• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Generation Iron

Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network

  • Movies
  • Original Content
  • Reviews
    • Supplements
      • Pre-Workout
      • Fat Burners
      • Testosterone Boosters
      • Creatine
      • Protein
      • BCAAs
      • Multivitamins
      • Omega-3
      • Joint Supplements
      • Super Greens
      • Meal Replacement
    • Recovery
      • Best Cold Plunges
      • Best Saunas
      • Best Foam Rollers
      • Best Massage Guns
    • Programs
      • Best Online Workout Programs
      • Best Workout Streaming Services
      • Best Home Workout Programs
  • Equipment
    • Cardio
      • Treadmills
      • Best Exercise Bikes
      • Best Stair Climbers
    • Fitness Accessories
      • Best Apparel
      • Best Gym Bags
      • Weightlifting Shoes
    • Strength
      • Best Dumbbells
      • Best Barbells
      • Best Kettlebells
      • Best Squat Racks
      • Best Weightlifting Belts
      • Best Home Gym Equipment
      • Complete Home Gyms
    • Training
      • Best Knee Sleeves
      • Best Wrist Wraps
      • Best Weightlifting Wraps
      • Best Weightlifting Gloves
  • More
    • About Us
      • Our Team
      • Our Experts
    • Advertise
    • Franchise With Us
    • Exercise Guides
    • Athlete Profiles
    • Podcasts
    • Power 30
    • Bodybuilding Awards
    • Supplement Awards
  • Shop
Workouts

Best No Equipment Cardio Workouts

by Mehmet Edip Published on Dec 24, 2022

This post may contain affiliate links (disclosure policy).

Best no equipment cardio workouts.

Cardio! That dreaded word, whether it’s Low Intensity Steady State (LISS) cardio or High Intensity Interval Training (HITT) cardio.

Most people prefer LISS as the name suggests, it’s very low impact and very low intensity but done for a period of time (45 minutes to and hour prior to meal 1 is most bodybuilders preferred option).

And HITT is interval training which alternates short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods, during which a person’s heart rate reaches at least 80 percent of its maximum capacity.

There are many debates out there as to which is preferred and as to which burns more fat but I won’t delve into that today.

So if you’re bored of the treadmill at the gym, jogging outdoors in the cold, or fed up of rowing machine or even the legendary elíptical machines, then check out my list of the best no equipment cardio workouts around.

Skipping / Jump Rope

Now I did say you don’t need any equipment and you can actually simulate a jump rope without actually needing a jump rope. There are many benefits to strength sports athletes and bodybuilders alike that incorporate jump ropes into their routines.

Simply simulate the arms as if you are holding a rope and jump accordingly while being in sync with your arms (as if your jumping over a rope).

Now according to the Cooper Institute Aerobic Test, jumping rope for ten minutes is the equivalent of doing a 30 minute run.

Now, if you want to burn more calories you cannot go wrong with this exercise, and if you jump rope faster this will lead to a more intense workout, as a 180 lb individual jumping for 10 minutes at 100 skips per minute will burn approximately 126 calories, based on the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET), and in this case the MET is 8.8.

Now if you want a more accurate reading then there are many calorie calculators online that can assist you or use the formula below:

Calories burned per minute = (MET** x body weight in Kg x 3.5) ÷ 200

**MET – Metabolic Equivalent of Task

*MET for 100 skips or less per minute:     8.8

MET for 100-120 skips per minute:    11.8

MET for 120-160 skips per minute:    12.3

Can be done with or without a rope.

Shadow boxing

Another no equipment cardio routine you can utilize with minimal space, is shadow boxing.

And many boxers shadow box to improve foot speed, agility, hand eye coordination and technique but this can also really get the heart rate going.

You can take on a:

  • square stance (literally square on with feet shoulder width apart)
  • fighter stance (feet staggered , with arms raised to cover the face)
  • Fighters stance with foot work incorporated

Now if you are right hand dominant you are classed as ‘Orthodox’ and if you are left hand dominant you are classed as a ‘Southpaw’.

The main punches are the:

Jab

Cross

Left hook

Right hook

Left uppercut

Right uppercut

As this is for fitness purposes rather than getting into a ring you can just do straight forward punches or make your own combo or stick the traditional combo below:

Jab, Jab, Cross (1.1.2)

Jab, Cross, Left Hook (1,2,3)

Jab, Cross, Left Hook, Cross (1,2,3,2)

Jab, Jab, Cross, Left Hook, RIght Uppercut (1,1,2,3,6)

Jab, Right Uppercut, Left Hook, Cross (1,6,3,2)

Now if you want to figure out the calories you have burnt then MET breakdown below will help you figure out your calorie output.

MET for boxing

Boxing, punching bag. 5.5

Boxing, sparring.   7.8

Boxing, in ring, general.  12.8

Alternative: Add small dumbbells and hold then while punching, this will add an even more increased shoulder burn.

