Cardio might not be as trendy as Pilates or strength training, but that’s not to say it shouldn’t be an important part of your workout regime.
The good news is that you don’t need to train for a marathon or sign up to a bootcamp to look after your cardiovascular health.
A simple five-minute, at-home burst can do the trick, according to trainer Tara Riley, who specializes in Pilates, barre, cardio and strength training.
Riley has created a five-minute barre-inspired cardio burst to give her clients a boost when their energy is low.
Best of all, she’s soundtracked her routine to ’80s classic “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler. The track is upbeat, fast-paced and most importantly, fun!
“This is my favourite way to weave in cardio,” she tells Fit&Well. “High energy but low impact, meaning you still elevate your heart rate.”
Riley went on to explain the many benefits of this type of exercise. “Cardio helps improve lung function and metabolic health, build endurance and power, increase energy levels, and strengthen bones,” says Riley.
“Plus, there’s simply no better way to tap into those mood-boosting endorphins.”
Riley’s routine is an easy way to add movement into your day without spending lots of time working out, and it features engaging movements such as lunges, toe taps and barre-inspired movements like passé knee lifts.
I decided to give it a go myself. Here’s what happened when I tried out Tara Riley’s five-minute barre-inspired cardio burst.
My experience
When Riley told me this low-impact routine would get my heart rate up without the need for jumping around my kitchen, I was relieved I wouldn’t be disturbing my downstairs neighbors.
I popped on a pair of grip socks, rolled out my yoga mat and headed to YouTube where I found a four-minute and 45 second version of “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler—perfect.
The soundtrack is high energy, which in turn means the routine is fast-paced—that combined with my poor coordination, meant I found myself getting things muddled up.
So, I hit pause and decided to first practice each move without the music.
I got familiar with how it felt to move through the sequence, made sure I was confident in what I was doing and happy that my form was on point, before hitting play again.
After that, it was smooth-sailing. Each of the moves fell effortlessly in time with the beat of the music, and once I got into it I found myself moving easily through the workout.
I enjoyed it so much the first time, I hit play for round two.
Ciara McGinley
I was surprised at how quickly this routine got my heart rate up. And I couldn’t stop smiling as I tapped, lunged and bounced to the beat.
I’m fairly new to barre, but the barre-inspired moves in this routine are beginner-friendly. As I spent a few reps with each move, I was able to get into the groove without feeling rushed or like I was falling behind in the routine.
I enjoyed it so much the first time, I hit play for round two, and found I was flowing even more effortlessly between the moves the second time around.
Running is my go-to cardio, but I’ll be filing this one away for those days I’m short on time, or I need to lift my spirits.
See Riley’s step-by-step guide to the routine below. And next time you’re feeling flat, give it a whirl—trust me, it’s an instant mood booster.
How to do Tara Riley’s five-minute cardio burst
Six moves make up one round of this workout, and then you repeat this round until the end of the song. Feel free to add in toe taps or lateral side-to-side movements in between rounds. I’ve listed how to do each move below, so you can practice them in advance.
1. Side toe tap with arm push
Sets: 1 Reps: 8
- Make a small tap out to the left with your left foot and then do the same on your right to the beat of the music.
- As you move from side to side, press the opposite arm across the body, adding a twist to the torso.
- If you feel able to, add in a slight bounce as you tap it out.
2. Lunge and drive
Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side
- Move into a reverse lunge by stepping the left leg back.
- At the same time extend the arms forward so the hands meet.
- From here, drive the left knee forward up to the chest, pulling the elbows back and pressing the chest forward (move quickly through the movement to stay with the beat).
- Complete the reps on the left leg before moving to the right.
3. Lateral lunge
Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side
- Start in a wide leg stance with arms out to the sides.
- Lean towards the left, bending the left knee, into a lateral lunge. Keep arms out to the sides.
- Then quickly lean into the right side.
- Move from side-to-side to the beat.
4. Arm / leg coordination challenge
Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side
- Stand with your feet together and your arms by your sides.
- Tap your left toe out to the side, while extending your right arm overhead.
- Raise your left leg into a passé knee lift, while lowering your right arm and extending your left arm up.
- Complete the reps on that left leg before moving onto the right side.
5. Lateral lunge with toe touch
Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your left knee to lower into a lateral lunge, while extending your left arm overhead, and reaching towards your left toe with your right hand.
- Repeat on the other side.
- Continue, moving side-to-side with the beat.
6. Lateral side step with arm rotation
Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side
- Stand with your feet together and arms extended above your head.
- Step your left foot out to the side and sweep your arms in a circular motion in a clockwise direction to your left foot.
- Step back to center, returning your arms overhead, moving counterclockwise.
- Repeat on the other side.