35-Minute Low Impact Cardio At Home (No Equipment No Repeats)

Typical recommendations for aerobic exercise include at least a 20 to 30-minute workout between 3 and 5 times a week to effectively improve circulation. 1 Tian D, Meng J. Exercise for Prevention and Relief of Cardiovascular Disease: Prognoses, Mechanisms, and Approaches. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3756750. Published 2019 Apr 9. doi:10.1155/2019/3756750 For severe pain, it may be helpful to start with shorter intervals of exercise, such as 5 to 10-minutes of walking, and gradually work up to a more extensive routine.

Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise

By: Jonas Gopez, MD, Neurosurgeon

An important component of any exercise program is aerobic exercise, which elevates the heart rate and improves circulation. Aerobic exercise can help relieve back pain by decreasing stiffness and improving blood flow to the spinal structures, increasing the amount of nutrients reaching the spine.

Low-impact exercise can elevate the heart rate without jarring the spine and worsening back pain, a preferable option for those with back pain.

In This Article:

• Exercise and Back Pain
• Stretching for Back Pain Relief
• Specific Hamstring Stretches for Back Pain Relief
• Back Strengthening Exercises
• Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise

A regular routine of aerobic exercise can help alleviate neck or back pain by:

• Reducing the likelihood and/or severity of potential future painful flare-ups
• Keeping the spine functional and mobile, limiting disability caused by chronic pain. Not exercising with chronic back pain will typically worsen mobility and functionality. See Understanding Chronic Pain
• Burning calories to help achieve and maintain optimal weight, which can remove excess pressure on the spine
• Increasing production of endorphins, which act as a natural painkiller and can elevate mood to relieve symptoms of depression

Typical recommendations for aerobic exercise include at least a 20 to 30-minute workout between 3 and 5 times a week to effectively improve circulation. 1 Tian D, Meng J. Exercise for Prevention and Relief of Cardiovascular Disease: Prognoses, Mechanisms, and Approaches. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3756750. Published 2019 Apr 9. doi:10.1155/2019/3756750 For severe pain, it may be helpful to start with shorter intervals of exercise, such as 5 to 10-minutes of walking, and gradually work up to a more extensive routine.

Types of Low-Impact Exercise

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Low-impact aerobic exercise boosts blood flow, aids in healing, and alleviates back stiffness.

Popular low-impact aerobic exercises include:

• Exercise walking. Exercise walking differs from everyday walking in that it is faster paced with the goal of elevating the heart rate and gently working the muscles. Exercise walking has the advantage of being gentler on the spine than jogging, not requiring special equipment (except a good pair of shoes), and being available in almost any location. Wearing ankle or wrist weights can add some resistance to the exercise. Walking can be done inside, such as in a mall or on a treadmill, or outdoors, such as on a nature trail or around the neighborhood. See How Walking Improves Back Health
• Elliptical trainer or step machine. These machines simulate the movements of jogging, running, and walking up stairs to provide a low-impact aerobic workout. Most machines use pedals or footholds suspended above the ground that glide up and down, so the feet never hit a hard surface during the workout. Additionally, many machines include an array of resistance settings that can help strengthen muscles.
• Stationary bicycling. A stationary bicycle mimics the pedaling motion of a bicycle, providing aerobic exercise without the jostling impact of riding on uneven ground. Stationary biking may be preferable as part of a spinning class, which is guided by an instructor and often available in a variety of workout options for beginners or more experienced cyclers. Stationary bikes come in upright models, which involve leaning forward, and recumbent models, which provide back support in an adjustable, reclined position.
• Swimming and water aerobics. Exercise while in the water combines added resistance and natural buoyancy to provide aerobic exercise with minimal impact on the spine. Water aerobics and swimming may be considered if a workout on a hard surface may be too painful. Specific water exercises or swim strokes may be taught as part of a class or recommended by a doctor. See Water Therapy Exercises

Finding the right aerobic exercise routine is typically dependent on personal preferences and may involve a process of trial and error. Other options may be recommended that better suit a particular condition, pain levels, and lifestyle.

• 1 Tian D, Meng J. Exercise for Prevention and Relief of Cardiovascular Disease: Prognoses, Mechanisms, and Approaches. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2019;2019:3756750. Published 2019 Apr 9. doi:10.1155/2019/3756750

Dr. Jonas Gopez is a neurosurgeon with more than 15 years of clinical experience treating back conditions. He specializes in spinal trauma, complex spinal surgery, and procedures for pain management.

