4 Running Alternative To Do At Home

Not being able to go outside for a run does not mean that you have to miss out on your cardio workout. There are many cardio alternatives to running that you can try at home. These are just as effective as running and help in building strength, toning muscles and burning calories.

Here Are Some Of The Most Effective Cardio Exercises You Should Try At Home

1. Skipping:

This activity looks easy but takes its toll on beginners. It is an effective way to build strength and stamina. Beginners should start skipping in the following steps:

Hold the end of the rope with your palms only, keep your arms free.
Turn the rope with your wrists, not using the whole arm.
Jump only high enough to clear the rope to prevent getting tired quickly.

2. Squat Jumps:

This exercise is easy to do but requires stamina. Hence, by doing squat jumps regularly you build stamina and tone your muscles at the same time. Follow these steps to do a jump squat:

Start with your feet kept apart at shoulder length and hands on your sides.
As you squat, try to go into a sitting pose. Bend your knees; stretch them as far as possible, until they are parallel to your toes.
Keep your back straight but relaxed and chest facing forward.
While getting up from the bend, lift your hands up and jump.

3. Burpees:

Just like running, burpees works on the whole body. If you are doing burpees as an alternative for running, pair it with squat jumps and skipping rope to have a full routine. Do burpees with these steps:

Start in the squat position, with your knees and hips parallel to the floor.
Put your hands on the floor and kick your legs back to get into a push-up position.
Keep your body straight and pull your gut in to do a push-up.
Bring your feet to the front, just behind your hands and go back to the squat position.
Jump with your hand up in the air, and repeat the cycle.

4. Dancing:

Any form of dancing acts as a good cardio exercise that is fun as well. You can try different forms of dancing like Zumba to help you burn some extra calories. You can also pair the above exercises in your dance routine to make it an exciting and unique session of running alternatives.