• Jumping rope burns more calories than jogging.skipping rope. image by bluefern from Fotolia.com
  
  Whether a beginner or an advanced athlete, cardio exercise is imperative for improving the heart, burning fat and increasing physical endurance. But at 14 years old, it can be difficult to get to the gym or even pay for one. There are many different exercises that you can do to improve cardiovascular endurance and burn fat, but for teenage males, some might be more appealing than others due to cost-effectiveness and masculinity.
  
  

Jump Rope

• Jumping rope is a tradition among professional boxers and it is more efficient at burning calories than jogging, according to Men's Fitness Magazine. Convenient and easy, jumping rope is also cost-effective. Jumping rope can be done from home and is suitable for teenage males. There is no need to drive to a gym or spend a lot of money on a gym membership. For a good workout, try jumping for 30 repetitions and then rest for 30 seconds. Then jump while swinging the rope backward for 30 repetitions and rest for 30 seconds. Do as many sets as possible up to eight sets. As endurance builds, increase the number of sets.
  
  

Stationary Bike

• According to friends of famed martial artist Bruce Lee, Bruce used to ride a stationary bike at full speed for 45 minutes to an hour to develop his cardiovascular endurance. How long and how fast you ride the stationary bike is determined by the final goal. If you're like Bruce and aiming to build cardiovascular endurance, then you should ride as fast and long as possible and increase speed and length of training as endurance builds. But if the goal is fat-burning, interval training is better because it burns more fat. For fat-burning on a stationary bike, try riding at full-speed for 30 seconds and ride at medium speed for a minute and a half, bringing the total to two minutes. Do 12 intervals. If you cannot do 12 intervals, do as many as possible and work your way up to 12. As endurance builds, increase the number of intervals.
  
  

Jumping Jacks

• Jumping jacks may seem too simple, but that's what makes it a good at-home workout. There is no equipment needed or any athletic skill required. Jumping jacks utilize all the muscles in the body. If a beginner, try doing 30 jumping jacks and then rest for 30 seconds. Do 10 sets. If you're more advanced, increase the repetitions to 45 jumping jacks and do two or three squats in between each set. Do 10 sets. Increase sets as you get stronger and make it even more challenging by adding more squats in between sets.