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35-Minute Low Impact Cardio At Home (No Equipment + No Repeats)

Raise your heart rate and burn calories with minimal stress or impact on your joints! There are over 20 cardio exercises at home in this Low Impact Cardio Workout. No equipment, no jumping and no repeats — a great cardio workout for bad knees and weight loss.

Low Impact Cardio At Home FAQs

Low impact cardio is a form of exercise that raises your heart rate while minimizing impact on your joints. Some examples include walking, cycling, yoga, ellipticals, swimming, water aerobics and low impact exercises (like the 20 cardio exercise you’ll find in this workout below).

What Are The Benefits Of Low Impact Cardio?

Low impact cardio workouts improve heart health, reduce risk of heart disease, burn calories, build muscle and release stress all while being gentle on your knees, hips and ankles. Low impact workouts are great for all seasons of life.

Can You Lose Weight Doing Low Impact Cardio?

Low impact exercise is still a very effective way to lose body fat. Your calorie burn will vary based on your personal intensity level and energy output.

Low Impact Cardio At Home

Sweat anytime, anywhere with this fun and effective no repeats, low impact cardio workout!

Do these low impact cardio exercises at home or in a gym. There’s no equipment needed, bodyweight cardio exercises only.

And it’s all timed intervals, which means you move at your pace.

This cardio at home workout is great for burning calories as well as increasing endurance, bone density, and cardiovascular fitness.

Workout Equipment:

No equipment, bodyweight only.

Workout Instructions:

Follow along with the guided Low-Impact Cardio Workout on YouTube led by certified personal trainer Lindsey Bomgren.

The guided video includes form cues, exercise modifications and motivation along the way.

Your Cardio Workout Looks Like This:

• 6 Circuits (30 second break between circuits)
• Timed Intervals (45 seconds per cardio exercise, followed by 15 seconds of rest)
• No Repeats (you only do each exercise one time)

Low Impact Cardio At Home Workout Outline

CIRCUIT ONE
1. High Knee Skips
2. Swing Air Squats
3. Lateral Lunge and 2 High Knees, R
4. Lateral Lunge and 2 High Knees, L

CIRCUIT TWO
1. Launcher Plank and Shoulder Taps
2. Plank Lunge Up to Front Kick, R
3. Kneeling Plyo Push Ups
4. Plank Lunge Up to Front Kick, L

CIRCUIT THREE
1. Lateral Heisman Runner
2. Runner Squats
3. Lateral Shuffle and Chop
4. Squat and Ski Runner

CIRCUIT FOUR
1. Jab, Cross, 4 Speedbags, R
2. Alternating Step Back Lunge and Knee Drive
3. Jab, Cross, 4 Speedbags, L
4. Squat and Inner Heel Tap

CIRCUIT FIVE
1. Walking Burpees
2. 8 Mountain Climbers and 8 High Knees
3. Tricep Dip and Reverse Plank Knee Pull
4. 45-Degree Jumping Jacks

CIRCUIT SIX
1. Squat Jack and Jumping Jack
2. Lateral Shuffle

7 Low Impact Cardio Exercises At Home

High Knee Skips

Targets: Legs and lower body muscles — glutes, quads, hamstrings, calves and hip flexors. The arms, shoulders and core are also engaged.

High knees are a great cardiovascular warm up exercise.

How To Do High Knee Skips

1. Start standing in an athletic position, feet under hips, both hands raised in the air above your head.
2. Perform a high knee “skip” as you drive your right knee up, aiming to get your right thigh parallel to your right hip (90 degree bend in right knee).
3. As you drive your right knee up, bring your left hand down to tap your right knee.
4. Return your right foot to the ground and repeat on the opposite side; driving your left knee up and tapping it with your right hand.

Swing Air Squats

Targets: Legs, thighs, hamstrings, quadriceps, glutes, calves and core.

Adding and arm swing increases the cardio endurance; the bigger the arm swing the higher your heart rate will climb.

How To Do Swing Squats

1. Start in an athletic position, feet just outside of hips, toes pointing forward or slightly out, slight bend in your knees.
2. Sit your hips back, lowering down into a squat, sweeping your arms back behind your hips as you sit back.
3. Then, explosively drive through your legs to stand up as you swing your arms overhead.
4. As you stand, you have the option to add a calf raise; lifting your heels off the ground as you fully extend your hips and arms.

Lateral Lunge and Two High Knees

Targets: Legs, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip abductors, hip flexors, calves and core.

How To Do A Lateral Lunge and Two High Knees

1. Start standing, feet under hips, core engaged.
2. Take a large step out towards your right, keeping your left foot in place. Sit your hips back. Think of performing a single leg squat on your right leg (left leg remains straight).
3. Then, drive off your right foot to return to the starting position, with your right knee in line with your right hip.
4. Perform 2 high knees, driving first your left, then your right knee up towards your chest.

