Do low-impact cardio workouts sound easy and ineffective to you? Let’s debunk this myth. These workouts, just as good as high-impact workouts, are great for maintaining cardiovascular health and general fitness without stressing your joints excessively. Low-impact cardio workouts are perfect for people trying to be active while lowering their risk of injury.
No matter your goal, these workouts can bring real results for anyone. If you want to know more about low-impact cardio workouts, stay with us! In this article, we will discuss everything about low-impact exercises so you can include them in your program for optimum results.
Who Should Do Low-Impact Cardio Workouts?
For many groups—including beginners, those with joint problems, older people, and those recovering from injuries—low-impact cardio workouts are effective. Moreover, pregnant ladies and anybody else searching for a low-stress workout regime will also find them great. These low-impact exercises provide cardiovascular benefits without being difficult, making them accessible and efficient for maintaining fitness during all phases of life and physical conditions.
Some Important Low-Impact Cardiovascular Workouts
You can easily include these seven low-impact cardio workouts in your workout routine:
1. Reverse-Lunge Front Kick
Combining the advantages of lunges with a cardiac aspect, this exercise offers a full-body workout that is low on joint strain. It increases cardio and works the lower body, therefore enhancing balance.
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your arms up to your chest
- Start by straight kicking your right leg ahead of you, then step back into a reverse lunge on the way down
- Get up and start straight into another kick then another reverse lunge
- After 30 seconds, repeat this on the left leg
2. Lateral Lunge to Reach
Targeting the glutes, adductor muscles, and hamstrings, lateral lunge to reach enhance lateral movement—often overlooked in conventional training. This exercise strengthens and stabilizes the lower body.
How to:
- Start with your hands by your sides and feet close together
- Keeping your chest up, use your left leg to take a big step to the side
- Form a 90-degree angle by keeping your right leg straight, sending your butt back, and bending your left knee
- Raising your left arm straight up, reach your right arm to touch the left foot
- Repeat for 25 seconds then switch sides
3. Repeater
A great addition to any cardio workout, this exercise works your hamstrings, quads, and glutes to maintain your heart rate while targeting the lower body.
How to:
- Start by standing with your right foot forward with a slightly bended knee
- Keep your left foot back
- Now, lean your body forward to line over your right leg while keeping a straight spine and braced core
- Hold your arms above your head
- Driven your left knee up, simultaneously bring your hands down to contact (parallel to the waist), squeezing your abs
- Straightening your leg, bring your left foot back to the ground behind you, and raise your arms upward
- After 25 seconds, switch sides
4. Front Kick to Touch Back
This workout keeps the pulse rate high by using kicks and a controlled backward touch, therefore improving balance and coordination. It targets hamstrings and glutes.
How to:
- Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and with your fists at your cheekbones in a guard stance
- Straight forward kick your right leg in front of you
- Place your right foot back down and step your left foot back in a low lunge while your left hand contacts the ground in front of you and your right hand rests on your back
- After 25 seconds, switch sides
5. Skier
Vy replicating the action of skiing, this low-impact cardio exercise works the hamstrings, calves, quads, and shoulders. It increases coordination, agility, and cardiovascular fitness whilst being light on the joints.
How to:
- Standing with your feet together, raise your arms upwards with your heels off the ground
- Squeeze your fists to build strain in your arms and shoulders
- Put your hips back and bend your knees. Keeping the spine straight and bringing heels to the ground, hinge your body forward until it is almost parallel to the ground.
- Swing your arms down and behind you at the same time
- Thrust your hips forward swing your arms overhead and come back to your toes
- Repeat for 45 seconds
6. Elevator Plank
The elevator plank is a type of plank for the core. It targets shoulders, arms, core, and back, increasing movement.
How to:
- Starting in a high plank, keep your shoulders over your wrists and legs stretched behind you
- Squeeze your glutes and quads, then tuck your pelvis in to stabilize your core
- Maintaining your hips up and firm, lower your right elbow to the ground and then your left elbow to form a forearm plank
- Straighten your elbow with your right hand on the ground; then, use your left hand to return to a high plank
- As you lower into a forearm plank and return up into a high plank, keep your core tight to prevent dropping your hips to one side
- Repeat for 45 seconds
Things to Consider Before Starting Low-Impact Cardio Workouts
Before starting a new fitness program, even one focusing on low-impact cardio, there are some things to consider to guarantee you maximize your workouts while maintaining safety.
1. Set Clear Goals
Finding your fitness goals is essential before beginning any kind of training. Are your goals in weight loss, better cardiovascular health, or just general activity? Knowing your goals will enable you to customize your low-impact cardio program to fit your particular requirements. At Iron Orr, our expert trainers do this for you!
2. Consult a Professional
Before beginning a new workout, be sure you see a professional trainer if you have any underlying medical problems such as joint problems, diabetes, or heart disease. They can offer direction on what safe workouts are and how to alter them to fit your health level.
3. Start Slowly and Gradually Increase Intensity
Flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of low-impact cardio. Beginning with activities appropriate for your present level of fitness, progressively raise the intensity as your endurance grows. This method lets your body change to fit the new program and helps avoid injuries.
4. Listen to Your Body
Always pay close attention to your body and modify your exercise depending on necessity. Remember that any pain or discomfort might indicate that the workout should be changed or a break should be taken. Low-impact cardio aims to increase fitness without causing damage, hence it’s advisable not to push yourself too hard.
Wrapping Up
Summing up, without the pressure of high-impact workouts, low-impact cardio sessions are a great way to either maintain or improve cardiovascular health. These workouts offer a flexible and efficient approach to being active regardless of your level of experience.
At Iron Orr Fitness, we provide customized training programs with low-impact cardio choices fit for your objectives. Our expert personal trainers will walk you through safe and efficient exercises meant to help you reach your fitness goals without exhausting your body.
Ready to start low-impact cardio? Visit Iron Orr Fitness and book a complimentary consultation today!