Exercising has many benefits. It keeps the body fit, increases brain activity, regulates weight, and is refreshing to do after sitting at your desk or in front of the TV for a prolonged period. Not everyone can do intensive workouts, afford expensive equipment, or get a certified personal trainer’s professional help. A low-impact cardio workout is a way to go.
A low-impact cardio workout is easier to complete, has flexibility in time, makes the individual sweat, and is very effective. It is a low-intensity exercise where you get all the advantages of cardiovascular exercises without overexerting your body. It can last from 10-60 minutes. It improves blood circulation, focuses on the joints, and even burns calories.
Here are 10 effective low-impact cardio exercises to try at home without any equipment. Be careful not to over-stretch, and if a particular exercise causes pain or discomfort, skip that exercise.
Contents
Step Touches
Start your workout slowly and steadily with step touches. Stand straight with your feet together. Then, take your left foot to the left side of your body, lift your arm over your head, and bring your right foot to your left foot. Repeat the same move but to the right side quickly and swiftly raise your arms to increase your heart rate. The higher you raise your arms, the better your heart rate. Do this accordingly.
Side Lunges With Reach
Next, you will do lunges but with arm reach. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart. Move your left leg to the left side of your body while keeping your hips square. Then bend your left knee. Make sure that both your feet stay flat on the ground. Then, raise your right arm above your head towards your left leg. Repeat the same move but towards the right side of your body with your right leg.
Knee Smashes
For this, stretch out your arms in front of you as you raise your left knee towards your body, and lower your arms simultaneously. Do this again faster to quicken your heart rate. Do the same for your right knee and arms. Do it for as long as you can.
Front Kicks With Runner’s Lunge
This is an advanced lunge with a forward kick. To do this, stand straight with your feet together. Next, raise your left knee, extend it forward with a kick, and then take it back with a straight leg lunge and make sure it touches the floor. Repeat this sequence. Do the same sequence for your right knee and leg. Repeat as many times as you want, and make sure to feel the burn.
Low-Impact Jumping Jack
To start this, stand straight with your arms by your side. Bring your left foot out to the left side of the body and simultaneously raise your left hand over your head. Come back to the starting position. Do the same to your right foot and leg. Does it fast increase your heart rate?
Low-Impact Skaters
Begin with a lunge position with both your legs bent. Your left leg should be behind and across your body. Keep your right hand straight down and bend your left hand by your side for balance. Then, push your right leg, stand straight up, bring the left leg forward, and swing your right leg back and forth. Also, switch your arms accordingly. Do it fast but do not jump for the low-impact effect.
Squat to Jab
To do this, you will start by standing with your feet slightly wider than the feet’ shoulder-width proportion. Keep your arms by your side. Do a squat by bending your knees, keeping your chest up, back straight, butt out, and core tight. Stand up and as your legs are still extended, throw a cross-body punch forward with both your hands. Repeat the entire process: squat, stand, and punch.
Squat Kicks
For this, do a squat, as mentioned above. Squat down with a proper posture and as you stand up, kick forward with your left leg and then with your right leg. Repeat the process: squat, stand, and kick.
Bear Crawl Push-Ups
You will start this exercise with a squat. Squat down to the floor, and crawl forward with your hands until you attain a plank position. Then, do a push-up. Continue with moving your hands back to a squat position and then stand up. Do it fast. To add more intensity, stand up with a jump at the end.
Standing Oblique Crunch
This is good exercise for your core. You will begin with your feet shoulder-width apart with your arms bent, both hands at the back of your head, and elbows out to the sides. Then, you will simultaneously bring your left elbow down and bring your left knee up so that they touch or nearly touch. Return to the starting position. Do the same sequence for your right elbow and knee.
As a beginner, give each exercise 1-2 minutes and then move forward. Do take breaks in between. You can increase the duration of the exercises with time. You can do this workout several times a week.
Conclusion
These are the 10 low-impact cardio exercises to try right now at home without any equipment. Start simple with step touches and then progress with different types of lunges and squats. You will not completely burn yourself out, and you will gain all the benefits of exercise.
