Cardio Workouts for Women

I thought this was a really informative news segment on the benefits of cardio exercise and the top 5 cardio workouts women can do for maximum benefit. Naturally, running, jump roping, and kickboxing all made the list.

Both beginners and those working out at a more advanced level can benefit from the following cardio workout because you can easily modify the moves to be more or less challenging. The instructor walks you through how to do that.

Only a few of these videos require any modest equipment and can be done at home or on the road if you're traveling.

Because women should strive for at least 30 minutes of cardio three times a week, either perform these routines for longer than the length of the video, or mix and match a few to get in your full amount of time. It's okay if you have to work up to the full 30 minutes. Just getting started is key.

Kickboxing workouts have been popular with women for years because of the added excitement of the routine. They're not just the same old step exercises or grapevine moves back and forth that we'd seen with exercise routines. When these workouts first came out, it was hard to find a woman who hadn't tried one of the latest videos.

Here's a great beginning kickboxing workout you can do at home. While the video is only 10 minutes, you can easily repeat the actual workout portion (not the warm up piece) several times to get in a full 30 minutes or more of cardio work.

This boot camp drill workout for women is best done outdoors as it requires some running back and forth. You might want to practice the moves indoors while watching the video, make some notes, and then take the routine outdoors when you're ready.

This is a total body workout and touches on all the major muscle groups and is fast-paced enough to keep your heart rate elevated throughout.

Jumping rope is a one of the best cardio exercises because it involves the use of all the major muscle groups at one time. Arms, legs, back, shoulders and chest all get used when jumping rope.

If you're just starting a workout routine, you may find it difficult to do more than a few minutes at a time before becoming winded. Just stop using the rope but continue to move by walking in place until you feel you can jump again for a few more minutes. Your ability to go longer will improve over time.

Jumping rope can be rough on your joints so make sure to wear good gym shoes for these workouts.

I have used a regular, wooden handled, cotton jump rope but you do want to make sure the jump rope is the right length for you. When standing on the rope with one foot, hold a handle in each hand as high as they'll go. The handles should reach just about to your armpit. These are generally sturdy enough to last awhile and the rope doesn't make that horrible smacking noise the jointed or rubber jump ropes make when they hit the floor.

If you want to kick it up a notch, you can try a weighted jump rope. These often come with 1,2, 3 or 4 pound weighted handles which makes your arms - and, therefore, your heart - work a little harder.

This is also a great workout routine if you have kids as they're easily motivated to join you. They may even show you a trick or two!

I got exhausted just watching this video and it's only about 5 minutes long. It's pretty inspirational though, considering the trainer's client had been in a wheelchair just six months earlier. This also gives some great ideas for how to get a really strong cardio workout at home. The trainer makes use of nothing more than a step bench and the client's stairs in her home.

I think I would trip up and hurt myself on this one but if you're coordinated and looking for a real challenge, see if this doesn't give you a run for your money.