If you don’t enjoy the intensity of running or a HIIT workout, then this low-impact routine is perfect for you. It’ll still help you lose weight and burn calories, but the exercises are gentle on your joints (so if you’re someone who hates mountain climbers or despises burpees you don’t have to worry). Better still, you don’t need any equipment either, just lace up your best workout shoes and you’re good to go!
The main thing with low-impact workouts is that they keep stress and impact off your joints, but they’re still challenging to your cardiovascular system. Low-impact workouts are also a lot more sustainable long term, making them a great choice for beginners. This is because your body doesn’t need as much time to recover as it would doing a high intensity workout, which can help you stick to working out long-term.
For this workout you've got five exercises to get through and you're going to be doing each one for 40 seconds, followed by a 20 second rest. Once you've finished one round, rest for a minute (make sure you have your gym water bottle close by to stay hydrated) and you're going to repeat the workout four more times. Ready? Here's your workout:
- Knee drives (do 20 seconds on each side)
- Low-impact marches
- Squat and punch (squat down, punch to one side and then repeat)
- Lateral step with a reach
- Drop squat
If you own a fitness tracker or a Fitbit watch, make sure you wear it during this workout so you can keep track of how many calories you burnt, your steps and heart rate. Another style of training you could try that's low-impact, but also great for strengthening your joints and burning calories, is rucking - all you need is a rucksack. Alternatively, if it's another workout you're after that still isn't too testing on your joints, give this quick full-body session a go.
