17 Low-Impact Cardio Exercises to Work Your Whole Body At Home

Working out at home has become the perfect way to break a sweat. You don’t have to leave the house or buy heavy equipment. Taking up to 30 minutes a day, an at-home cardio routine can easily slot into your daily schedule, while challenging your body with more positions and ranges than walking can. 

“This low impact routine is great for anyone wanting to get in a cardio workout without doing heavily loaded movements, jumping or jolting the body,” says holistic fitness, Pilates and lifestyle expert Vanessa Bartlett. 

Some of the benefits of these low-impact cardio exercises include the ability to strengthen the mind-muscle connection, better stability development and greater mobility. Bartlett adds that this kind of workout is less stressful on both the body and the mind.

“A higher impact and higher intensity workout will promote more cortisol release which is the stress hormone, and too much of this is counter-productive to fat loss long term,” she says. 

Vanessa shows off 17 low-impact exercises that can give you a whole body workout at home. If you are putting all of these exercises together into one 30-minute workout, include a 20-second rest period between exercises, where you take a breather while you keep moving. Don’t forget to warm up before you start and do some cool down stretches before you finish your workout. 

Jabs and Uppercuts

Reps: Set one minute on the clock. Two jabs forward, followed by two uppercuts repeated for as many times as you can during that minute. 

How to: Stand with legs at shoulders-width apart with both fists up in front of face. Keep legs relaxed so they can move along with your movements. To do the first jab, extend one fist out into a punch and follow with the other fist. Rotate your body as you extend your arm to follow each jab. To do an uppercut, move fist down to start from the hip and scoop it back up to chin level and repeat with the other arm. Keep rotating your body in the opposite direction with each uppercut. 

Knee Lift

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start with legs at shoulders-width apart and your arms stretched up to the ceiling. Bend your knee to a 90 degree angle as you lift one leg up and pull both arms down simultaneously. Raise your arms again as you put your leg down. Repeat with the other side. 

Standing Hami Curls

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat one leg for 30 seconds before switching to the other leg for another 30 seconds. 

How to: Lift one leg back into a kick, bending your knee, and continue with the same leg while keeping the other one still with a slightly bent knee and your foot flat on the floor for support. Feel free to hold a wall with your hand to keep your balance or you can go hands free and move your arms down from the ceiling as your leg goes up. After 30 seconds is up, do the same thing with the other leg.

Uppercuts (wide squat)

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Widen the legs into a sumo squat with knees bent and toes pointing slightly out. Follow uppercut movement mentioned previously by starting fist at waist level and punch up to chin level. Move hips slightly from side to side with each punch. Lower yourself slightly for the final 10 seconds. 

Wall push-ups 

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Place your hands shoulder-width apart on a wall in front of you, take a step backwards so your arms are straight and your palms are flat against the wall. Now slowly bend your elbows so your body moves towards the wall, like you would do a pushup against the floor. Straighten your arms and move your body away from the wall to complete the pushup. 

Step touch 

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start with arms out. As you step to the side, bring your arms in. As you step back, pull your arms back out. When you step to the side, reach your arms up. Pull them back down to the starting position as you step back. 

Step in & out

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start in “a jogging on the spot” position and step your feet out into a wider stance. Quickly step them back in again. Feel free to add more arm movements if you wish. 

Step kick

Rep: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Step across as you lift your leg across your body. Touch your toes with your hand as your leg goes up, or you can keep your hands behind your head. Repeat with your other leg.

Squat reach 

Rep: Set one minute on the clock for each side and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start your legs into a sumo squat pose. Reach one hand down towards your shoe as you bend your knees. Reach your arm back up to the ceiling as you come back up. Keep your leg at a wide width and do not let your knees roll in. Focus on one arm at a time. Repeat with the other side for another minute.

Hooks

Rep: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Take one fist and punch out as you lift your elbow to a shoulder height. Rotate your hip on the corresponding side as you punch so your outside and lift your heel. Repeat with the other side. 

Back kicks

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start with your hands on a wall and lift one leg back into a kick - only go as high as you feel comfortable and try to keep your hips facing the wall. Do the same with the other leg. 

Tricep dips

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Get down onto the ground with your knees bent, your arms straight with your hands flat on the ground behind you and your bottom lifted from the ground. Bend your arms, lowering yourself up and down. If you don’t want to do this on the floor, find a chair or step to use. If you want a challenge, straighten one leg and hold it up as you lower yourself up and down. 

Wide Squat Pulse 

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start in sumo squat pose with your toes pointed outwards. Engage your glute muscles and bend your knees to lower your bottom 1-2 inches towards the floor. Pulse your body up and down quickly with your knees bent until the minute runs out. 

Double jab

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Like with the single jab exercise, stand with legs at shoulders-width apart with both fists up in front of face and keep legs relaxed so they can move along with your movements. Extend one arm out into the first job and rapidly do it again for the double. Rotate your hips as you switch sides. 

Side bend 

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Stand shoulders-width apart and put hands behind your head. Bend your body to one side while keeping your legs straight. Come back up and straighten before bending towards the other side. If you like, you can lift your arms up towards the ceiling in between each bend. 

V Step

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Start in a ‘jogging on the spot’ stance and step each foot out and back quickly making a "V" shape on the floor. 

Wall Squat Hold & Arm Pull 

Reps: Set one minute on the clock and repeat for as many times as you can.

How to: Lean your back against a wall in a squat pose and hold. Extend your arms out in front of you, then pull them back. Then extend them up towards the ceiling and back down again. Keep repeating until the time is up. 

Check out Vanessa's full workout video here.