When it comes to cardio workouts, there is a myriad of exercises you can choose from. High-impact exercises like running and jumping have long been hailed for their effectiveness, but the spotlight is increasingly turning towards low-impact cardio workouts. These exercises offer a gentler yet equally rewarding approach to elevating the heart rate and improving fitness without subjecting your body to undue stress. 

In this article, we delve into the world of low-impact cardio, exploring its benefits, characteristics, and specific exercises that cater to diverse preferences and fitness goals. So join us as we uncover the secrets to achieving a healthier, stronger, and more resilient body through low-impact cardio workouts.

What Are Low-Impact Cardio Exercises?

Let’s start with a quick run explanation of low-impact cardio. Low-impact exercises are designed to minimise stress on the joints while still providing an effective cardiovascular workout. These exercises prioritise gentle movements to reduce strain and risk of injury compared to high-impact activities like running or intense plyometrics. 

You can but don’t have to use cardio gym machines to do these exercises, the only crucial element is that they don’t put stress on your body. Low-impact exercises include activities such as swimming, cycling, and even walking. Despite misconceptions, these exercises can be just as effective as higher-impact options.

It's important to differentiate between low-impact and low-intensity workouts. While exercises like mountain climbers can be low impact, performing them at high intensity as part of a cardio routine increases resulting in a challenging workout that elevates heart rate and burns calories.

What Are the Benefits of Low-Impact Cardio?

One of the primary advantages of low-impact cardio is its ability to protect joints from injury. By minimising the force exerted on the joints during exercise, low-impact workouts significantly decrease the risk of joint-related injuries. Additionally, the stable and fixed nature of low-impact exercises contributes to injury prevention, making them suitable for people recovering from injuries or seeking rehabilitation.

Then, low-impact modalities such as yoga and pilates are known for their ability to enhance flexibility and range of motion. On top of promoting flexibility, these techniques also strengthen the core muscles. Low-impact cardio is also an excellent option for active rest days when you want to stay mobile and engaged but give your body a break from high-impact, explosive workouts. 

Naturally, low-impact cardio workouts also have all of the benefits of regular cardio workouts, such as improving cardiovascular health, burning fat, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure, etc. Now, let’s discuss specific low-impact cardio workouts. 

Swimming

Swimming stands out as a highly effective type of cardio exercise with numerous benefits for overall health and fitness. This full-body workout engages multiple muscle groups while minimising stress on the joints - the buoyancy of water reduces the impact on joints, making swimming an ideal choice for those with joint pain or injuries. 

Additionally, swimming improves cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility. It's a versatile activity that can be tailored to different intensity levels, from leisurely laps to high-intensity interval training. Whether you're aiming to improve cardiovascular health, tone muscles, or simply enjoy a refreshing workout, swimming offers a comprehensive low-impact cardio option with a range of benefits.

Rowing

Rowing is a full-body workout and a low-impact cardio exercise that offers a comprehensive fitness experience. It engages muscles in the legs, core, arms, and back, providing a holistic approach to strengthening and toning. By utilising a rowing machine, this activity simulates the motion of rowing a boat on the water, offering a smooth and fluid movement pattern. 

Moreover, rowing is highly adaptable, allowing you to adjust resistance levels to suit different fitness levels and goals. By improving cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and overall fitness, rowing serves as a versatile and effective low-impact cardio exercise for individuals of all fitness levels.

Elliptical Machine Training

Elliptical machine training is a widely embraced low-impact cardio exercise method. Like our previous two entries, it is a full-body workout that significantly reduces stress on the joints. The exercise involves using an elliptical machine, which mimics the movements of walking, running, or stair climbing, but with minimal impact on the knees, hips, and lower back. The arm attachments also let you work out the arm, shoulder, and chest muscles. 

Thus, by engaging multiple muscle groups, elliptical training provides a comprehensive strength-building and cardiovascular workout. What sets elliptical training apart is its adjustable resistance and incline settings which lets you tailor the workout intensity. The smooth and fluid motion of the elliptical machine reduces the risk of impact-related injuries while still offering a challenging exercise experience.

Cycling

Cycling is a versatile and enjoyable low-impact cardio exercise, but not one that doesn’t work out the entire body. However, that doesn’t make it lesser than the workouts we mentioned. Whether you prefer outdoor cycling or indoor stationary cycling, this activity provides an effective cardiovascular workout while minimising stress on the joints. 

Cycling engages major muscle groups in the legs, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, as well as muscles in the glutes and core. Plus, you can adjust the intensity and duration of your cycling sessions to suit your needs. Additionally, cycling has a highly practical aspect - it can be a convenient mode of transportation, allowing you to incorporate physical activity into your daily routine.

Regular cycling will improve your cardiovascular health, boost endurance, and promote fat loss. Whether you're cycling outdoors to explore scenic routes or pedalling away on a stationary bike in the comfort of your home or gym, cycling offers a fun and effective way to improve fitness levels and overall well-being.

Yoga and Pilates

Finally, we get to yoga and pilates. While classical yoga and pilates are not classified as cardio, there are some advanced practices that do drive up your heart rate and count as cardio, so we decided to include them in this list. In any case, yoga and pilates are low-impact modalities that emphasise flexibility, strength, and mindfulness. 

These practices offer a range of benefits for both physical and mental well-being. Yoga involves a series of poses and stretches, often combined with breathing techniques and meditation, to promote balance and harmony within the body and mind. Pilates focuses on core strength, stability, and controlled movements, typically using specialised equipment such as reformers and stability balls.

One of the key advantages of yoga and pilates is their accessibility to individuals of all fitness levels and abilities. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced practitioner, there are variations and modifications available to suit your needs. Additionally, both practices can be adapted to target specific areas of the body or address individual goals, such as improving flexibility, building strength, or simply reducing stress.

Regularly practising yoga and pilates increases flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, improves posture, and reduces stress levels. Additionally, both practices can be adapted to target specific areas of the body or address individual goals. Whether you choose to practice yoga and pilates on a mat or utilise specialised yoga and pilates equipment for advanced exercises, incorporating these modalities into your fitness routine can contribute to improved overall health and well-being.

The Equipment You Need for Low-Impact Cardio

If you’ve decided to include some of these low-impact workouts into your routine and want to do it at home, Flex Equipment can help you out. We have all sorts of low-impact cardio machines you can get, including rowers, exercise bikes, and elliptical machines. Simply place your order online, choose from multiple payment methods, including buy-now-pay-later, and we’ll ship the machines right to your address.