For people who can’t/wont get out of the house, discuss proper form, timing, distance, etc. for people choosing to walk/run in place or around the house for their exercise.
If you prefer to be at home when you are exercising it is important to find a way to get a good home cardio workout. This is easy to do when you have the exercise equipment like a treadmill or a stationary bike, but not everyone can afford that. Of course, if you are creative, you can find other ways to get a home cardio workout that will get your heart working and have similar benefits to working out outside of the home.
One of the most obvious ways to get a good cardio workout at home is walking or jogging. If you have a large amount of space you can elevate your heart rate simply be walking or jogging from room to room. Aim for a minimum of 20 minutes of continuous walking or jogging. Not every home is going to have room to walk or jog around the house though. If this is the case, walking or jogging in place can do the same job. When you walk or jog in place focus on performing a full range of movements that simulate the real act of walking or jogging. Raise your knees high and pump your arms for increased benefits.
There are other forms of cardio that you can do at home, too. You could do the invisible jump rope. Simulate jumping rope by moving your arms in small circles and jumping in one spot. For variety you can “skip” rope by alternating feet. You can also simulate cross country skiing. Stand with one leg about 3 feet in front of the other. If your left leg is at the front, then your right arm should be at the back. Now move your legs back and forth and pump your arms as if you were cross country skiing.
Don’t forget that controlled movements are more valuable and you will receive more benefit from your home cardio workout if you use a full range of motion. Monitor your heartbeat and increase the amount of time you workout slowly.
