We all know that cardio is king when it comes to burning calories and is great for our heart health. But sometimes you don’t want to do a crazy, bouncy HIIT workout, especially if you suffer from sensitive, achy joints. This cardio workout is not only low-impact (so it’s joint-friendly), but it will get your heart rate up and takes less than 20 minutes of your time.
Some people think ‘low-impact workouts’ are pointless, but even though they may not burn anywhere near as many calories as, say running would, they still hold many benefits beyond weight loss. The Nations Health says: “Not only does low-impact exercise come with the benefits of improved strength, lower blood pressure and reduced stress, but such a workout also cuts down on the risk of musculoskeletal injury. That’s what makes low-impact exercise a great option for virtually everyone.” Sometimes high-intensity training just isn't possible for everyone and it's important to remember that's ok.
This workout has quite a few different exercises — nine altogether. You're going to do each exercise for one minute, rest for 90 seconds, then repeat the workout again, so you would've completed it on both sides. There's no equipment involved either, which we love, as it means you can do it anywhere. Ready to get going? Here's your workout:
- Squat to calf raise
- Rear lunge to kick
- Side lunge knee lift
- Step in punches
- Rainbow arm sumo squat
- Knee pulls/hamstring curls
- Front lunge to side lunge
- Squats with high low punch
- Chair squat to knee lift pause
Although you don't need any equipment for this workout, to avoid any injuries while you're doing it, make sure you have a decent pair of workout shoes as these will give you the correct support. If you do find this too easy and want to make things a little more challenging, why not incorporate a pair of dumbbells? If, however, you're pushed for time, then you should definitely give this 10-minute cardio workout a go, which can help you burn up to 200 calories.
