3 Low-Impact Cardio Workouts That Will Leave You Sweating in 10 Minutes or Less (Not 1 Jumping Move in the Mix)

Getting a cardio-focused, heart-pumping workout doesn’t have to be all about turning up the intensity. A study from the Journal of Sports Science & Medicinefound that when a group of twenty-somethings incorporated low-impact or low-intensity workouts into their routines, they actually increased their overall enjoyment of exercising in general. (Sign me up.)

While there’s a place for HIIT sessions, when you need a quick, at-home cardio workout that’s mindful of past injuries, joint pain—or one that just gives you a reprieve from those torturous burpees—you don’t have to skimp on making a big impact. Mix it up with these three 10-minute-or-less workouts that are low on impact but high in intensity, and require zero jumping. Your downstairs neighbor will thank you!

1. 10-minute no-jumping cardio sculpt workout

Colette Dong, the founder of The Ness, brings us a no-jumping cardio workout that’s all about sculpting your entire body without utilizing any equipment. Lateral squat sidesteps, modified no-jump jumping jacks, and walk-outs are just a few highlights that you can expect from this workout. “Anything where you are moving [your body from] high-to-low is really going to help get the heart rate up,” Dong says. “You just have to get that body moving, have fun, and smile, and the heart is going to follow.”

2. 8-minute low-impact cardio workout with Liv McIlkenny

Join trainer Liv McIlkenny for an eight-moves-and-eight-reps sequence geared towards getting the heart pumping. “You can do this anywhere, even if you have roommates under you,” she says. “This is good to swap in if you don’t want to go for a run but you still want to get that heart rate up and get a good sweat on.”

Beginning with curtsy lunges and lunge knee-ups, McIlkenny kicks it up a notch with walkout push-ups and pike-up planks. Her modified sumo burpees nix the jumping and focus on a plank-to-squat movement instead.

10 Minute Dancer-Inspired Standing Abs Workout

This 10-minute abs-focused series is the perfect start to your day. Bonus? These moves are all done while standing. Here, Dong brings dance-inspired movements that activate the core and relieve tension in your upper back and shoulders. Crank your favorite music and get moving! The more dramatic the movement, the better, she says. “I love standing abs because if you are someone that usually feels a bit of tension in the head, neck, or shoulder or in the hips while you are doing core work lying on the ground, this is an excellent alternative to strengthen the core while working on relaxing upper body and releasing those hips.”

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