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Exercises

Low impact exercises for seniors: cardio and strength without jumping

Published October 29, 2026

The best low impact exercises for seniors pair easy-on-the-joints cardio with strength work. For cardio, use brisk walking, a stationary bike, an elliptical or a rowing machine for 20 to 30 minutes on most days. For strength, do chair squats, step-ups or the leg press for the legs, counter push-ups, band rows or cable rows for the upper body, and side leg raises and calf raises for the hips and ankles, 2 or 3 days a week. None of them involve jumping, and each one can be made harder with weight instead of impact.

  1. Brisk Walk Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
  2. Stationary Bike Quads, Hamstrings
  3. Bodyweight Squat Quads
  4. Step-Up Quads, Glutes
  5. Incline Push-Up Chest
  6. Band Bent-Over Row Lats, Upper Back
  7. Standing Side Leg Raise Abductors

Cardio with no pounding

Low impact means one foot stays on the ground or your feet never leave the pedals, so the joints are not jarred on landing. Walking is the easiest place to start. The bike suits sore knees and hips because it takes your body weight off them, the elliptical keeps you upright with a gliding stride, and the rower adds the arms and back.

Legs and heart, walking

Brisk Walk

Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves

Walking a little faster than your normal pace is the most accessible low-impact cardio there is, and you can do it every day. Aim for a pace where you can talk but not sing, and build up toward 30 minutes.

How to do it

  1. Walk at a pace a little faster than your normal stride.
  2. Let your arms swing from the shoulders and stand tall.
  3. Keep going until you feel warm and your breathing has picked up a little.

Cues

  • Tall posture
  • Arms swing freely

Common mistakes

  • Slouching over a phone while you walk: the arm swing is what loosens your upper back.

Swap for: Treadmill Walk, Stationary Bike, Elliptical

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Legs and heart, cycling

Stationary Bike

Quads, Hamstrings

The seat carries your body weight, so your knees and hips bend and straighten with no load landing on them. That makes it the cardio to choose when walking hurts, and a recumbent bike with a back rest is easier still.

How to do it

  1. Adjust the seat to hip height when you stand beside the bike.
  2. Pedal at a light resistance with a steady, smooth cadence.
  3. Add a little resistance in the last minute so you finish slightly out of breath.

Cues

  • Smooth circles
  • Slightly warm, not tired

Common mistakes

  • Cranking heavy resistance: this is to get warm, not to train your legs before chest day.

Swap for: Air Bike, Rowing Machine, Elliptical

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Legs and heart, gliding stride

Elliptical

Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes

Your feet stay on the pedals through the whole stride, so it feels like walking or jogging without the landing. The handles let your arms help and give you something to hold for balance.

How to do it

  1. Step on, hold the moving handles and start striding at a relaxed pace.
  2. Push the pedals through your whole foot and let your hips swing naturally.
  3. Add a little resistance for the last minute.

Cues

  • Tall chest
  • Long, even strides

Common mistakes

  • Leaning your weight onto the handles: stand up over your feet.

Swap for: Stationary Bike, Brisk Walk

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Legs, back and heart, seated rowing

Rowing Machine

Quads, Hamstrings, Glutes, Lats

Rowing works your legs, back and arms together while seated, with no impact at all. Keep the pace easy and the strokes long; most of the push comes from the legs.

How to do it

  1. Strap your feet in and hold the handle with straight arms.
  2. Push with your legs first, then lean back slightly and bring the handle to your lower ribs.
  3. Reverse the order on the way back: arms forward, body tips forward, knees bend.
  4. Keep the pace conversational, around 20 strokes a minute.

Cues

  • Legs, body, arms; arms, body, legs
  • Easy enough to talk

Common mistakes

  • Racing the first minute: this is a warm-up, so finish feeling fresher than you started.

Swap for: Stationary Bike, Air Bike, Jump Rope

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Leg strength without impact

Strength exercises are low impact by nature: you push slowly against a load instead of landing on your joints. The chair squat and step-up train standing up and climbing at home, and the leg press lets you push heavier while seated.

Quads and glutes, bodyweight squat

Bodyweight Squat

Quads

Squatting down until your hips touch a chair seat and standing back up is slow, controlled leg strength with no impact. It trains the movement you use every time you get up from a seat, and a lower chair makes it harder.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned out slightly, arms out in front for balance.
  2. Push your hips back and bend your knees, keeping your heels flat and your chest up.
  3. Lower until your thighs are at least parallel to the floor, deeper if your heels stay down.
  4. Drive through your whole foot to stand tall, then go straight into the next rep.

Cues

  • Heels glued to the floor
  • Knees over toes
  • Thighs to parallel or lower

Common mistakes

  • Knees caving in on the way up: push them out over your little toes.
  • Quarter squats to hit a rep count: a full-depth set of 12 beats a shallow set of 30.

Swap for: Reverse Lunge, Wall Sit, Jump Squat

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Quads and glutes, single-leg step

Step-Up

Quads, Glutes

Stepping up onto a low bench or sturdy step and lowering slowly builds the strength stairs ask for without the jolt of stepping down fast. Start with no dumbbells and a rail or counter beside you, then hold light dumbbells at your sides.

How to do it

  1. Stand facing the bench with two dumbbells.
  2. Place one whole foot on the bench.
  3. Lean forward a little and push through the top foot to stand up on the bench.
  4. Bring the other foot up only to touch, then lower it back to the floor.
  5. Finish all reps on one leg before switching.

Cues

  • Whole foot on the bench
  • Push through the top heel
  • Lower slowly, do not drop

Common mistakes

  • Pushing off the floor with the back foot: that halves the work. Keep the trailing foot light.
  • Using a bench so high that your knee is far above your hip: you will rock instead of step.

Swap for: Barbell Step-Up

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Quads and glutes, seated machine

Leg Press

Quads, Glutes

The machine supports your back and you press slowly, so you can work your legs hard with no impact and no balance needed. Set the depth to where your knees feel comfortable.

How to do it

  1. Sit in the machine with your whole back against the pad and your feet hip-width on the platform.
  2. Release the safety handles and bend your knees, bringing the platform toward you under control.
  3. Lower until your knees are bent to about 90 degrees or a little deeper, without your lower back curling off the pad.
  4. Press the platform away until your legs are nearly straight, and repeat.

Cues

  • Lower back stays on the pad
  • Whole foot pushes
  • Stop just short of locking out

Common mistakes

  • Going so deep that your hips roll up off the seat: stop where your back stays flat.
  • