Ultimate 20 Minute Cardio Workout Guide | No Equipment Needed

Ever feel like you need a good cardio workout but don’t have the time?

Well, our new 20-minute routine will get your blood pumping and still fit into your day-to-day schedule! It consists of 5 different exercises that will burn calories and get you in top shape.

Who doesn’t have 20 minutes to spare throughout any given day?

The best part is this training plan is you can workout at home! Long commutes in traffic to the gym are a thing of the past. Try this workout 3-4 times per week. This will be sufficient to burn calories, burn muscle and still recover.

Time to cut the excuses and get down to work.

3 Minutes: Warm-Up

No matter what type of workout you are going to perform, warming up is a must. A proper warm-up gets muscles and joints ready for action. Consistent warm-ups will significantly reduce your chance of injury and keep you progressing towards your goal. You can’t lose weight if you get hurt!

Light Stretching

Start your warm-up routine with some light stretching. Spend about 2 minutes cycling through the following stretches:

• Arms across chest
• Quad stretch
• Hamstring stretch
• Foam Roll

This is not a comprehensive list of all possible stretches. Feel free to throw some of your favorite stretches into the mix to get you ready for training.

Running In Place

Now that you have stretched out all your major muscle groups, it’s time to get your heart rate up. Run in place at a moderate to fast pace for about 1-minute.

It is important to get your heart rate elevated before your workout even begins. Simple running in place is a safe and easy way to accomplish this.

Now you’re ready to train!

17 Minutes: Into The Workout

Perform each of the workouts in order using the specified technique and durations. These exercises are designed to effectively target nearly all major muscle groups in the body.

After 2 rounds, your 20-minute fat-burning workout is complete and you are ready for the rest of your day. During each round, be sure to take a 30-second break in between each exercise.

1) Hand Walkouts

Walkouts are a great way to build your core and overall upper body strength. This exercise targets your abdominals, chest, arms, and shoulders.

Walkouts are a variation on the static plank, which only targets the core.

Technique:

• Get into the starting position standing upright with right and left foot about shoulder-width apart
• Squat down and place your right and left hand on the floor by your feet
• Crawl out until you are in the plank position and have both legs straight behind you
• Reverse crawl back toward your feet and return to the standing position

Duration: 1-Minute

2) Hamstring Bridge

The hamstring bridge effectively targets…the hamstring. Additionally, this movement works the glutes and other stabilizing muscles in the posterior chain.

To increase the difficulty, you can utilize an exercise ball to elevate your feet and place additional stress on the hamstring.

Technique:

• Lay flat on your back with arms at your side and right leg & left leg extended in front of you
• Curl your right leg & left leg until there is a 90-degree angle between your shin and upper leg
• Ensure you have your feet hip-width apart to create a stable base and you keep your knees bent throughout the exercise
• Drive your hips toward the ceiling until your legs and upper body form a straight line

Duration: 1-Minute

3) Staggard Hands Push-Up

Push-ups are one of the most popular bodyweight exercises. Staggard push-ups are great variations that allow you to isolate your right arm and left arm separately.

Use this exercise to build explosive strength in your chest and triceps.

Technique:

• Drop into the push-up position with arms shoulder-width apart
• Keep your right leg & left leg straight out behind your body
• Stagger your hand position with one hand in front of the other
• Change hand position after each push-up to work both sides evenly

Duration: 1-Minute

4) Burpee

The burpee is a great exercise that works the entire body. From legs to chest, and arms nearly every muscle group is used.

By this point in the workout, your heart will be pumping. Time to push it into high gear and really burn some calories.

Technique:

• Start in the standing position with right and left arm straight overhead
• Squat down low enough to place both hands firmly onto the floor
• Kick your right and left foot backward putting you into the push-up position
• Drive your right and left knee back toward your feet and jump up off the ground to complete the rep

Duration: 1-Minute

5) Jumping Jacks

The first 4 exercises were great for strength building and stimulating muscle hypertrophy.

Now it’s time to burn out with jumping jacks. This exercise will work your shoulder and leg muscles. Push as hard as possible for 2-minutes to close out the round.

Technique:

• Start in a relaxed standing position
• Raise your arms and jump feet outwards landing in a wide stance with arms overhead
• Hop again back to the starting position with legs straight and arms at your side
• Be sure to keep your arms bent throughout the exercise

Duration: 2-Minute

Is 20 Minutes Of Cardio Each Day Enough?

20-minutes of cardio per day is a great start for most people.

Is 20-minutes of cardio per day enough for everyone? Well, that depends on your current activity and fitness levels.

If you have a job where you are constantly on your feet pouring concrete or doing heavy demolition, then you may not even need to perform any extra cardio.

However, if you sit hunched over a desk all day and rarely leave your chair then you certainly need to perform extra cardio. In this case, 20 minutes may not be enough. 40-60 minutes 3-4 times per week could be required for someone who lives a sedentary lifestyle.

The gold standard for a healthy lifestyle is about 10,000 steps per day. This level of daily activity is associated with increased longevity and overall health.

Which Cardio Burns The Most Calories? | HIIT Vs Steady State

HIIT cardio is the most efficient form of exercise. For workouts of equal duration, HIIT cardio will burn more calories than LISS cardio.

Both forms of cardio have advantages and disadvantages. HIIT cardio is a higher intensity form of exercise and is not for everyone. There is a higher chance of injury with HIIT cardio and requires a higher level of athleticism than most steady-state exercises.

The Bottom Line

It’s no secret that the key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle is often about making things as easy, and efficient as possible.

With our busy schedules, it can be hard to find time for workouts or even grocery shopping!

That’s why we’ve made this 20-minute workout that you can do anytime, anywhere on your own.

You don’t have to go out of your way just to get some exercise in – these exercises are designed with convenience in mind so you never miss another workout again. Give them a try today and tell us what you think on social media!

About Post Author

Dave Shelton

Dave founded My Fitness System to pursue his true passions of health & fitness. He has dedicated his life to studying exercise, general well-being, and health supplements. This site was created to share Dave’s years of experience in the fitness industry and provide quality information to the people.

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