The 23 BEST Cardio Exercises for 2023!

Welcome to our 2023 Health & Fitness Kickstart Series!

Over the new few weeks we will be taking you through the 23 BEST exercises, workouts, and nutrition tips to build strength, burn fat, improve your health, and get a massive head-start on your 2023 goals!

It's time to get into a consistent workout routine, improve our diet, and feel our best.

2023 is your year and we are here to get you started!

To kick things off, we've created a complete guide to the 23 BEST cardio exercises for 2023! 🔥💪

These exercises are handpicked to deliver the most bang-for-your-buck and are guaranteed to:

Elevate your heart-rate
Burn calories
Shred fat
Improve your health, cardio, and overall fitness
Increase your core and total-body strength
Help you feel your BEST in 2023!

We have also included step-by-step coaching instructions on how to perform each movement as well as a beginners guide to each movement if you're just getting started.

LET'S ROCK 2023!

1| Med Ball Slams

One of our favorite forms of cardio is medicine ball work.

They make any workout fun and challenging, plus offer some great variety!

They work well with all of our members, especially members who come to us with some kind of joint pain.

We like these especially for our members with lower-body and/or low-back issues.

Get some aggression out and get ready to sweat!

Key Points:

Get as tall as possible and reach ball high overhead without leaning back
Slam ball down right in front of feet
Finish slam in low squat position
Catch and repeat as fast as possible
Start with :30 of work followed by :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds.

2| Skierg

We are very fortunate here at Dynamic to have some of the most state-of-the-art fitness equipment. One of our favorite pieces of cardio equipment is the Skierg.

If you've ever been cross-country skiing, you know how good of a workout it can be.

Now envision cross-country sprinting!

These get your heart rate way up and challenge your entire body, especially your arms. As a bonus, these are incredibly FUN!

Key Points:

Start tall with feet hip width apart and hands on handles
In one motion, pull the handles down and back as you sit back into athletic position
Finish with hands behind your hips and chest tall
Reset to standing position with hands overhead
Start with :30 of work with :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds

3| Airdyne Bike Sprints

Bike sprints are the ultimate joint-friendly cardio exercise.

They allow our members with aches and pains to train at a very high intensity, while keeping the stress off their injuries.

They are great for bad backs, shoulders and knees.

Sprints are also more fun and burn more calories than traditional low intensity, long duration bike rides. These are tough!

Key Points:

Set seat height of bike so there is a minimal knee bend when pedal is all the way down
Keep bike resistance minimal if on spin bike
Start with a 5 minute warm-up at medium intensity
Complete 6-10 rounds of :15 sprint followed by :45 rest

4| RAM Burpee

The burpee is one of the most popular fat-burning, cardio drills on the planet and rightfully so -- they are tough and tax the entire body.

We're going to kick things up a notch in 2022 with the RAM burpee.

Think of the RAM as a heavy foam roller that you can do an endless amount of strength, core, and cardio exercises with. It builds strength, burns fat, and keeps your workouts fun and fresh!

Key Points:

Start tall with feet under hips and RAM just out in front of you
Bend from the waist and bring hands to the sides of the RAM
Keeping weight in RAM, kick feet back to plank position
Add push-up if possible
Do not let hips sag when kicking legs out
Bring feet back in, stand up, and bring RAM to shoulder height and press it overhead
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds

5| Kettlebell Swings

Kettlebell swings are a staple for many of our members.

The dynamic, fast paced motion makes the swing a great exercise for getting your heart-rate up and burning calories.

Prepare to sweat!

The majority of the work comes from your hips, hamstrings and glutes making the swing a great choice for individuals with bad knees, feet and ankles.

The hamstrings and glutes are two of the most important stabilizers of the knee so strengthening these two muscles is a must for improving knee pain.

Key Points:

Make sure all the work is done through your hips
Keep posture strong and tall throughout
At the top position, finish tall with glutes squeezed and legs straight
Start with 8-10 swings followed by :30-:45 of rest for 6-10 rounds

6| Versaclimber

We've nicknamed the Versaclimbers our "Unicorns" because they are so rare.

These are also a favorite here at DSC.

They are another joint-friendly piece of cardio equipment that are awesome for your legs.

The great thing about the Versaclimber is their versatility!

