Cardio exercise – do these two words excite you, or fill you with fear? Perhaps the image of jumping, leaping or running is a daunting one for you. Or maybe the thought of heavy breathing, a racing pulse and getting sweaty all in the name of fitness seems a bit much! But what if you could get a great cardio workout with no running or jumping whatsoever, would you be swayed? Low impact exercise is the saviour to many, including those who are new to fitness, those with injuries and anyone who detests high impact exercise. Before we hype up low impact cardio, let’s look at what cardio exercise is.
Cardiovascular fitness is any form of exercise that takes your heart rate to between 60-90% of its maximum. Your estimated maximum heart rate is calculated at 220 minus your age. For example, a 50-year-old would hit their cardio zone at 102 beats per minute (bpm) and reach their peak at 153bpm. Cardio is an essential part of any exercise routine and has many physical benefits which include improved heart health; blood pressure and cholesterol management: and a boost to lung and brain function. The obvious cardio based activities are running, team sports, HIIT workouts etc, but if you can’t, or don’t want to jump or run there are many other ways to get a good cardio workout in.
Low impact exercise options make cardio accessible to most. Low impact generally means that at least one foot is always in contact with the floor, reducing the impact to joints and tendons. Take a HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) class for example, stepped versions of classic moves will still hit the spot when done at pace and with energy. Eliminating the jumping element of a Burpee or squat jump by stepping it out or doing power squats will undoubtedly get your heart pumping at a faster rate and move you into your cardio zone if you move quickly and get the reps up.
The key to getting your heart rate in THE zone is the use of big, full body moves at speed. Swimming, cycling, power walking, hill walking when done at pace are all low impact cardio, if you’re starting out then slower speeds will get the desired results, and you can take the intensity up as you progress.
Bodyweight strength training is another (and our favourite) example of sneaking in some cardio. Bodyweight moves like lunges, press ups and squats will elevate your heart rate if you work quickly. As you progress, add in some weights and you’ll find that even slower movements will push you higher into your cardio zone.
We are sure that there’s some form of cardio exercise for the majority of people, as with many things in life it’s about finding your match. So, if you’ve shied away from cardio before, have a rethink, it doesn’t have to be out of your comfort zone. Find what appeals and it’s more likely to become part of your life.