Lateral Shuffle and Chop

Targets: Calves, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, shoulders, arms, back and core.

This side-to-side movement increases coordination and agility while raising your heart rate.

How To Do A Lateral Shuffle and Chop

1. Start in an athletic stance, feet hip-width and knees bent. Clasp your hands together.
2. Perform two large shuffles to the right side of your mat. On the final shuffle, rotate your torso as you “chop” your hands crossbody. Think about the driving power coming from your hips and core.
3. Note, toes follow hips and hands to the right.
4. Then, perform two large shuffles to your left. On the final shuffle, rotate your torso, turning to face the left as you chop your hands crossbody.

Modification: Follow Lindsey on the right, performing a “push” with your palm instead of a chop if core rotation does not feel good for you.

Jab, Cross and 4 Speedbags

Targets: Arms, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, calves and core.

How To Do A Jab, Cross and 4 Speedbags

1. Start standing, feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, core engaged. Open your hips to the left so your left foot is forward and right leg is back. Bring hands or knuckles up to “defend” your face in a guard position.
2. With your left arm, “jab” forward towards the front of the room. Pull your left arm back to your defensive position.
3. Then, perform a “cross” punch with your right arm, using the power in your hips to drive your right arm across your body towards the front of the room. Pull your right arm back into defensive position.
4. Then imagine you’re hitting a “speedbag” with arms overhead for a 4-count. Make small circular motions with your fists as you “hit” your imaginary boxing bag.

45-Degree Jacks

Targets: Outer glutes, hips, calves, shoulders, obliques and core.

How To Do 45-Degree Jacks

1. Start standing, feet under hips and core engaged, arms at your side.
2. Step your left foot up and out towards the left front corner of your space (45 degrees). As you step forward, “jack” your arms overhead. The bigger the arms, the higher the heart rate.
3. Pull your leg back to center as you return your arms to your sides.
4. Then, step your right foot up and out towards the right front corner of your space (45 degrees), jacking your arms overhead.

Lateral Shuffles

Targets: Calves, glutes, quads, hamstrings, hip abductors and core.

How To Do Lateral Shuffles

1. Start in an athletic stance, feet hip-width and knees bent.
2. Perform two large shuffles to the right side of your mat. On the final shuffle, bend your knees, bringing your left hand down to tap the mat.
3. Then, perform two large shuffles to your left. On the final shuffle, tap down towards the mat with your right hand.

More Of Our Most Popular Low Impact Workouts

Pin this Low Impact Cardio At Home, No Equipment

Thank you so much for such a good and effective body weight workout! I’m 7 weeks postpartum after my second and experienced horrible sciatic pain my entire third trimester. It feels so good to be able to sweat again and move my body! I so appreciate the modifications and the way you structure your workouts to make me learn to love my new postpartum body and appreciate it for what it is today and what it can become! So grateful for you!

Hi Hope! I’m so glad you enjoyed this workout mama — you’re amazing for tackling it at 7 weeks PP — WAY TO GO! I hope you and your new little are doing well! Keep up the great work mama! -Lindsey

This workout was amazing! I discovered your workouts maybe 6 or so months ago ~ I was talking about working out with my son and my favorites are barre and kickboxing (yes, Rachel!) and he wondered if there was a blend of them that I could do. I googled it and wound up at your site and have loved every single workout so far and that they’re free is just icing on the cake! Thank you, thank you! You and Rachel are like my a.m. workout buddies. I have some issues with my knees from time to time and your workouts make it easy to adjust so there’s not too much strain on them. I’m feeling my pants fitting differently and even my hubby noticed that I’ve lost a couple of pounds 🙂

Hi Stacey! I’m so glad you found your way here and loved this workout! I love that we are your morning workout buddies. Keep up the great work and keep coming back for more! -Lindsey

This was so fun! I love to have just a straight cardio workout for days when I’m too sore or just want some high energy movement! Went I’m saving this one to do over and over again! Thanks! I love all your workouts!

Way to go Kerry! So glad you loved this workout! Yes, it’s perfect for the days you’re a little sore but still want to move! NICE WORK! -Lindsey

I loved this one! I’ve been following your workouts for about a year and LOVE them! I just tweaked my knee and am working on strengthening the supporting muscles again so this one was an answered prayer for sure! Thanks so much for having options for every stage of life!

Emma! I’m so glad you loved this new low impact cardio workout! A great one to add to the routine. Thanks for following along and keep up the great work! -Lindsey

Hi, I’m Lindsey Bomgren. Certified trainer + fitness instructor.