You can lower the resistance, allowing you to sprint and really get your heart-rate up.

You can also crank the resistance up, making these one heck of a leg workout.

Key Points:

For more of a sprint workout, keep resistance low
For more a of strength workout, keep resistance high
Step into foot pedal straps and grab handles
Alternate pushing down with one foot to get climber moving
Keep motion small and sharp and core tight
Start with :30 of work followed by :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds

7| Mountain Climbers

Mountain climbers are another great exercise that can be done just about anywhere. They are great for challenging your cardio as well as your core and shoulder stability. If you are new to mountain climber, start with your hands on an elevated bench or chair rather than the floor.

Key Points:

Maintain a stable upper-body plank position throughout
Keep hands placed directly under shoulders
Quickly bring one knee forward at a time, while keeping the back leg straight (think of your legs as pistons)
Aim to keep abs braced and upper-body still
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds

8| Double Kettlebell Thruster

When it comes to cardio, total body exercises are the name of the game. This is why we love the thruster. It works every part of your body, burning some serious calories and building some serious strength. These are tough!

Key Points:

Start feet shoulder width, toes slightly pointed out
Have two KBs in racked position or DB held above shoulders
Staying tall, lower into squat position
Keep abs braced and weight in heels
Drive out of squat as your press weights overhead
Finish arms inline with ears
Lower weights to shoulders and repeat
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds

9| Wall Ball

Think of wall ball as the reverse med ball slam.

These are a bit tougher as you are forced to use your lower body, core and arms to catch the ball, squat, and get the ball as high as possible.

Key Points:

Start feet shoulder width apart, medicine ball at chest
Drop into squat, keeping chest tall
Use your legs to drive up out of squat
In one motion, throw ball as high as possible
Ball should touch wall
Catch and repeat as fast as possible
Start with :20 of work followed by :40 of rest for 6-10 rounds

10| Kettlebell Head-Cutter

The head-cutter might be our favorite total-body cardio and strength exercise.

It taxes your shoulders, legs, and abs, while burning some serious calories and getting your heart-rate sky high.

11| Sled Sprints

Looking for a fun, fast-paced cardio exercise? Enter the sled sprint!

These are great for burning fat as they work your entire body and get your heart rate way up!

Key Points:

Keep arms straight and keep a straight line from head to back foot
Keep body leaning at 45 degree angle
Keep the sled light
Sprint forward as fast as you can
Start with 3-5 rounds of 15-25yds

12| Sit-Throughs

Ready to bring a little break dancing into your workouts?

These are fun and tough. They require body control and strength but the fast paced motion make these one of our cardio favorites.

Key Points:

Start in a bear crawl position with hands under shoulders and knees bent under your hips
Keeping weight in right hand, rotate right leg underneath your body
Straighten right leg and drop butt to floor
You should finish with leg straight with belt buckle and right toe pointed to ceiling
Return to starting position and rotate to other side
Start with :20 of work followed by :40 of rest for 4-8 rounds

13| Med Ball Burpee Slams

This combo is a crowd favorite at DSC.

It blends too fantastic cardio exercises in the burpee and slam.

They are FUN and will get that heart rate up!

Key Points:

Start tall with med ball about a foot out in front of you
Bring your hands down to med ball and stabilize the ball
Kick your feet out into plank position
Kick your feet back in stand up with the med ball
Exhale and slam the med ball down
Start with :30 of work with :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds

14| Wideout Squat Hand Touch

Now it's time to really get that heart-rate up!

The wideout squat is a fast-paced exercise designed to get you moving a bit faster, burn some serious calories and shred some fat.

It's also a great lower-body strength builder!

Key Points:

Start tall with feet close under your hips
In one motion split feet just outside shoulder width as you drop into squat
Keep posture upright and feet flat
As you squat down reach towards floor with one hand
Quickly reverse motion by coming out of squat as quick as possible and brining legs back in
Repeat motion and reach down with other hand
Start with :30 of work with :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds

15| Sled March

The sled march is an absolute favorite amongst our members here at Dynamic. They are great for building an incredibly strong lower-body and core.

Sled marches are a fantastic fat shredding cardio tool as they get your heart-rate up and burn some serious calories. Load these up HEAVY! You'll be surprised how much weight you can push!

