This post discusses the 7 quick cardio routines to burn fat fast!
Cardio is one of those things where you either love it or hate it; there’s really no in-between.
Regardless of how you feel, no one can deny how beneficial this style of training is, especially when it comes to burning fat.
If you happen to be in the latter group but still want to incorporate more heart-pumping exercises for weight loss, then you’ve come to just the right place.
I’m sharing 7 quick cardio routines to burn fat fast.
What is Cardio?
Cardio, or cardiovascular training, is an aerobic exercise, which means your body needs more oxygen to keep going, so your heart has to work a little harder.
Doing this kind of movement comes with a long list of benefits. It helps you burn calories, strengthens your heart and lungs, boosts your overall health, and even supports your mental well-being.
Plus, it can lower your risk of disease and help you live longer.
To really see these benefits, experts recommend getting in about 75 minutes of vigorous cardio or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio each week.
That works out to around 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
Now, when most people think of cardio, they picture intense workouts—but it doesn’t always have to look like that.
Low-intensity cardio is still effective and can be a great option if you have joint issues or just want something gentler.
How to Measure Your Heart Rate
If you want to check your cardiovascular health, you can measure your resting heart rate.
A resting heart rate (RHR) is the number of times your heart beats per minute when you’re at rest.
A lower RHR usually means your heart is beating efficiently and circulating blood well. A normal resting heart rate ranges from 60 to 100 beats per minute.
To check your heart rate at home, follow these simple steps:
- Use a stopwatch or timer to track 60 seconds.
- Rest for about 10 minutes before you begin—this helps you get the most accurate reading.
- Using your index and middle fingers, find your pulse. The inside of your wrist or the side of your neck are two of the easiest places.
- Count how many times your heart beats in 60 seconds.
- If you lose count, measure for 30 seconds and multiply that number by 2.
Quick Cardio Routines
Now that we know what cardio means and how to measure the health of our hearts, let’s talk about some fitness routines that help burn fat.
Some people love activities like running and will gladly do it for hours on end (myself included).
But others find it not only taxing but, let’s be honest—boring—and would definitely prefer to boost their heart health a different way.
So, below are 7 quick cardio routines that help you burn fat and are just plain fun to do.
Jump Rope
Jump rope is an excellent plyometric exercise that engages your entire body at once, helping to improve both your motor control and reflexes.
It also gets your heart rate up quickly, allowing you to burn around 100 calories in just 10 minutes.
And since it’s a load-bearing exercise, the gentle impact your body experiences with each jump actually helps to strengthen your bones over time.
How to Do It
Jump rope for exactly one minute, then take a two-minute rest. Repeat this cycle for about 20 minutes.
Why This Helps
This interval-style jump rope routine functions as an anaerobic exercise, meaning your short bursts of movement are powered by energy stored in your muscles, not by oxygen, like with steady jogging.
Anaerobic activity helps burn fat faster both during the workout and even after you’re done.
Sprint Sets
Sprinting is an exceptional cardio exercise. It activates the largest muscles in your body, helping you build muscle mass, stamina, and strength.
It significantly raises your heart rate, making it stronger and improving overall cardiovascular function.
Studies show that sprint intervals can reduce body fat by up to 40% more than HIIT or moderate cardio in less time.
How to Do It
Sprint for 20 seconds, then walk for 40 seconds. Repeat for 15 to 20 minutes.
Why This Helps
Sprint intervals are anaerobic, meaning short bursts use energy stored in your muscles rather than oxygen.
Running at full speed boosts your metabolism and calorie burn, while walking rest periods keep fatigue at bay so you can finish strong.
Dance
Dancing might not feel like traditional exercise, but it definitely counts as a workout.
It involves dynamic movements with changing speeds and directions that improve coordination and rhythm.
Plus, dancing releases dopamine and endorphins, lifting your mood and mental clarity.
You can burn up to 300 calories in 30 minutes — more than many other exercises like running or swimming.
How to Do It
Put on your favorite playlist and dance for 3–4 upbeat songs, then slow it down for one song. Repeat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Why This Helps
Dancing is aerobic, meaning your body relies on oxygen for sustained movement. This makes your heart work harder longer, improving strength and efficiency.
