Do you want to improve your cardiovascular health and burn fat at the same time? Then this workout is what you need.
It is a combination of strength training and cardio. You’ll notice your heart rate rise in the first few seconds and stay elevated even after you complete the workout.
As usual, perform all the exercises with intensity instead of moving through the motions.
Are you ready to burn fat and keep your heart healthy? Let’s go!
The 12-Minute Heart-Healthy Workout
Here are the exercises in the routine:
Set 1 – 2 Rounds
Seal jacks – 30 seconds
Squats – 30 seconds
Reverse lunges with kicks – 60 seconds (30 seconds each side)
Lateral hops – 20 seconds
Rest 20 seconds
Set 2- 2 Rounds
Toe tap planks – 30 seconds
Bicycle crunches – 25 seconds
Sitting punches – 25 seconds
Rest 20 seconds
Set 3 – 2 Rounds
Push ups – 20 seconds
Floor triceps dips – 20 seconds
Plank rotation – 35 seconds
Rest 20 seconds
Seal Jacks
Seal jacks are a great full body movement. Remember to keep your body upright while doing this exercise. Try to perform it as fast as possible.
Squats
We are all familiar with squats. Some of you may consider them the king of bodyweight exercises. Whether you consider them king or not, squats will build all your lower body muscles and skyrocket your metabolism.
Make sure your knees don’t extend past the toes as you squat.
Reverse lunges with a kick
Other than building your leg muscles, this exercise will improve your balance. And as you kick forward it will loosen your hamstrings.
Lateral Hops
Lateral hops will increase your heart rate and help build your leg muscles. Simply keep your feet together then jump to the right side. Jump back to starting position and keep repeating this movement.
Toe tap planks
This exercise will allow you to cool down after the lateral hops. Toe tap planks are great for strengthening your arms and core muscles.
Remember to engage your abdominal muscles while doing this exercise.
Bicycle crunches
This exercise definitely makes it in my top 3 ab exercises. The other two are hanging leg raises and ab wheel rollouts.
The goal with bicycle crunches is to pull in one knee until it touches the opposite elbow. They target the front and side abs.
Sitting punches
I’m willing to bet you’ve never done this exercise. Well, the sitting punches are great for strengthening your arms and improving your heart health.
Remember to lean back slightly in order to engage your abdominal muscles.
Push-ups
If you can’t perform the regular push-ups, do knee push-ups. They are easier and activate all upper body muscles.
Floor triceps dips
I’m not a big fan of isolation exercises but the floor triceps dips deserve a spot in this workout because well all need strong and toned arms.
Lifting one leg off the floor helps make this exercise more challenging.
Plank rotation
If you’re used to doing the plank while in the same position it’s time to switch things up. Plank rotation is great for stabilizing your shoulders and building a strong core.
If you want to receive home workouts in your inbox every day, go here. The workouts are progressive and will get more challenging as you get fitter, allowing you to build muscle and gain strength fast.
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