Key Points:

Keep arms straight and keep a straight line from head to back foot
Keep body leaning at 45 degree angle
March forward one step at a time keeping head and upper body still
Push through your mid-foot
Start with 3-5 rounds of 15-25yd march

17| Battling Ropes

Battling ropes might be our member's favorite cardio exercises.

They are especially great for anyone with lower-body or back pain as all of the work is done through the arms, shoulders and core.

Not only are they tough but they are a lot of fun!

These are great for getting that heart-rate up and building some great looking arms!

Key Points:

Stay in a low, athletic position throughout
Using just your arms, make quick and even waves with the ropes
Keep the ropes moving together or alternate arms
Start with :15 of work :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds

18| Body-Weight Jumps

The body-weight jump is a great exercise to improve the strength and power of your lower-body.

Because they are extremely challenging and fast paced, they are also great for burning fat and improving your cardio. If you are new to body-weight jumps or have any knee problems, keep your jumps small or stick to body-weight squats.

Another great feature of the body-weight jump is that they require no equipment and can be done anywhere.

Key Points:

Start in an athletic position with feet hip width
Knees should be bent with hips and arms back
Keep good upper posture with a flat back
Throw hands up to chest height as you jump
Land softly in starting position

19| Sled Reverse Drag

You're going to LOVE these.

Not only do they work your entire body, they are extremely great for improving your cardio, building strength, and shredding fat.

What we love most about them is that they are FUN!

Key Points:

Attach handles to bottom of sled
Grab handles and keep both your arms straight and chest tall
Keep low athletic position throughout
Keeping feet flat, use legs to walk sled backwards
You should feel your quad muscles (front of thigh) working throughout
Start with 3-5 reps of 15-20yds reverse drag with :30-1:00 rest between reps

20| Lateral Bound to Med Ball Slam

Time to channel that inner-athlete with the lateral bound.

These are fantastic for elevating your heart-rate, burning calories, strengthening your legs, and improving your balance.

We also love them as you force you to move side to side which is an often overlooked but important aspect of health and fitness.

Key Points:

Start on one foot in low athletic position
Keep chest up through out
Push through your foot to bound to the side and land on other foot
Think about landing soft and low then slam med ball
Repeat this sequence
Make these easier by keeping your bounds small and slow or harder by bounding fast and far
Start with :30 of bounds followed by :30 of rest for 5 rounds

21| Curved Treadmill Walk, Jog, or Sprint

One the best equipment investments we have made has been our curved, self-propelled treadmills.

They actually do not have a motor, therefore similar to running on the road, you have to be the one to move the belt.

The difference between our treadmills and traditional running or treadmill running is the curve feature in the front of the treadmill where your foot strikes.

This actually dampens the impact forces, making these much more joint friendly for our members with bad feet, ankles and knees. We have even had people run on our treadmills who have not run in years because of pain.

They are also great for those with elbow or shoulder issues. The low impact allows our members to do one of the world's greatest cardio exercises -- SPRINTING!

Key Points:

Stay tall throughout
Try to stay to front of treadmill
Keep hands on railings if needed
Focus on getting knees up
Start with :15 sprint, jog or fast paced walk followed by :45 walk for 6-10 rounds.

22| Split Jumps

Warning! You will be sore after doing these. Split jumps are one of our more advanced cardio exercises as they require a great deal of coordination, mobility and lower-body strength. If you have any knee issues, keep the motion small.

Key Points:

Start in low lunge position with weight in front foot and hands by your sides
Maintain great upright posture throughout
In one motion, throw hands up and jump up, switching feet in the air
Land softly in low lunge postion on other side
Start with :15 of work followed by :45 of rest for 6-10 rounds

23| Med Ball Side Slams

The great thing about the medicine ball slam, besides the results it delivers, is the endless variations of the slam you can complete to keep things fun and fresh. The side slam is a fantastic example of just that!

Key Points:

Get as tall as possible and reach ball high overhead without leaning back
Rotate to the right and slam ball down right outside your right foot
Make sure to pivot with the left foot as you slam
Finish slam in low squat position
Catch and repeat as fast as possible on the left side
Start with :30 of work followed by :30 of rest for 6-10 rounds.

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The 23 BEST Cardio Exercises for 2023!