Alternating fast and slow pace prevents fatigue and helps reduce body fat.
Stair Climbing Intervals
Stair climbing is one of the best cardio exercises you can do. It’s a vertical training move that challenges your body to work against gravity, raising your heart and breathing rates.
It targets your glutes, quads, and calves while improving bone density.
Stair climbing can burn up to 20 times more calories than walking and is linked to lower risks of hypertension, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases.
How to Do It
Climb stairs for 30 seconds (even if it’s just up and down short flights) then descend or walk around for 60 seconds.
Why This Helps
This interval routine raises your heart rate and allows it to recover repeatedly, boosting calorie burn and building functional leg strength.
Shadow Boxing
Shadow boxing can be a very effective aerobic cardio routine. It’s low-impact, doesn’t require any equipment, and can be done just about anywhere.
This exercise helps boost muscle memory, supports coordination, and improves your overall balance. It’s packed with high-repetition movements that engage your entire body.
How to Do It
Punch and move for 2 minutes, then rest for 1 minute. Repeat for 15 to 20 minutes.
Why This Helps
The sustained, continuous action of shadow boxing raises your heart rate and encourages your body to burn more calories.
The short one-minute break gives you just enough time to recover so you can start your next round without losing form.
Lateral Shuffle with Squat Taps
The lateral shuffle with squat taps is a full-body aerobic exercise that combines strength-building and cardio elements.
It activates your hips, glutes, quads, and calves, helping to fortify your lower body while also improving coordination and agility.
The high-energy, quick movements raise your heart rate and burn fat to speed up weight loss.
How to Do It
Shuffle two to three steps to the right in a half squat, tap the floor, then repeat to the left. Go for 30 seconds, then rest for 15 to 30 seconds. Keep it going for 20 minutes.
Why It Works
This move does it all. It strengthens your legs, keeps your core engaged, and includes just enough cardio intensity to burn over 200 calories in just 20 minutes.
Plus, it’s fun, energizing, and can be done with minimal space.
Powerwalking with an Incline
Powerwalking is a fantastic aerobic exercise you can do anywhere even at home on a treadmill.
It’s low-impact, so it’s easy on your joints while still building strength in your legs, glutes, and core. It improves blood flow, boosts endurance, and supports heart health.
And when you add an incline, you can burn up to 400 calories in just 20 minutes
How to Do It
Option 1: Walk briskly uphill for 5 minutes, then rest for 2 minutes. Repeat for a total of 20 minutes.
Option 2: Set your treadmill to a 12-degree incline and walk at 3 mph for 20 minutes straight — no break.
Why It Works
Walking on an incline forces your body to work harder as you push against gravity.
That means more oxygen demand, higher calorie burn, and greater cardiovascular benefits — all without the pounding impact of a run.
Q&A
Does cardio kill gains?
Absolutely not! When people think about cardio, they immediately picture high-energy, high-intensity exercises like running.
But there are other forms as well, like moderate and low-impact.
Choosing the right cardio routine for your fitness goals can actually improve your body’s ability to recover and grow new muscle, while supporting overall heart health.
It may also help with endurance and recovery after workouts.
However, if you do long cardio sessions more than four times per week, it can reduce your explosive strength gains — especially for those who lift and are aiming for maximum performance.
If you’re focused on growing muscle and still enjoy high-impact cardio, just be sure to replace the calories you’ve burned, especially with enough protein.
Is 10 minutes of cardio enough?
The short answer here is: yes—but with a caveat. Experts suggest getting about 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week.
However, you can break this down into a series of 10-minute routines throughout the day, which has been shown to be just as effective—or even more effective—than performing a full cardio session all at once.
With that said, any amount of exercise is better than none.
Cardio Made Simple
There you have it — 7 quick cardio routines that burn calories fast! Each one was chosen because it’s easy to do and you can start right away.
Just remember, movement alone isn’t enough if your goal is to lose weight. Nutrition plays a huge role too.
If you’d like to learn how to eat in a way that supports your weight loss goals, click here. If you have any comments or questions leave them down below.
Or, you can send me a message on my contact page and happy exercising!
Special Thanks
Photo by Vladimir Fedotov on Unsplash
Photo by Andrey Matveev
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