A Low-Impact Full Body Workout for Beginners (with no jumping!)
I have been so encouraged by the number of people I am hearing from lately who are excited to begin their fitness and wellness journey! This workout is for you. Remember, just start somewhere and get that body moving.
It’s also great to hear from those of you who need or want low-impact workouts due to age, injuries or simply preference. There is absolutely no shame in embracing modifications- in fact, I think it makes you even more amazing for making it happen!
This workout is designed to be effective while being gentle on your joints with no jumping. This will address all your major muscle groups and help increase your stamina. Plus, it doesn’t require any equipment. Win, win, win.
I hope the visuals and descriptions help you tackled this workout and work up a sweat. Put on your favourite tunes and get that workout in. Do each exercise for 30 seconds each and do 3-5 sets of the whole circuit depending on your level and time frame. Remember, doing something is better than doing nothing, so 3 sets is fabulous! Let me know how you like it.
1. Back Lunge to Kick
Back Lunge to Kick
Benefits: This exercise works legs and glutes while giving you a great cardio and core workout.
How To: Start with your feet hip-width apart, take a step to the back with your right leg, and drop your knee almost to the floor. As you come back up, kick your right leg forward and squeeze the glutes. Return to the starting position and repeat with the left leg. Alternate legs until the set is complete. Remember to keep that core engaged!
2. Glute Bridge
Glute Bridge
Benefits: Great exercise to strengthen glutes, lower back, hamstrings and calves.
How to: Lay on the ground, open the legs about hip width and place the feet at the end of the seat (having the chair against a wall or on a rug can help it not slide). Slowly lift your pelvis off the ground so your body is in one line from the shoulders to the knees when it is in the final position. You can see that adding weights to this can help with resistance as you level up.
3. Steam Engine Side Kick
Steam Engine Side Kick
Benefits: This exercise is great for building strength and endurance in your hip flexors and abdominal muscles. And it’s good for balance!
How to: Start in a standing position with your feet at shoulder width and your hands interlaced behind your head. Kick your left leg out to the side then touch foot down to the floor while holding core tight. From here, lift your same knee up, squeeze abs/obliques to push your elbow down to your knee. Return your foot to the floor, stand upright again, before repeating the movement on the other side with your right leg and left elbow.
4. Leg raise
Leg Raise
Benefits: It's a great and simple way to build strength in the inner and outer thighs, butt, and give flexibility to your hip abductors.
How to: Lie on your right side with your feet and hips stacked, your legs straight, and your head resting on your right arm. Keeping your core engaged, slowly lift your top leg until you feel your hips begin to tilt upward. Pause, and then lower your top leg to the starting position. Complete all reps and then switch sides, performing equal reps on both.
5. Low Impact Jacks
Low Impact Jacks
Benefits: Get that heart rate up and stabilize your core without shaking the whole house.
How to: All jacks no jumps! Basically this one is like a dance! Reach right leg to the side and tap your toe lightly, then switch it over to the other side. Don’t forget to reach up high with your arms above your head like traditional jumping jacks.
6. Donkey Kick
Donkey Kick
Benefits: More core stability (which will help your back, your posture, everything!) and fab for super strong glutes.
How To: Start on your hands and knees, keeping the core engaged. Your hands should be aligned under your shoulders, whilst your knees should be aligned under your hips. Then, keeping foot flexed (not pointed), and knee bent, move your leg in a slow kicking motion. You should feel your glutes squeeze and your heel should be parallel with the ceiling.
7. Knee Drive
Knee Drive
Benefits: It engages your core, strengthens all the muscles in your legs, gets your heart rate up and improves momentum, coordination and flexibility! Great to mix in for your HIIT workout.
How to: With hands raised in the air, stretch your left leg behind you into a lunge. Then, while pulling arms down for momentum, pull your left knee forward to your chest. Repeat 10x on one side then switch.
8. Good morning
Good Morning
Benefits: The good morning exercise works muscle groups along the backside of your body from lower back to hamstrings. With proper form, good morning exercises can increase your leg and back strength.
How to: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands placed behind your head. Stand upright, brace your core and pull your shoulders back. Take a breath and hinge forwards from your hips, not your waist, allowing a slight bend in your knees but keeping your back flat. Lean forwards until you feel a slight stretch in your hamstrings (but don’t go beyond horizontal), the stand up straight.
9. Low Impact Burpees
Low Impact Burpees
Benefits: Burpees, even without the jump, are perfect to engage the whole length of your body and add an upper body strength exercise into your full body workout!
How to: Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Sink back into a squat position with your backside pushed out as if you were sitting down and then put your hands on the ground. Walk your feet back until you are in plank position and do a push up. Walk your feet back to your hands and stand up with hands raised in the air.
10. Rainbows
Rainbows
Benefits: Besides having a really happy name, this exercise is fantastic for stabilizing your core muscles and working your butt!
How to: Start on all fours, with hands aligned under your shoulders, and your knees aligned under your hips. Extend your right leg out at an angle with your toe pointed down towards the ground. Start by tapping your toe on the ground to the right, then make a rainbow arc motion that ends on the outside of your left foot and then follow the arc back to your starting point. Keep your core engaged for maximum impact.
So proud of YOU for making time for working out. You can do this, tribe. Remember to start slow with what you can manage and build from there. Healthy habits need to work for YOU to be sustainable. The goal is to start where you are and find what is doable for you so that you keep doing it!