The Best No-Equipment Cardio Exercises To Get Lean

In order to build a lean body, living a healthy lifestyle and having a well-rounded, active routine is essential. This means consuming a nutritious diet, strength training, and getting in cardio regularly. However, some people may not have access to fitness equipment to perform aerobic work. Luckily, you don’t need a treadmill, rowing machine, or exercise bike for cardio. In fact, you can burn calories and get a lean body with just your body weight. That’s where these no-equipment cardio exercises to get lean come in clutch.

When you think of doing cardio to lose fat, you may automatically believe you need to jog or run for long distances, but that isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, you don’t need to do either one to get into shape. Rather than jogging, I recommend the following equipment-free exercises you can do to burn fat fast.

The Exercises

1. Sprints

One of the best ways to burn fat and build a lean body is to incorporate sprinting into your fitness routine. It burns more calories than slower steady-state jogging and can be completed quickly.

1. Once you’re warmed up, lean forward and begin running at a fast pace—about 80% of your max speed.
2. Aim for 40 to 100 yards to start, repeating for 4 to 6 rounds.

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2. Stair/Hill Runs

1. Find an area in your neighborhood or city with a hill or high set of stairs you can run up and down.
2. Run your way up to the top, then carefully go back down.
3. Rest for 1 to 1 ½ minutes (if needed) before performing another set.
4. Depending on the length of the hill or stairs, aim for 6 to 8 rounds. It should take you between 15 to 20 minutes.

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3. Bodyweight Leg Circuits

One way to get a solid cardio workout in is to perform a bodyweight leg circuit. It elevates your heart rate and recruits muscles in your quads and glutes.

Below is an example of one you can do. Perform the following movements back-to-back with no rest for 4 to 5 sets.

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Bodyweight Squats

1. Stand tall with a tight core.
2. Press your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat.
3. Descend until your thighs are parallel to the ground
4. Press back up, flexing your glutes and quads at the top.
5. Complete 15 reps.

Walking Lunges

1. Take a big step forward with one leg.
2. Firmly plant your foot, then lower yourself under control until your back knee gently touches the ground.
3. Once your knee touches the floor, step through with the other leg and repeat.
4. Complete 10 reps for each leg.

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Hip Thrusts

1. Position your upper back on a bench or sturdy platform with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your core tight, and lower your weight down.
3. Push through your heels and hips until they’re fully extended, squeezing your glutes hard at the top for 2 seconds.
4. Complete a total of 15 reps.

Jump Squats

1. Stand tall and place your feet about hip-width apart.
2. Keep your core tight, and press your arms and hips back at the same time.
3. Swing your arms forward, and jump up as high as you can.
4. Land softly into a half squat before jumping again.
5. Complete 10 reps.

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Tim Liu, C.S.C.S., CSCS