Getting a quick and sweaty cardio workout at home doesn’t need to be complicated. Select a handful of exercises geared to boost your heart rate, a format to fit your time frame, and set your sights on a calorie burning good time. Below you’ll see six BOSU^® Balance Trainer cardio drills followed by three format options. Pick the format that speaks to you the most and get moving!

Quick feet to jump stick: 

With feet straddled outside of the BOSU^® Balance Trainer, jog in a ‘quick feet’ manner. After running 3 - 5 times with each foot, jump onto the dome, stick the landing in a squat position, and hold for 1 - 2 seconds. Jump back to the straddle position and repeat.  

Bulgarian lunge hop: 

Set up in a split leg stance with your back toes on the center of the dome and your front foot about a foot in front of the edge of the platform rim. In lunge position, the knee should be positioned between the ankle and toes, keeping the knee safe and comfortable. Lunge, then hop up, trying to get both feet lifted. Complete all reps on one side before switching to the other.  

Mt. Climber:

With the BOSU^® Balance Trainer dome side down, place your hands underneath your shoulders on top of the platform side. Draw one knee into the chest, then switch legs quickly but with control. Focus on keeping the Balance Trainer as steady as you can. 

Alternating single leg jump stick:

From behind the dome, leap and stick a one-foot landing on the dome. Walk or run back to the floor and leap to the dome with the opposite leg. Continue alternating sides focusing on speed of the movement and balance on the landing. 

Double squat jump turn:

With one foot off and one foot on the dome, feet slightly wider than hips, squat then squat a second time and jump turn to face the opposite direction. Repeat the double squat and jump turn to end up back in the starting position. Always jump turn toward the Balance Trainer. Complete all reps on one side, then shuffle over the dome and repeat on the other side.

Quarter turn, jump stick:

Start facing the BOSU^® Balance Trainer. Jump to the dome, turning approximately 45 degrees to one side, and stick the landing. Step or hop back down in the reverse motion and repeat on the opposite side.  

Formats 

AMRAP(As Many Rounds as Possible): Select a number of reps for each exercise (I recommend 10-15), and set an amount of time for your workout (I suggest 5 minutes if you add it as a finisher to an existing workout, or up to 20 minutes if this is your entire workout). Then set your timer and get going! Perform the exercises in order for the selected number of reps, and see how many rounds of the six exercises you can complete in the designated time. Take rest as needed between exercises or sets.  

Interval Circuit: Rather than counting reps, set a timer and pick how many rounds you’d like to complete. I suggest intervals of :30 work / :15 rest or :40 work / :20 rest for 3 or 4 rounds. You can split these exercises into two circuits (3 exercises in each) to keep it a bit simpler and allow rest between circuits.  

Tabata Type: Tabata timing is like interval circuits but with more specific timing and length. Set a time for :20 work / :10 rest, 8 times. Pair 2 exercises together and alternate between them for 8 Tabata sets. Then complete two more times with the remaining exercises.  

Have fun and happy sweating!

Alison Galvan has a Masters degree in Kinesiology and works with athletes, college students, kids, older adults, and everything in between. In additional to working as a BOSU® and SURGEÒ Master Trainer, Alison owns EnergyX Fitness in San Antonio, Texas.