Some forms of cardiovascular exercise can be quite jarring, from pounding the pavement on a run to working the punching bag during a boxing session.
These impacts can make exercise an uncomfortable experience for many, particularly those with limited mobility, or who suffer from chronic pain or issues with bones and joints.
But there is a way to improve and maintain your fitness in a more comfortable, enjoyable and accessible way: by using a low impact cardio machine.
What is low impact cardio
Low impact cardio equipment offers exercise that minimises impacts felt by your body, while still allowing you to choose the cardiovascular intensity of your workout – to get a sweat up, to puff yourself out, and to enjoy that post-exercise glow that high intensity training can deliver.
The benefits of low impact cardio are many and varied:
- Accessibility: Low impact cardio can be enjoyed by just about anyone, even the elderly and those with limited mobility. In fact, it can help people to actively overcome physical issues and limitations.
- Reduced risk of injury: By minimising the impacts felt by the body during exercise, you minimise the risk of injury to bones, joints and soft tissues.
- Comfort and enjoyment: Low impact cardio offers a more comfortable and enjoyable exercise experience, and you can adjust the level of intensity to whatever your preference might be.
- Better fitness outcomes: When you combine all of the above – accessibility, comfort, enjoyment and lower risk – you get a form of exercise that people are more likely to stick to, and that can therefore drive better fitness, health and wellness outcomes.
The 5 best low impact cardio machines
What are the best low impact cardio machines? The ‘best’ machine will depend on your personal preferences, but let’s look at five that offer the perfect combination of low impact and choose-your-own intensity.
1. Rowing machine
A well-built rower is a joy to use. These machines replicate the feeling of gliding through water, and engage every major muscle group in the process. The smooth action allows one movement to flow organically into the next.
Rowing machines come in two main styles: air rowers and water rowers. The user experience is much the same between the two machines, they just generate resistance in slightly different ways. Despite being low impact, rowing machines can offer a decidedly high intensity workout, and often form a short, punchy exercise within a HIIT (high intensity interval training) circuit.
2. Exercise bike
When you jump into the saddle of an exercise bike, you can put the pedal to the metal without needing to worry about the lumps, bumps and impacts of roads, bike paths and trails. The experience is perfectly smooth, particularly if you choose an upright or recumbent exercise bike, as these don’t force you into the hunched posture of a spin bike or road bike.
A machine like the Matrix U30 Upright Bike can even add a bit of outdoors to your indoor exercise, through a large augmented reality screen that can send you flying down a bike trail or cruising some of the world’s most scenic destinations.
3. Elliptical/cross-trainer
If you’re not just looking for the best low impact cardio machine, but the best no impact cardio machine, look no further than an elliptical. Ellipticals and cross-trainers are designed to reimagine the otherwise jarring experience of running and jogging as a zero impact exercise that also engages your arms.
The Matrix E30 Suspension Elliptical is the perfect example of a low impact elliptical machine: it features a wheel-and-track-free design that eliminates impacts, minimises friction, and even reduces noise. The result: full-body exercise in its most comfortable, harmonious and flowing form. And as with all Matrix machines, you can choose from a range of interchangeable consoles that allow you to track, customise and enhance your workout.
4. Stair climber
While going down stairs can be a painful experience full of jarring impacts, going up stairs is quite the opposite: a surprisingly smooth motion that engages your leg muscles and your cardiovascular system in a unique way.
By choosing a step machine or stair climber like the Matrix C50 ClimbMill, you also enjoy the handrails that serve the dual purpose of reducing impacts through support, and engaging your upper body in the exercise.
5. Ski machine
Take a rowing machine and place it upright. That, in the most basic sense, is the idea behind the SkiErg, a machine that replicates the action of skiing down a mountain, minus both the mountain and the potential for bone-jarring impacts.
SkiErgs engage all of your major muscle groups: you grab a set of resistive handles above your head, you pull them down until you’re in a crouch, then you let them retract before beginning the action again. With good technique this movement is low impact and perfectly smooth, but can form the basis of a seriously intense workout.
GymQuip: low impact cardio specialists
Home to Australia’s largest fitness showroom, at GymQuip we have been helping people enjoy low impact, choose-your-own-intensity cardio exercise for over 30 years. We stock everything you need to reach your goals: a complete range of rowing machines, exercise bikes, ellipticals, step machines and SkiErgs, including the world’s most innovative machinery, like the Matrix Fitness range.
We are also commercial gym fit out specialists, helping owners design, fit-out and maintain their gyms with the finest equipment available and all the support you could ever need (additional charges may apply). We can help with home gym fit-outs too.
While our showroom is large, our online store is even larger. We deliver Australia-wide, orders are shipped within 24 hours, and our entire range is covered by our price match guarantee: if you find one of our products cheaper elsewhere, we’ll beat that price.