The Best Cardio Exercises for a Lean Body

Building a lean body requires a healthy lifestyle and a well-rounded fitness routine. This includes eating a nutritious diet, incorporating strength training, and staying consistent with cardio workouts. While some may not have access to fitness equipment for aerobic exercise, the good news is that you don’t need a treadmill, rowing machine, or exercise bike to achieve your goals. You can effectively burn calories and sculpt a lean physique using just your body weight. That’s where these no-equipment cardio exercises come in handy.

When you think of cardio for fat loss, you might immediately picture long-distance jogging or running. However, that’s not the only—or even the best—approach. In fact, you can get in shape without logging miles on the track. Instead, try these equipment-free exercises designed to burn fat and build a lean body fast.

The Exercises

Sprints

Sprinting is one of the most effective ways to burn fat and build a lean body. It torches more calories than steady-state jogging and can be done in a fraction of the time.

To get started, warm up thoroughly, then lean forward and run at about 80% of your maximum speed. Aim to cover a distance of 40 to 100 yards per sprint, repeating the effort for 4 to 6 rounds.

Stair/Hill Runs

Look for a hill or a tall set of stairs in your neighborhood or city that’s suitable for running.

Run at a strong pace to the top, then carefully make your way back down.
If needed, take a 1 to 1 ½ minute rest before starting the next round.

Depending on the length of the hill or stairs, aim for 6 to 8 rounds. This workout should take around 15 to 20 minutes to complete.

Bodyweight Leg Circuits

A great way to get an effective cardio workout while building strength is by performing a bodyweight leg circuit. This type of workout boosts your heart rate and targets key muscle groups like your quads and glutes.

Here’s an example circuit: perform the following exercises back-to-back without rest. Complete 4 to 5 sets for a full workout.

Bodyweight Squats

Start by standing tall with your core engaged.
Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower into a squat position.
Lower yourself until your thighs are parallel to the ground.
Drive back up to the starting position, squeezing your glutes and quads at the top.
Perform 15 repetitions.

Walking Lunges

Step forward with one leg, planting your foot firmly on the ground.
Lower yourself in a controlled motion until your back knee lightly touches the floor.
Push through your front foot to step forward with the other leg and repeat the movement.
Perform 10 repetitions per leg.

Hip Thrusts

Position your upper back on a bench or sturdy platform with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Engage your core and lower your hips in a controlled motion.
Drive through your heels to lift your hips until fully extended, squeezing your glutes at the top for 2 seconds.
Perform a total of 15 repetitions.