Low impact exercises like speed skaters, squats, and punches can be combined into a circuit to create a short and effective full-body workout.
Cardiovascular (cardio) exercise plays an important role in supporting the strength, function, and overall health of your heart muscle.
Cardio is often used to describe aerobic exercise, which involves using larger muscles for sustained periods to increase your heart and breathing rates.
One effective strategy for maximizing your cardio sessions is circuit training. This involves performing a circuit of several exercises in quick succession, then taking a short break. The circuit–break cycle is repeated for a specified number of rounds or as many times as possible within a specific timeframe.
This article outlines six exercises that can be combined to create an effective, 20-minute low impact cardio circuit you can perform at home.
This article is Day 9 of Healthline’s 30 Days of Movement Challenge. Learn more about how you can build long-lasting fitness habits through quick and accessible exercises by following the Challenge.
Things to consider before getting started
Before starting this exercise routine, consider warming up for 5 minutes by walking, cycling, or doing dynamic stretches to help increase blood flow and warm up your joints.
Once you’re ready to go, make sure to choose a space with enough room to move freely.
Perform the first exercise for 1 minute, then jump right into the next. After completing all six exercises back-to-back, rest for 1 to 2 minutes, then start the circuit again.
Repeat the circuit three times for a low impact cardio workout lasting around 20 minutes.
If you can’t complete 1 minute of each exercise without stopping, take a short break and continue when you’re ready. On the other hand, if you want to increase the difficulty, use soup cans, dumbbells, ankle weights, or resistance bands to add resistance.
It’s important to stop a movement if it causes severe discomfort, as this can cause or worsen an injury. If you have a cardiovascular condition, speak with a healthcare professional about the right intensity, type, and duration of exercise for you.
Low impact jumping jacks are a great warm-up exercise to increase blood flow, move your muscles, and get your joints ready for exercise.
To get moving:
- Start by standing with arms down at your sides.
- Step your right foot out, and at the same time, bring your right arm up above your head. Keep your weight in your left foot throughout this movement.
- Return to your starting position.
- Immediately step your left foot out. With your weight on your right foot, raise the left arm above your head.
- Return to your starting position.
To increase the difficulty, you can exaggerate the arm movements or hold small weights in each hand.
Low impact speed skaters are an effective exercise for improving lower body strength and balance, and your cardiovascular fitness.
To get moving:
- Start with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Move into a curtsy lunge position by moving your right leg behind and diagonally across your body. Your left arm should be straight down, and your right arm bent comfortably up at your side for balance.
- Pushing off the left (front) leg, begin to stand, bringing the right leg forward and planting it down in the original squat position.
- Continue the motion by swinging your left leg back and across, switching arms as you go.
Try moving from side to side like a speed skater on the ice — smooth and fluid, but with intention.
Combining a body weight squat with boxing techniques like jabs and crosses may be an effective way of building full-body strength, improving your coordination, and increasing your cardio fitness.
To get moving:
- Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your arms down at your sides.
- Squat down, ensuring your chest is up, butt is back, and knees are out.
- Stand up, and when your legs are extended, throw a cross-body punch with each arm.
- Squat down again, stand up, and punch.
Oblique crunches are popular abdominal exercises often performed lying down.
However, performing them in a standing position may more effectively target stabilizer muscles in the core, back, and glutes, thereby improving overall strength, balance, and mobility.
To get moving:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms bent, hands on the back of your head, and elbows flared out to the side.
- To begin the movement, bend to your right side, bringing your elbow down as you simultaneously raise your right knee to touch it.
- Return to your starting position. Repeat the same steps on the left side.
Ensure that your core is engaged and the movement is controlled for maximum effect.
The lateral shuffle works your lower body muscles by moving side to side while remaining in the frontal plane. An exercise circuit that works muscles in
To get moving:
- Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, hips slightly bent so you’re maintaining a forward posture, and your arms comfortably in front of you.
- Shift your weight toward your right, pick up your right foot, and push off from your left foot to move your body to the right. Go as quickly as you can during this movement while maintaining your form.
- Bring your feet back together, and repeat, continuing to “shuffle” to the right, propelling yourself with your left foot as you go.
You want to ensure you’re working both legs equally, so shuffle right for a set distance or time, then shuffle left for the same distance or time, filling up your 1 minute of working time.
You’ll feel the burn with this combo move. We recommend splitting the minute in half, lunging with your right leg for the first 30 seconds, then your left leg for the last 30 seconds.
To get moving:
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and your arms bent and held up to your sides at chest level.
- To begin, kick your right leg out straight in front of you, and on the way down, step back into a reverse lunge.
- Stand up and proceed right into another kick, then another reverse lunge.
There are many other low impact cardio activities you can incorporate into your weekly exercise routine. Some of these activities can be performed on your own or in groups. Some examples include:
Low impact cardio circuits can help you increase cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, and overall balance and flexibility without the use of additional equipment.
If you’re unsure how to get started with exercise or you have an underlying health condition, consider speaking with a healthcare professional or a certified personal trainer. They can help develop an appropriate exercise plan for you.