Cardio Workout: No Treadmill Required

Cardiovascular fitness is one of the essential fitness components. Cardiovascular fitness helps improve your brain function and sleep, helps lower blood pressure, strengthens your heart and helps burn fat.

Make an impact in your cardiovascular fitness with these four moves. All you need is a step!

Warm-Up

Bodyweight Squat

• Begin standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Sit your hips back and down and bend at your knees to squat. Stop your hips at knee height.
• Press through the floor to stand.
• Repeat for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat once more.

Plank Step Jack

• Place your hands underneath your shoulders on the ground.
• Place your feet on the ground so that the step is straddled in between your feet.
• Jump or walk your feet up on the step.
• Jump or walk your feet down to the ground to the starting position.
• Repeat for 30 seconds, rest for 30 seconds, and repeat once more.

Workout

Lateral Straddling Toe Tap

• Stand on the ground so that your feet are straddling the short end of the step.
• Tap your right toe on top of the step. Move up slightly to travel the length of the step.
• Tap your left toe on top of the step. Continue alternating tapping the top of the step while traveling forward and backward along the length of the step.
• Perform for 30 to 45 seconds. Rest 30 to 45 seconds. Do three to four sets.

Fixed Lateral Bench Jump

• Stand on the ground close to the long end of the step. Place each hand on the front corners of the step.
• Keep your hands on the step as you jump your feet to the other side of the step.
• Jump back to the starting position. Continue jumping side to side, keeping your hands on the step the whole time. (Your back should be flat.)
• Perform for 30 to 45 seconds. Rest 30 to 45 seconds. Do three to four sets.

Diagonal Up and Over With Backward Run

• Keep the step on your right side.
• Stand on the ground beside the back left corner of the long end of the step.
• Step on top of the step with your right foot onto the middle of the step.
• Step on top of the step with your left foot onto the middle of the step.
• Step down with your right foot on the front right corner of the step.
• Step down with your left foot on the front right corner of the step.
• Run backward to the end of the step. The step should now be on your left side.
• You should now be standing beside the back right corner of the step.
• Step on top of the step with your left foot onto the middle of the step.
• Step on top of the step with your right foot onto the middle of the step.
• Step down with your left foot on the front left corner of the step.
• Step down with your right foot on the front left corner of the step.
• Run backward to the end of the step. The step should now be on your right side.
• Continue for 30 to 45 seconds. Rest 30 to 45 seconds. Do three to four sets.

Forward and Backward Leap Frog

• Stand on the ground so your feet are straddling the step. Place your hands on the step.
• Jump your feet forward. Stand in an athletic stance.
• Place your hands on the step. Jump your feet back.
• Continue for 30 to 45 seconds. Rest 30 to 45 seconds. Perform three to four sets.

Cool-Down

Raised Pigeon Stretch

• Place your right leg on top of the step so that your shin is parallel to the long side of the step and you have a 90-degree angle at your knee.
• Your left leg will be behind you.
• Lean forward to feel the stretch in your hips and glutes.
• Hold 30 seconds.
• Repeat with your left leg.

Photo credit: Tassii, Getty Images
GIFs: Tom Casey, box24studio.com
Model: Brooke Walsh, 24 Hour Fitness