A Full-Body Cardio Workout With Zero Jumping That’ll Still Make You Sweat
Fact: High intensity does not necessarily mean high impact. There are lots of ways to get a challenging, heart-pumping, full-body cardio workout without pummeling your joints, ligaments, and tendons. And we’ve got a prime example right here: A 20-minute total-body cardio routine with absolutely no jumping.
When it comes to creating a low-impact cardio workout, there are several solid ways to make things feel intense—and thus make yourself a little breathless—without any jumping or running. Of course, you can add weight (like dumbbells or kettlebells) to exercises to increase the demand on your muscles. But there are ways to elevate the cardio aspect even without any equipment.
For one, you can amp up the tempo at which you perform reps, as long as your form stays solid. That’s “pretty much the most effective way to get your heart rate going,” certified personal trainer Alicia Jamison, CPT, trainer at Bodyspace Fitness in New York City, tells SELF.
Another option: Build a workout with compound movements, which are exercises that involve multiple joints and stimulate large muscle groups. As Jamison explains it, “the more muscle groups you can get involved in the exercise, the higher the intensity, and the more you'll start to feel a little breathless.” Examples of compound movements include push-ups, lunges, deadlifts, and squats.
In sum, jumping is not your only option for getting in good cardio, says Jamison.
Exhibit A: this low-impact, full-body cardio workout, created by Jamison, that combines a fast tempo with compound movements for a seriously sweaty routine. Because the workout follows a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) format, which encourages all-out performance, your heart rate will likely climb quickly and stay elevated throughout the workout, making this a great choice for maintaining and improving your cardiovascular endurance.
You’ll also get doses of strength training, muscular endurance, and hypertrophy (muscle building) in the routine, says Jamison. In the process, you won’t pound your joints, ligaments, or tendons, which could be appealing if you have a history of pain or injury, or if you’ve been doing a lot of high-impact exercise lately and just need to take a break from explosive movements to help your body recover.
Whatever your reason for picking this routine, just be sure to check with your doctor first if you have a medical condition or history of pain and injury, especially in your hips, knees, or ankles; they can advise whether a workout like this is a good idea.
If you are okayed for this workout, make sure you do a warm-up first so you don’t start with cold muscles. Five minutes of dynamic stretching and glute activation work can do the trick, says Jamison.
Feeling ready to sweat? Keep scrolling for everything you need to know for this full-body cardio workout.
The Workout
What you need: An exercise mat for comfort and a sturdy box, bench, or step.
Exercises
- Mountain Climber
- Forward to Reverse Lunge
- Lateral Shuffle
- Elevated Push-Up
- Bear Crawl
Directions
- Perform each exercise at max effort for 40 seconds, then rest 20 seconds before starting the next exercise. Complete four sets total. Try not to rest between rounds, though definitely take a break if you feel you need to—especially if your form starts to falter.
Demoing the moves below are Rachel Denis (GIF 1), a powerlifter who competes with USA Powerlifting and holds multiple New York State powerlifting records; Teresa Hui (GIF 2), a native New Yorker who has run more than 150 road races, including 16 full marathons; Tiana Jones (GIF 3), a dance and fitness instructor based in New York City; Amanda Wheeler (GIF 4), a certified strength and conditioning specialist and cofounder of Formation Strength; and Shauna Harrison (GIF 5), a San Francisco Bay Area–based trainer, yogi, public health academic, advocate, and columnist for SELF.
Katie Thompson1Mountain Climber
- Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart, shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, and core engaged. This is the starting position
- Keeping your core tight, draw your right knee to your chest.
- Return to the starting position and immediately draw your left knee to your chest.
- Return your left leg to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
- Continue to alternate for 40 seconds.
The quicker you move your legs, the more of a cardio challenge this will become. Make sure to keep your core engaged and back flat throughout. If you have to slow down to maintain form, that’s fine.
2Forward to Reverse Lunge
- Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Lift your right foot, step forward about 2 feet, and plant it firmly on the floor. Bend both knees until your right quad and left shin are approximately parallel to the floor. Your torso should lean slightly forward so your back is flat and not arched or rounded. Your right knee should be above your right foot, and your butt and core should be engaged.
- Push through the heel of your right foot to return to the starting position.
- Step your right foot back about 2 feet, landing on the ball of your foot and keeping your heel off the floor. Bend both knees until your left quad and right shin are approximately parallel to the floor. Your torso should lean slightly forward so your back is flat and not arched or rounded. Your left knee should be above your left foot and your butt and core should be engaged.
- Push through the heel of your left foot to return to the starting position. That’s 1 rep.
- Continue for 40 seconds. Switch sides each set.
The lunge is a compound movement that challenges the big muscles in your lower body, including your quads and your glutes.
Katie Thompson3Lateral Shuffle
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, and hands clasped at chest height.
- Come into a half-squat by bending your knees a little and sending your butt back.
- From that position, shuffle to the right as quickly as possible for 4 to 5 feet (or as space allows). Move your feet fast, going for speed rather than how big of a step you can take.
- When you reach the end, immediately shuffle back to the left.
- Continue to move back and forth as quickly as possible for 40 seconds.
Along with honing your agility, the lateral shuffle also works a bunch of your lower-body muscles, including your hip abductors—the small muscles which make up your side butt.
Katie Thompson4Elevated Push-Up
- Get into a high plank with your hands on a box, bench, or step, palms flat, hands shoulder-width apart, and shoulders stacked directly above your wrists. Extend your legs behind you, feet hip-width apart. Engage your core and glutes.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the bench.
- Push through the palms of your hands to straighten your arms. That’s 1 rep.
- Continue performing reps for 40 seconds.
This is a push-up regression, which means it’s less challenging than a regular push-up. The more elevated your upper body is, the easier it will be.
Kelsey McClellan5Bear Crawl
- Start on all fours and lift your knees so they’re at a 90-degree angle and hovering an inch off the ground. Keep your back flat, your legs hip-width apart, and your arms shoulder-width apart.
- Move your right hand and left foot forward an equal distance while staying low to the ground. Repeat with opposite limbs for the next step.
- Crawl a few steps forward, then backward. Continue for 40 seconds.
This move really lights up your core while challenging your coordination. If the move is too difficult, you can drop your knees to the ground after each rep.
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SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.
