What Is Low-Impact Cardio?

Low-impact cardio is a common name for aerobic activities with little jumping or pounding, such as swimming, water aerobics, rowing and steady cycling. Like any aerobic activity, they count toward the weekly guidelines when done at moderate or vigorous intensity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) includes recreational swimming, water aerobics and cycling slower than 10 miles per hour as examples of moderate-intensity activities, while swimming laps is listed as a vigorous-intensity choice. The National Health Service (NHS) lists water aerobics as a moderate activity and swimming among its vigorous examples.

Short version: Low-impact cardio protects your joints while still improving heart and lung fitness. Swimming, rowing, cycling and brisk walking are all effective options. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, and use the talk test to check your effort.

How to Gauge Your Effort: The Talk Test and Intensity Levels

Understanding intensity helps you get the most from low-impact cardio without overdoing it. The CDC describes a simple method called the talk test. During moderate-intensity activity, you can talk but not sing. When effort moves into vigorous territory, you cannot say more than a few words without pausing for a breath. The NHS uses the same rule of thumb in its physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64.

The CDC also explains relative intensity on a scale of 0 to 10, where sitting is 0 and maximal effort is 10. Moderate-intensity activity feels like a 5 or 6, while vigorous intensity starts at a 7 or 8. This scale is useful because an activity that feels moderate for a very fit person might feel vigorous for someone who is just starting out. Low-impact cardio can be performed at either intensity, depending on your pace and effort.

Swimming: A Full-Body, Low-Impact Option

The CDC categorizes recreational swimming as a moderate-intensity activity and swimming laps as vigorous. The NHS lists water aerobics as a moderate-intensity example and swimming as a vigorous activity that makes you breathe hard and fast. Both count toward the weekly aerobic targets.

Rowing: Proper Technique for a Smooth, Low-Impact Stroke

Rowing on a machine or on the water provides a seated, low-impact workout that uses the legs, back and arms in a coordinated sequence. One rowing machine maker’s technique guide breaks the stroke into two main parts: the drive, which is the work portion, and the recovery, which is the rest portion that prepares you for the next drive. The body movements of the recovery are essentially the reverse of the drive, and blending them into a smooth continuum creates an efficient stroke.

At the catch, your arms are straight, your head is neutral, and your shoulders are level and not hunched. Your upper body leans forward from the hips so that your shoulders are in front of your hips, and your shins are vertical or as close to vertical as is comfortable. The drive begins by pressing with your legs. You then swing your back through the vertical position before finally adding the arm pull. Your hands move in a straight line to and from the flywheel, and your shoulders stay low and relaxed. At the finish, your upper body leans back slightly with support from your core muscles, your legs are extended, and the handle is held lightly below your ribs. Your wrists should be flat and your grip relaxed.

The recovery reverses this order: extend your arms until they straighten, then lean from the hips toward the flywheel. Once your hands have cleared your knees, allow your knees to bend and gradually slide the seat forward. Return to the catch position with shoulders relaxed and shins vertical. Paying attention to this sequence helps you avoid pulling too hard with the arms alone and keeps the movement fluid and joint-friendly. For more on safe movement patterns, see our exercise form guide.

Other Low-Impact Cardio Activities to Try

Beyond swimming and rowing, many everyday activities qualify as low-impact cardio. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) lists yard work such as raking leaves or pushing a lawnmower, dancing, bicycling, climbing stairs or hills, and playing pickleball as moderate-intensity endurance activities. The CDC adds doubles tennis, active forms of yoga like Vinyasa or power yoga, ballroom or line dancing, and general yard work and home repair work to its moderate-intensity examples. Cycling slower than 10 miles per hour on level terrain is another CDC-listed moderate option.

Walking briskly at 2.5 miles per hour or faster is one of the most accessible low-impact activities. The NIA emphasizes that aerobic activities should not cause dizziness, chest pain or pressure, or nausea. If you experience any of these symptoms, stop and seek guidance from a health care provider. For cycling-specific guidance, visit our cycling workouts page.

How to Start and Progress Safely

If you are new to exercise or returning after a long break, a gradual approach reduces the risk of injury and helps your body adapt. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that inactive adults start with light-intensity activity and increase the duration and intensity slowly over time. The guidelines give an example of beginning with 5 minutes of walking several times a day, 5 to 6 days a week, then gradually increasing to 10 minutes per session three times a day, and slowly picking up the walking speed.

The NHS advises speaking to a GP first if you have not exercised for some time or if you have medical conditions or concerns. The HHS guidelines also state that people with chronic conditions should understand whether and how their conditions affect their ability to do regular physical activity safely. The NIA echoes this with a simple safety tip: listen to your body. Aerobic activities should not cause dizziness, chest pain or pressure, or nausea. Doing a little light activity, such as easy walking, before and after your aerobic sessions helps warm up and cool down.

Once you are comfortable, you can work toward the weekly targets that the NHS and HHS both recommend: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity, or a mix of the two. Spreading this activity over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day, is a practical way to build consistency. For a structured starting point, see our cardio for beginners article.

Adding Strength Training to Your Routine

Low-impact cardio builds your heart and lung fitness, but pairing it with muscle-strengthening work creates a more complete program. The NHS physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 recommend strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least 2 days a week. The NIA also suggests muscle-strengthening activities at least two days per week, avoiding the same muscle group on consecutive days to allow recovery.

NHS examples include working with resistance bands, body-weight exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups, heavy gardening such as digging and shovelling, wheeling a wheelchair and lifting and carrying children. These activities can be done on the same day as your low-impact cardio or on separate days, whichever fits your schedule. For more on building strength safely, explore our strength training section and our recovery tips.

Frequently asked questions

Does swimming count as vigorous or moderate activity?

It depends on how hard you work. The CDC lists recreational swimming as moderate intensity and swimming laps as vigorous, and the NHS lists swimming among its vigorous examples. Use the talk test to judge your own effort. If you have joint concerns or a health condition, ask a health care provider which activities suit you.

How do I know if I am working hard enough during low-impact cardio?

Use the talk test described by the CDC and the NHS. If you can carry on a conversation but cannot sing, you are likely working at a moderate intensity. If you can only say a few words before needing to take a breath, your effort is vigorous. You can also use the CDC’s 0-to-10 scale, aiming for a 5 or 6 for moderate effort and a 7 or 8 for vigorous effort.

Can I do low-impact cardio every day?

The NHS recommends spreading exercise over 4 to 5 days a week, or every day. The HHS guidelines state that aerobic activity should preferably be spread throughout the week. It is still wise to include easier days or rest days if you feel fatigued. Pay attention to how your body responds and adjust your schedule accordingly.

For more low-impact cardio workouts and plans, visit our low-impact cardio section. You can also browse the full cardio and conditioning hub for other options, or start with our cardio for beginners guide.

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