Equipment-free cardio workouts that can be done at home while watching TV?

[Anonymous]

I want to start doing more cardio in my house. I'd like something I can do while watching a movie or TV but the only things I can think of involve investing more money than I can afford on a piece of equipment such as a treadmill.

Due to the low ceiling I have, jumping rope indoors and doing jumping jacks or anything else that involves jumping up and down is pretty much out of the question, so any suggestions?

When the weather warms up I'll be able to do stuff outdoors so this won't be an issue. But I want something I can do indoors where it's warm to tide me over for winter.

[Anonymous]

use one of those step boards they actually are a good work out and you can do it while watching TV and you can raise and lower the height and you can step across it and really get a good work out...and the board is really inexpensive.

[Anonymous]

Marching and running in place, you could get something to step up on, doesn't have to be a stepper be creative and look around your house.

[Asker]

You get BA for being the only person who read the whole question and suggested something that:

a) takes the low ceiling of my house into account

and

b) requires no equipment at all

[Opinion Owner]

Thank you :)

[rachiee]

Step up and down on something (like stairs). Jog in place. As long as you sweat and get your heart rate up you're working out.

[ASjun]

Try m-100s. I barely got to 70 my first time and was ready to throw up.

100 reps in total all continuous

Squat thrust -- 10 reps

Mountain Climber -- 10 reps (counting 1-2-3-ONE-1-2-3-TWO)

Squat Jump -- 10 reps

[Asker]

Tried it. Its definitely killer. But the super low ceilings in my house make the squat-jumps not doable. In fact really anything that involves jumping is out of the question...

[wordsOFwisdom]

No matter what you do, if your pulse is up and your sweating, it's exercise! If your trying to loose weight-it's all what you eat.

[wordsOFwisdom]

walk up and down stairs, Try calisthenics. link

[Asker]

The resistance training portion is already taken care of. I belong to a gym where I go for my resistance training. The problem is that because I commute by bus and am subject to bus schedules I do not have enough time after finishing my weights workout to stick around for the cardio or else I miss my bus home. So I'm looking for cardio that can be done at home (preferably while watching a movie or TV show) to supplement my gym resistance workout.

[wordsOFwisdom]

I forget what its called but you act like your doing a pushup, then swing your legs forward and stand up...do that over and over...

[wordsOFwisdom]

Get some kind of step (stack of big books) and do lunges. Lunges are awesome and really get you sweating!

[Asker]

Burpee.

[wordsOFwisdom]

YES! there you go!

[Asker]

I tried doing them and mountain climbers in conjunction with one another but the intensity was too much to be able to sustain it for 30 minutes which is my goal: something I can sustain for 30 minutes.

[martyfellow]

Isn't there a garage, or a commons room if you're in a condo? Somewhere where you'd be sheltered from the cold?

[Asker]

house, not condo. I have a garage but with the car in there there's no room to work out. in any case the house has stupidly low ceilings that make it impossible to do any exercise that involve jumping (for my height anyway). in fact I can reach up and touch the ceiling without even locking my elbows.

[martyfellow]

Only solution is to move the car outside, put a portable heater in the garage, put down a mat, and you're all set.

[kheserthorpe]

Are you trying to do HIIT or steady state work? (both have their place, but achieve different goals)

[Asker]

Steady state, something I can sustain for roughly 30 minutes.

[kheserthorpe]

You in a house or an apartment?

[Asker]

house. I don't have anyone below me to worry about. the only issue is head room. I'm 5'10" tall and the ceiling is so low that if I reach up I can touch the ceiling without standing on my toes. So doing jumping jacks or anything else that involves jumping is out of the question.

[xzinax2]

step aerobics is fun,indoors,and it's not difficult

[Anonymous]

Burpees, box jumps, and leg tuck jumps are a good cardio workout that you could do indoors with low ceilings.

Jumping Jacks are useless.

[raptor]

mountain climbers come to mind.