Workout of the week: 25-min zone 2 cardio workout

ALL LEVELS / zone 2 cardio workout / 25 minutes

Equipment: Gym mat

Zone 2 cardio is a training method that keeps your heart rate at a steady, moderate level during aerobic exercise. It’s challenging enough to feel your heart working but easy enough to hold a conversation, making it ideal for building endurance without excessive fatigue.

That’s your target zone for this zone 2 cardio workout, which includes 6 exercises performed for 30 seconds each, back-to-back with no rest. The goal is to complete 8 rounds while keeping your heart rate steady in Zone 2. In total, this workout should take around 25 minutes.

Jumping jacks
Squats
Up and down planks
Squat to lunge
Mountain climbers
Burpees

Ready to get in zone 2? Let’s do this!

WORKOUT SETUP

6 exercises
30 seconds each
No rest
8 rounds
25 minutes total
Equipment: Gym mat

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

8 rounds

1 – JUMPING JACKS

30 seconds

Start in a standing position with your arms by your sides. Engage the core slightly and set the shoulders ready for movement.
Keeping arms and legs straight (but not locked out), simultaneously jump the legs out to the sides and raise the arms to shoulder height. Stabilise the hips, core and shoulder girdle.
Return to the start and continue at a controlled rhythmic pace for 30 seconds.

2 – SQUATS

30 seconds

Stand on your feet, placing them at the same distance as your shoulder lines.
Engage the core and go down to the floor, maintaining your knees on the line of your feet. Maintain abs and glutes tight to control your hip and stabilise the movement.
Keep your arms tight by your side, and use them to help your balance.
Keep your feet attached to the floor and squat as low as possible without lifting the heels or feeling pain in your lower back.

3 – UP AND DOWN PLANKS

30 seconds

Begin in a plank position, with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core.
One arm at a time, lower yourself onto your forearms, keeping your elbows beneath the shoulders.
Hold for a moment in the forearm plank position.
Push yourself back up with the same arm you started the descent, one arm at a time, until you’re in the starting position.
Repeat changing arms.

4 – SQUAT TO LUNGE

30 seconds

Standing up tall will be the starting position.
Do a squat and immediately get back up.
Now, lunge on one side and get back to the starting position.
Squat down and back up, followed by a lunge with the other leg.
Return to the starting position and repeat.

5 – MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS

30 seconds

Start with your hands on the floor at shoulder-width, with arms extended.
The hands must be in line with your chest line.
Try to maintain your trunk straight while you pull your knee to the projected chest line on the floor.
Pull your knees alternately to your chest.
Make sure you’re standing on your hands with a tight core.

6- BURPEES

30 seconds

Start in a standing position and engage the core.
Begin the movement by quickly bending down, reaching the hands towards the floor before the feet.
As you do this, simultaneously jump, bring your legs back and land on the floor in a push-up position.
Perform a push-up and, on the way up, drive the hips up rapidly and jump into a squat position.
Return to upright and repeat.