Box Jumps

Box jump, or in this case, if you don’t have a box or bench or stool you can utilise then the stairs will work just as good.

This is an exercise that will help develop your explosive power, speed and even your strength.

As it’s a plyometric exercise, also known as plyos, it is beneficial for producing power and strength simultaneously. Plyos generally involves a stretch followed by a contraction of the muscles (so a jump being a prime example).

And if you actually incorporate box jumps directly after a set of squats, Post Activation  Potentiation (PAP), occurs, and this is essentially the pairing of a heavy strength movement (back squat) followed by a plyometric movement, which in this case would be the box jump.

According to Daniel Lorenz, DPT, ‘PAP is a phenomenon by which the force exerted by a muscle is increased due to its previous contraction.

Fatiguing muscle contractions impair muscle performance, but non-fatiguing muscle contractions at high loads with a brief duration may enhance muscle performance.

So the muscle fibers that were not recruited in the squats essentially are raring to go and post heavy load should enable you to have a better performance, ie able to jump higher.

Based on a 185 lb person, the calories burned can range from 311-444 per 30 minutes.

An alternative to box jumps: Jumping over a bench. You can have more stability by placing your hands on the bench and jumping from left to right over the bench itself. (If you do not have a bench use something similar which you can jump over, a box, a crate, a railing, etc).

Other suggestions

Cardio workouts that require equipment

Other cardio workouts I would have high on my list are:

Swimming – An awesome all body cardio workout that is easy on the joints but helps build strength and endurance. It’s great if you have access to a pool or gym that has one. Alternative being the closest lake (kidding).

Battle ropes – again if you have a set already or have access to them at your gym this is a great all round cardio workout that manages to hit pretty much all the major muscle groups.

Barbell thrusters – yes It does involve a barbell and weights but you don’t need to go heavy for it to really kick in. Another great all body exercise that will improve your cardiovascular endurance.

And below is a list of plyo cardio exercises you can do at home in a small spaces:

Skaters

Burpees

Tuck Jumps

High Knees

Mountain Climbers

Now that’s enough cardio for today. Happy holidays but more importantly happy lifting!

For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


 

https://www.cooperinstitute.org/2017/04/10/strength-training-for-fitnessgram

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29278062/

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/jump_rope.htm

https://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/calories-burned-in-30-minutes-of-leisure-and-routine-activities

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4637913/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32187147/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00007256-200939020-00004

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3164001/

About Mehmet Edip

Mehmet Edip is a fitness writer, actor, and model who has worked in the industry for over 8 years. He focuses on achieving his physique through an all natural plant-based diet and shares his insight via his workout & nutrition guides.

View All Articles

Primary Sidebar

Get the Latest

Stay informed with the latest news, product reviews, & expert advice.

Popular Reviews

  • best protein powders

    The Best Protein Powder Supplements of 2025 (Tried and Tested)

  • Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth of 2025 (Personally Tested)

  • top x pre workout

    The 14 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2025 (MD Reviewed)

  • Performance Lab SPORT BCAA

    The Best BCAA For Bodybuilding Health & Performance Goals

Trending Articles

  • female fitness models

    18 Best Butts On The Internet (Updated 2024)

  • ronnie coleman the king workout

    Ronnie “The King” Coleman’s Complete Bodybuilding Workout

  • The Ultimate Mike Mentzer Workout and Diet

  • Chris bumstead's 2024 workout and diet plan

    Chris Bumstead’s 2025 Complete Bodybuilding Workout & Diet Plan

Popular Now

  • best protein powders

    The Best Protein Powder Supplements of 2025 (Tried and Tested)

  • Best Creatine Supplements For Bulking & Muscle Growth of 2025 (Personally Tested)

  • top x pre workout

    The 14 Best Pre-Workout Supplements of 2025 (MD Reviewed)

  • female fitness models

    18 Best Butts On The Internet (Updated 2024)

  • best citrulline supplements

    The Best Citrulline Malate Supplements for Performance and Pump

  • ronnie coleman the king workout

    Ronnie “The King” Coleman’s Complete Bodybuilding Workout

Generation Iron

Generation Iron is the first and only digital network delivering health, fitness, bodybuilding, and strength sports content. We deliver premium content with the biggest names in fitness and provide expert coverage, reviews on top brands, workout tips and trends in the worlds of fitness, health and strength sports.

Strongman Corporation
Vladar

Sections

  • Trending News
  • Original Movies
  • Original Content
  • Supplement Reviews
  • Equipment Reviews
  • Exercise Guides
  • Nutrition Guides
  • Athlete Profiles

More

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Our Experts
  • Advertise
  • Franchise With Us
  • Podcasts
  • Power 30
  • Shop

CONTACT

Generation Iron Brands LLC
134 West 29th Street Suite 902
New York, NY 10001
Email: [email protected]

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • X / Twitter
  • YouTube

© 2025 · Generation Iron · Disclaimers · Privacy Policy · Accessibility