Forget burpees — this low-impact 10-minute workout will boost your metabolism without any jumping

Man doing plank shoulder tap exercise
(Image credit: Getty Images)

You don’t have to go for a run or jump around to get a great cardio workout done to help you get fitter and boost your metabolism. You don’t even need to grab a set of weights — with the right bodyweight exercises you can raise your heart rate and work muscles all over the body without putting too much impact into your joints.

This five-move cardio workout has been put together by fitness trainer Kat Boley, and you can see the session on her Instagram account. The whole workout will take around 10 minutes, and you don’t need any equipment to do it, though one of the best yoga mats will be helpful to ensure you don’t slip during the exercises.

That’s because you’ll be moving fast throughout the session. Without jumping exercises or weights, you need to keep the pace high during this workout to raise your heart rate and gain the cardiovascular benefits of the session. With that in mind it’s best to watch all of the moves in advance as demonstrated by Boley, so you can move through them quickly without having to check the form during the workout.

Watch Kat Boley’s 10-minute cardio workout

For the workout you do three rounds of the five exercises. For each move you do 10 reps on each side. Sometimes you complete all your reps on one side before switching, but with some moves you alternate sides to hit a total rep count of 20. There is no prescribed rest during the session as the aim is to keep moving until you’re done, but do take any breaks you need.

Boley demonstrates each of the five moves in her Instagram post — swipe through to see her performing the exercises in turn. For each exercise not the movements of both the arms and legs, because the moves are picked to engage as many muscles as possible at a time, which will help to get your heart rate up.

Standing knee drive

From standing step one leg back behind you while raising both arms above your head to form a diagonal line from your hands to the foot that’s behind you. Then drive your back knee up above your waist while bringing your hands down to your waist. Do all your reps on one side before switching.

Skater

From standing, hinge forward slightly at the hips and step to one side, taking your back foot behind and past your front leg while raising your arms out to the sides. Then step to the other side to repeat the exercise on your other leg. Do 20 reps in total alternating sides.

Kick out

Start in a high plank position with your arms straight. Take your left leg under your body to kick out to the right while raising your right elbow up towards the ceiling. Then come back into the plank and repeat the motion on the other side. Do reps in total alternating sides.

High kick with twist

Start standing with your arms raised by your shoulders. Keeping your leg as straight as possible, kick your left up in front of you and bring your right hand down to meet it, while reaching your left arm behind you. Repeat the movement on the opposite side, and keep alternating for 20 reps in total.

Side-to-side plank tap

Start in a high plank position with your arms extended, supporting your upper body. Take two large steps to the right then tap your right shoulder with your left hand, then take two steps to the left and tap your left shoulder with your right hand. Continue to alternate for 20 reps in total.

What are the benefits of this cardio workout?

The fast pace and the fact you don’t really get a break in the workout means it’s great for raising your heart rate, helping to improve your endurance and overall cardiovascular fitness. Multiple muscle groups are also involved and those muscles will get stronger, even if this isn’t a strength-focused weights workout.

Doing this workout regularly will help you to get fitter and maintain your fitness levels, although you will need to do it consistently and also back up your workout routine with good nutrition and sleep. As it is quite a short session, you might also find that after doing it a few times you’re ready to progress to something longer and a bit more challenging, like this 20-minute cardio workout.

More from Tom's Guide

Category
Arrow
Arrow
Back to Yoga Mats
Colour
Arrow
Price
Arrow
Any Price
Showing 10 of 132 deals
Filters
Arrow
Our Review
2
Gaiam Yoga Mat Classic Solid...
Amazon
Our Review
3
Gaiam Classic Yoga Mat 3MM...
Walmart
(Black)
Our Review
4
manduka PRO Yoga Mat 85...
Zappos
Our Review
5
Manduka PRO Yoga Mat, Size...
DICK'S Sporting Goods
Our Review
6
Gaiam Kids' Yoga Mat -...
Target
Our Review
7
Gaiam Stay-Put Yoga Mat...
CVS Health
Our Review
8
Gaiam Stay-Put Yoga Mat...
CVS
(Black)
Our Review
9
Manduka Pro Yoga Mat Black...
Amazon
Our Review
10
Gaiam No-Slip Yoga Mat Towel,...
Amazon
Show more
Nick Harris-Fry
Senior Writer

Nick Harris-Fry is an experienced health and fitness journalist, writing professionally since 2012. He spent nine years working on the Coach magazine and website before moving to the fitness team at Tom’s Guide in 2024. Nick is a keen runner and also the founder of YouTube channel The Run Testers, which specialises in reviewing running shoes, watches, headphones and other gear.

Nick ran his first marathon in 2016 after six weeks of training for a magazine feature and subsequently became obsessed with the sport. He now has PBs of 2hr 27min for the marathon and 15min 30sec for 5K, and has run 13 marathons in total, as well as a 50-mile ultramarathon. Nick is also a qualified Run Leader in the UK.

Nick is an established expert in the health and fitness area and along with writing for many publications, including Live Science, Expert Reviews, Wareable, Coach and Get Sweat Go, he has been quoted on The Guardian and The Independent.

Read more
a photo of a woman doing a bear crawl exercise
Skip the treadmill — try this 5-move bodyweight workout to build endurance and boost your metabolism instead
Woman performing a rolling side plank on a yoga mat
Ditch the weights — build full-body strength in 30 minutes with this low-impact bodyweight workout
woman doing plank exercise
Who needs weights? This bodyweight workout strengthens your whole body in 20 minutes
Woman in black workout clothes performing a side lunge on her left leg outdoors against a concrete background
3 moves, no weights — this 15-minute bodyweight workout builds muscle and and boosts metabolism
Woman performing a bodyweight core workout on a yoga mat with elbow and knee touching in a bicycle exercise
Forget regular planks — try the bear plank swivel and 5 other great moves with this bodyweight core workout
woman doing plank exercise
Forget the gym — you only need 15 minutes and this equipment-free workout to build full-body muscle and core strength
Latest in Fitness
Stanley Quencher 2.0 on a blue background
Quick! The famous Stanley Quencher is just $33 in the Amazon Spring Sale
Lululemon new year deals
Forget Amazon’s Big Spring Sale — I’m shopping Lululemon apparel from $9 in the ‘We Made Too Much’ section
a photo of Peloton leggings
Hurry! My go-to Peloton leggings are $25 right now in the Amazon Big Spring Sale
Amazon deals running
Amazon Spring Sale running deals — 15 discounts on shoes, watches and headphones I’d shop now
the Saucony Ride 17 running shoe in the Orchid/Silver colorway
I trained for a marathon in this Saucony running shoe and it's now 45% off in Amazon's Big Spring Sale
a photo of a woman with strong abdominal muscles
Forget the Reformer —5 pilates exercises you can do with just a resistance band
Latest in Features
Rusty pruning shears
How to spring clean your gardening tools — two household ingredients that really work
Wordle answer for #1,244, Thursday, November 14
I used ChatGPT to help me win at Wordle — here's what happened
a photo of a woman with strong abdominal muscles
Forget the Reformer —5 pilates exercises you can do with just a resistance band
A hand feels the temperature regulation of the SPRINGSPIRIT Dual Layer Mattress Topper.
What is a bamboo mattress topper and should you buy one?
2025 Mini Cooper Countryman SE All4 review.
I drove the Mini Cooper Countryman EV for a week — here’s my pros and cons
Troubadour Apex 3.0 Backpack
I tested this laptop backpack for 6 months — and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made