No better way to start the day than 500 reps! This intermediate 26-min no-equipment cardio workout is a metabolic blast — work through all 500 steps at your own pace, build endurance, and burn fat. Once all 500 reps are done, you\'ve earned that breakfast!
Smash these out and then you\'re all done! No rope? Imagine you have one!
About this workout
Intermediate 500-Step Metabolism Boost Cardio is a free 26 min workout plan with 5 illustrated exercises for your abs and legs. Follow the workout online, save it to your WorkoutLabs Fit account or download it as a printable PDF.
Tap any exercise in the workout to see the muscles worked, clear exercise illustrations and step-by-step instructions. Each workout includes sets, reps, rest times and notes so you can follow the plan without guessing.
No equipment is needed – every exercise in this workout uses your own bodyweight, so you can do it at home or anywhere.
How long does the Intermediate 500-Step Metabolism Boost Cardio take?
The full workout takes about 26 minutes, covering 5 exercises with prescribed sets, reps and rest periods. Using the built-in timers and auto-advance keeps you on pace from start to finish.
Is this workout suitable for my fitness level?
This is an intermediate workout, best suited to people with some training experience. Beginners can still follow it by reducing the weight, doing fewer sets or resting longer between sets – each exercise includes illustrated form instructions.
What muscles does this workout target?
This routine primarily works your glutes & hip flexors, quadriceps, abs, hamstrings, calves. Tap any exercise in the workout to see a muscle diagram showing exactly which primary and secondary muscles it activates.
How often should I do this workout?
For increase endurance, lose fat, aim to do this workout 2–3 times per week with at least one rest day between sessions. Progress by gradually adding weight or reps, and pair it with workouts for other muscle groups during the week.
Can I download or save this workout?
Yes – you can download this workout as a free printable PDF using the download button, or save it to a free WorkoutLabs Fit account to follow it on your phone, customize the exercises and track your progress.
No better way to start the day than 500 reps! This intermediate 26-min no-equipment cardio workout is a metabolic blast — work through all 500 steps at your own pace, build endurance, and burn fat. Once all 500 reps are done, you\'ve earned that breakfast!
Auto-advanceStart exercises automatically after a 5-second delay
Stand with your feet together, arms fully extended with your hands by your sides. This is the start position.
Bend your knees slightly then straighten and push through the balls of your feet while straightening your your knees to jump up spreading your legs to wider than hip width apart.
As you do so, raise both arms out and up in a smooth arc until your hands meet above your head.
As you return to the ground, bring your feet together and your hands back to your sides with your arms fully extended.
Continue without pause for the desired amount of time or repetitions.
This exercise can be performed as a timed exercise, completing as many reps as possible in a set time or, in sets with a fixed number of repetitions per set. To increase intensity, bend your arms slightly as you raise them to engage your biceps and triceps and squeezing them during each rep.
Begin jogging in place, lifting the knees as high as you can.
Try to lift your knees up to hip level but keep the core tight to support your back.
For a more advanced move, hold your hands straight at hip level and try to touch the knees to your hands as you lift them.
Bring the knees towards your hands instead of reaching the hands to the knees!
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Shoulders
Stand with your feet together, arms fully extended with your hands by your sides. This is the start position.
Bend your knees slightly then straighten and push through the balls of your feet while straightening your your knees to jump up spreading your legs to wider than hip width apart.
As you do so, raise both arms out and up in a smooth arc until your hands meet above your head.
As you return to the ground, bring your feet together and your hands back to your sides with your arms fully extended.
Continue without pause for the desired amount of time or repetitions.
This exercise can be performed as a timed exercise, completing as many reps as possible in a set time or, in sets with a fixed number of repetitions per set. To increase intensity, bend your arms slightly as you raise them to engage your biceps and triceps and squeezing them during each rep.
Primary muscle group(s):
Hamstrings, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
Standing tall with a tight core and flat back, you will begin the dynamic stretching exercise as if you were running in place. Keep the knees slightly bent at all times.Start slowly and work up to a faster speed.
Bring your left foot back and all the way up to the glutes. Return your left foot to the ground and repeat on the other side.
Continue this back and forth motion, keeping your arms swinging in motion.
Standing tall with a tight core and flat back, you will begin the dynamic stretching exercise as if you were running in place. Keep the knees slightly bent at all times.Start slowly and work up to a faster speed.
Bring your left foot back and all the way up to the glutes. Return your left foot to the ground and repeat on the other side.
Continue this back and forth motion, keeping your arms swinging in motion.
Primary muscle group(s):
Abs
Secondary:
Glutes & Hip Flexors
Begin jogging in place, lifting the knees as high as you can.
Try to lift your knees up to hip level but keep the core tight to support your back.
For a more advanced move, hold your hands straight at hip level and try to touch the knees to your hands as you lift them.
Bring the knees towards your hands instead of reaching the hands to the knees!
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Shoulders
Stand with your feet together, arms fully extended with your hands by your sides. This is the start position.
Bend your knees slightly then straighten and push through the balls of your feet while straightening your your knees to jump up spreading your legs to wider than hip width apart.
As you do so, raise both arms out and up in a smooth arc until your hands meet above your head.
As you return to the ground, bring your feet together and your hands back to your sides with your arms fully extended.
Continue without pause for the desired amount of time or repetitions.
This exercise can be performed as a timed exercise, completing as many reps as possible in a set time or, in sets with a fixed number of repetitions per set. To increase intensity, bend your arms slightly as you raise them to engage your biceps and triceps and squeezing them during each rep.
Hold one rope end in each hand out to your sides with the middle of the rope behind you.
Keep the rope ends even with your hips.
Rotate your wrists to swing the rope up over your head.
As the rope swings down in front of and towards you, jump over the rope with both feet.
Continue rotating your wrists to swing the rope behind you, back up over your head to repeat.
You can vary the speed, use one leg,alternating legs and even the direction you swing the rope in to increase your stamina and coordination.
Primary muscle group(s):
Glutes & Hip Flexors, Quadriceps
Secondary:
Abs, Calves, Hamstrings, Shoulders
Stand with your feet together, arms fully extended with your hands by your sides. This is the start position.
Bend your knees slightly then straighten and push through the balls of your feet while straightening your your knees to jump up spreading your legs to wider than hip width apart.
As you do so, raise both arms out and up in a smooth arc until your hands meet above your head.
As you return to the ground, bring your feet together and your hands back to your sides with your arms fully extended.
Continue without pause for the desired amount of time or repetitions.
This exercise can be performed as a timed exercise, completing as many reps as possible in a set time or, in sets with a fixed number of repetitions per set. To increase intensity, bend your arms slightly as you raise them to engage your biceps and triceps and squeezing them during each rep.
Primary muscle group(s):
Calves
Stand up straight with your hands at your sides.
Keep your back straight and your core tight.
Forcefully press off the ground with the balls of both feet.
Launch into the air and land softly on the balls of your feet.
Focus the tension in the calf muscles, NOT the quadriceps.
Repeat.
Workout done!
Exercises done
of 5
Total time
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