Cost is one of the biggest obstacles people have when trying to improve their cardiovascular fitness. They’re willing to do the work but simply can’t afford to purchase an exercise bike, treadmill or gym membership. The good news is that cardio doesn’t have to be expensive and many cardio exercises require no equipment at all. This post will list five of the top no equipment cardio exercises you can use to boost your fitness on a budget.

1 – Burpees

Burpees are an intense, full body cardio exercise that work all your muscles and burn off 545 calories per hour. To perform burpees, follow the instructions below:

1. Bend your legs and place your hands on the ground so that they are parallel with your chest and a shoulder width apart.
2. Kick your legs out behind you, tighten your core muscles and keep your back straight.
3. Slowly bend your arms and lower your body down toward the ground, stopping when your nose touches the floor.
4. Slowly straighten your arms and raise your body back up.
5. Kick your legs in toward your stomach, bring your hands off the floor, straighten your legs and jump straight up in the air.
6. When you land, repeat steps 1-5 for as many repetitions as you can manage.

2 – Jogging

Jogging is a simple but effective cardio exercise that works off 462 calories per hour. It allows you to top up your vitamin D levels and enjoy nature while boosting your cardiovascular fitness at the same time. In addition to this, it’s highly beneficial for your mind with research suggesting that people who jog are calmer, happier and more relaxed.

3 – Jump Squats

Jump squats are a fun cardio option that build up your legs and butt. They’re one of the best calorie burners on this list with an hour of jump squats blasting through an impressive 900 calories.  To perform jump squats, follow the instructions below:

1. Stand with your feet a shoulder width apart.
2. Bend your legs and lower your body down until your butt is parallel with your knees.
3. Straighten your legs and raise your body back up to the starting position, then jump in the air as high as you can.
4. When you land, repeat steps 1-3 for as many repetitions as you can manage.

4 – Sprints

Sprinting is probably the most effective fat burning cardio exercise out there with an hour long session burning off a substantial 1,000 calories per hour. The fast paced nature of sprinting also makes it a perfect exercise for improving your balance, coordination, reflexes and speed.

5 – Walking

Walking is low impact, relaxing and can be enjoyed by everyone, regardless of their age or current level of fitness. An hour of walking uses up 240 calories and also allows you to enjoy nature and get some vitamin D.

Summary

If you want to fire up your cardiovascular fitness without investing a huge amount of cash, these five cardio exercises are just what you need. They’ll cost you absolutely nothing and you can start performing them right away. So give them a try, stick with the ones you like best and incorporate them into your lifestyle to enjoy optimal cardiovascular fitness on a budget.