Why Low Impact Cardio Can Actually Have A Big Impact

Low-impact cardio is a great training option for everyone — whether you exercise regularly or are just starting to work out. It’s much more gentle on your joints than high-impact exercises like running or plyometrics, but that doesn’t have to mean it’s lacking in energy (or health benefits!) if you don’t want it to be. Low-impact cardio can definitely still be high intensity. Seriously, ask anyone who has done a spin class.

You can do low-impact cardio at home, in the gym, or outside. If you’re recovering from an injury or unsure about exercising with pain in your knees or other joints, always make sure to consult your doctor or healthcare professional before starting any exercise.

What is low-impact cardio?

Low-impact cardio is a form of exercise that increases your heart rate while minimising the amount of stress or impact you put your joints under. When you hear the word cardio, many people typically think of high-impact training styles such as running or plyometrics (jumping exercises), but there are low-impact plenty of options to reap all the benefits of cardio without the impact.

Cardio exercise increases your heart rate because your muscles are working harder and require more oxygen, which means breathing faster and deeper to keep up with demand.

As we mentioned, low-impact and low-intensity are not the same thing. A walk or a gentle swim might tick both boxes, but you can easily turn rowing, cycling or a bodyweight workout into something that gets you puffing and working up a sweat.

The benefits of low-impact cardio

Low-impact cardio has numerous benefits for your physical and mental health.

Easier on your joints

Low-impact cardio is much more gentle on your joints than its higher impact alternatives, making it ideal for those with joint conditions or injuries, or when you simply want a break from high-impact training.

Improved mood

Like all exercise, low-impact cardio can give you that feel-good endorphin rush and bump up your mood. While some people call this a “runner’s high,” you don’t need to go for a run to experience the feeling! According to North Dakota State University, even a gentle walk is enough to promote the release of all those endorphins that stimulate relaxation and improve your mood.

Cardiovascular fitness

Challenging your cardio fitness is great for your overall health and we believe it has an important place in every workout routine. Cardio exercise helps improve your heart health, which can help protect you against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure. Not to mention, having better cardio fitness makes it so much easier to perform daily movements or play with your pets or kids.

If you’re interested in reaping the benefits of zone 2 cardio workouts where you keep your heart rate in zone 2 of 5 the entire time, any low-impact cardio options fit the bill. Making zone 2 cardio part of your routine doesn’t have to mean taking up running!

Keep active on a rest day

Rest days are important for your energy levels, hormones, muscles and brain. A low-impact cardio workout like walking or cycling can be a great way to keep your body moving or have an active recovery day.

Sustainably build strength and endurance

Low-impact cardio such as yoga, cycling or rowing can be a great way to build your muscular endurance and strength, helping you to power through your workouts with greater ease!

Low-impact cardio workouts

Here is a roundup of some of our favourite low-impact cardio workout options to add into your fitness routine.

1. Walking

Walking is a great form of low-impact cardio and one of Kayla Itsines’ favourite ways to fit movement into her day. Because you can set the pace and intensity, it's perfect for all fitness levels, you can do it almost anywhere, and you don’t need any equipment!

Increase the intensity by taking a more hilly route or speeding up your pace. If you find walking boring, throw on a podcast or make it social by inviting a friend. Hot Girl Walk, anyone?

2. HIIT

People often assume that high-intensity interval training is also high-impact training, which simply isn’t true. Our Low Impact HIIT program is proof of that! There are plenty of exercises that will send your heart rate through the roof without your feet leaving the floor, such as kettlebell swings, bear crawls and lateral lunges.

3. Cycling

We love cycling as a way to get your heart rate up with virtually no impact on your joints. Get on a stationary bike at home or in the gym, or take your bike for a ride outside. You set the pace and difficulty, so the faster you go, the more hills you climb or the more resistance you add, the higher your heart rate will get.

Cycling is also an excellent option for adding incidental exercise into your daily routine by using it as a form of transport to get lots of small exercise snacks throughout your day! You could consider cycling to work instead of driving or taking public transport, or riding to get a coffee or grab a few things from the supermarket.

4. Swimming

Swimming has the lowest impact of them all, and you can take your pick from the pool or an ocean or lake if you’re lucky enough to live close to one! There are so many great benefits to swimming: it gets your heart rate up, works wonders for your cardio fitness, helps you get a better night’s sleep and provides a full-body workout.

5. Elliptical

Ellipticals are another stationary exercise machine that fits the low-impact bill. They mimic the movement of running, without the associated impact on your joints, offering a full-body workout as you use your arms and legs to keep the machine moving.

6. Rowing

Whether you use a rowing machine or an actual boat, rowing is another form of full-body, low-impact cardio - you’ll feel it in your arms, core and legs.

Rowing offers a really effective low-impact cardio workout that is suitable for all fitness levels, and will help you to build strength and endurance over time. If you want it to, rowing can make for a very high-intensity workout.

7. Yoga

Depending on the style and pace of the flow, yoga can increase your heart rate with very little strain on your joints. More intense yoga flows, like Vinyasa, are still a low-impact exercise but can elevate your heart rate and get you sweaty.

There are three different Vinyasa-style yoga programs available in the Sweat app, as well as yoga workouts available in the On Demand section that you can add to your routine at any time.

Kickstart your workouts with low-impact cardio

Low-impact cardio ticks so many boxes and any of these training styles can count towards your weekly cardio goals in your Sweat program, too.

If you're looking for a program, there are plenty of low-impact options in the Sweat app that make it easy to get a killer workout in without your training taking a toll on your joints!