardio.
How to do it
1. Set the seat so your leg is nearly straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
2. Start pedalling and set the resistance to the pace your workout calls for.
3. Keep going for the set time.
Keep in mind
- Enough resistance that you are working. Spinning freely does little.
- Keep your knees tracking straight.
Cardio
Steps and tips
Running on a treadmill at a set pace. Steady cardio with the pace decided for you.
How to do it
1. Start at a walk or easy jog to warm up, and set a small incline of about one percent to match running outside.
2. Raise the speed to your running pace.
3. Keep going for the set time, then bring the speed down to a walk to finish.
Keep in mind
- Hands off the rails.
- Run in the middle of the belt with your normal stride, not shortened to stay near the console.
Watch a demo on YouTube