Easy 15-Minute CARDIO AND ABS WORKOUT at Home for Beginners (No Equipment)

Maybe you’re not a fan of getting up and down off the floor. Or maybe you just want something quick that works your core AND gets your heart rate up.

This cardio and abs workout checks both boxes. It’s 15 minutes, all standing, and no equipment needed.

It’s an easy abs workout that doubles as one of the best cardio workout options for beginners. Just follow along with each abs and cardio workout move and you’re good to go.

Here’s the full routine:

First things first, let’s get your body warmed up and moving. You’ll do a standard jumping jack here, but without the jump — just step side to side.

It’s a nice, low-impact way to ease into this cardio and abs workout. Keep your arms strong and active the whole time.

Next, you’re going to keep that same side-to-side stepping, but swap the arm movement. Instead of opening up wide, you’ll punch across your body.

The stronger your punches are, the more your core has to work to keep you stable. So don’t hold back on these — make them count.

As you might have guessed, squats are a must in pretty much any cardio workout plan. You’ll go nice and deep here, feet a little wider than shoulder-width.

The one thing to watch for? Don’t push your hips forward when you stand back up. Keep your body angled slightly forward the whole time.

Now we’re getting into the standing abs exercises for beginners. For this one, you’ll extend one leg out, then drive that knee up while crunching your body down to meet it.

The trick here is to exhale as you crunch. That breath out helps you engage your core way more than you’d expect.

Alternate sides when you’re ready.

This seemingly simple move actually does a lot for you. You’ll rise all the way up onto your toes, reach your fingertips to the ceiling, then come back down and touch the mat.

Think big, explosive movement as you go up. The more energy you put into the rise, the more you’ll get out of this quick at home ab workout move.

Nice and simple. Stack one hand on top of the other in front of you, then bring your knees up to touch your hands.

If your knees aren’t quite reaching, that’s okay — just keep aiming higher each time. It’s one of those easy abs workout moves that quietly gets your heart rate going.

We’re building on the single leg crunch from earlier, but now you’ll bring your elbow down to meet your knee right in the center.

Keep your fingertips by your ears and focus on that exhale. This is a solid ab circuit workout move that really works your core — all without ever touching the floor.

Keep the energy going from that crunch. You’ll drop into a low squat, take two steps to the side, reach your arms up, then come right back down.

The goal here is to stay at the same level throughout — no standing up between steps. Your legs will feel it, but that’s exactly what makes this one of the best cardio workout moves for your whole body.

Super simple, but don’t let the simplicity fool you. You’re marching in place with strong arms and high knees.

Use this one to try and push your heart rate up a little more. It’s a nice moment between the tougher cardio exercises, but only if you keep the pace up.

Same idea — keep it moving. Step side to side and kick your heels back toward your bum.

If you’re feeling good, throw some arm movements in there to push yourself. This is your chance to pick up the pace in this abs and cardio workout before the final stretch.

This one takes a little coordination, so don’t worry if it feels awkward at first. You’ll spread your arms out wide like a star, then reach down to touch your toes in the center.

If reaching for the toes is too much, just go for the knee instead. Really think about engaging your core and exhaling on every rep — that’s where the magic happens.

To wrap up this cardio and abs workout routine, you’ll reach your arms up and stretch side to side.

Start at a comfortable pace, then pick it up as you go. It’s a great way to close out your abs workout routines at home and squeeze out that last bit of effort before you’re done.