It’s no secret that now that I’m in my 40s, I’m not such a fan of workouts that require me to jump, and I find that lots of my exercise class regulars and PT clients of a similar age feel the same.
With many of us suffering from bad knees, tight hips and weak pelvic floors, the impact of high-energy aerobic exercise can feel uncomfortable to say the least. But cardio is so good for us—both in terms of boosting heart and lung health, as well as giving a much-needed energy boost and mood lift.
So I decided to create a no-jumping cardio workout for my Circuits Club regulars, and even though it was all low-impact, they said it was one of the hardest and best sessions we’d done. Scroll down to try the no-jump cardio circuit for yourself.
How to do this no-jumping cardio workout
The moves
- Walkout to Spider-Man steps
- Up downs
- Squat with toe taps
- Thruster
- Squat to curtsy lunge
You’ll need a pair of dumbbells and/or a kettlebell for this workout. Aim for 20 reps of each move with very little rest between exercises to keep the heart rate up. Do three rounds in total with one minute recovery time between rounds.
1. Walkout to Spider-Man steps
Reps: 20
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and raise your arms overhead.
- Fold forward from your hips and place your hands on the floor.
- Walk your hands forward until you’re in a high plank position, with your arms extended, hands under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from your head to your heels.
- Step your right foot forward next to your right hand.
- Step your right foot back to the high plank position, then repeat with your left foot.
- Walk your hands back to your feet and stand up.
2. Up downs
Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding a weight in front of your chest.
- Step your right foot back and bend both knees to lower until your right knee is on the floor.
- Keeping your torso upright, move your left foot behind you and place your left knee on the floor next to your right knee.
- Lift your right knee and place your right foot on the floor in front of you.
- Push through your right foot to stand.
- Continue, leading with your left foot next, alternating sides with each rep.
Make it easier: Perform the exercise without a weight.
3. Squat with toe taps
Reps: 10 each side
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then bend your knees and push your hips back to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to stand up.
- Lift your right leg in front of you and reach for your right foot with your left hand.
- On the next rep, reach for your left foot with your right hand.
- Continue, alternating sides with each rep.
4. Thruster
Reps: 20
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your shoulders.
- Bend your knees and push your hips back to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to stand up, using the momentum to help lift the dumbbells overhead.
- Lower the dumbbells to your shoulders with control.
Make it easier: Perform the exercise without a weight.
5. Squat to curtsy lunge
Reps: 20
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then bend your knees and push your hips back to lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes to stand up.
- Step your right foot behind your left leg and bend both knees to lower until your right knee is just above the floor.
- Push through your right foot to return to standing with your feet hip-width apart, then repeat on the opposite side.
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