Most people who have a workout routine will do cardio that can help them to stay lean and benefit from muscle gains. There are many types of cardio workouts that can help in burning fat and you have to decide the type of body that you want in order to zero in on the workouts that are best for you.
Training like a distance runner will give you little muscle but will make you lean. Short intensity workouts will give you a lot of fat loss, and help you build muscle. Intensity is essential in workouts where you are trying to burn a lot of calories. Running at a moderate pace can help a 180-lb person to burn 940 calories when running at a speed that allows covering a mile in 8.5 minutes. Do this run every couple of weeks as cardio and your aerobic capacity will see a definite increase. This exercise can subject your body to a lot of pounding and break down muscle, so opt to run on trails or softer surfaces. Running for 7 mph on a treadmill at an incline of 2-3% is easier on the knees and burns more calories. Sprinting is an intense form of running cardio.
Stair climbing is another cardio workout that uses more muscle than walking and strengthens the functions of the leg. This is not recommended for people with bad knees. Jumping rope is another cardio exercise that most boxers use as part of their training. Jump fast for one minute, rest for half a minute and do the exercise again. Repeat as long as you can. This is an exercise that is cheap and easy. It increases foot speed, burns calories, gives shoulder strength, and enhances footwork.
Kettlebell workouts give both strength and cardio advantages. This is an exercise that can burn 20 calories per minute. Use the weight of kettlebells that allow you to do this exercise for at least half an hour, once you are used to the routine.
Cycling on a stationary bike can burn as much as a thousand calories in an hour with intense riding. Keep the intensity high and slow down for a minute after a couple of minutes of fast cycling. Swimming is another form of cardio that gives a total body workout and a minute of fast swimming can burn 15 calories. Even treading water can be good cardio exercise. Rowing machines are part of most gyms and can be good cardio exercise.