5 Low Impact Exercises Which Burn Calories

Whether you’ve suffered an injury or simply don’t like working out, not getting exercise will eventually start to affect your body’s composition.  It’s in your best interest to live an active lifestyle which gets your heart pumping and body moving. You don’t have to run a marathon to get in a workout, either.

There are many ways to get exercise which are low impact and less intense for your muscles, yet still effective for calorie burning. Here are some of the most effective low impact exercises which you may want to consider.

Walking

Walking is a simple movement which you do every day regardless of intentionally using it as a form of exercise.  To get from point A to point B throughout the day, you likely walk at your place of work or at home, especially if you have an active job like performing maintenance work or working in a warehouse.

Increasing your walking will burn more calories.  There are all sorts of ways to increase your walking on a daily basis.  You could make a commitment to walk to work rather than driving, or getting on the treadmill.

For extra motivation, consider buying an activity tracker which will help you stay on top of how many more steps you need to take to reach your goal.

Yoga

Once upon a time yoga wasn’t as widely practiced by the general masses in western society.  Now, you can find a yoga studio on any corner.

Not only does yoga increase your flexibility and strength, but it also burns calories.  Depending on which type of yoga you’re practicing, you can burn as many as 800 calories in a single class.

Try out a few different types of yoga and see which practice works best for your experience level.  

Elliptical

Getting on the elliptical machine is like letting a machine do everything for you.  The gliding motions move your body for you with no impact on your joints and knees as they hit the ground.

You can either use an elliptical at the gym or purchase one to keep at your house for convenience.

Swimming

Swimming is a great way to get in a good workout without having to worry about sweat or overheating.  Doing a few laps in the pool is a great resistance exercise which builds your muscles and provides a fantastic cardiovascular workout.

Kayaking

Kayaking is a fun way to get your heart rate up while enjoying the beauty of the outdoors.  It can be enjoyed solo or with a friend and provides an excellent opportunity to get your heart rate up.

Regular kayakers have very toned arms because of the repetitive rowing motion, which is a nice added perk.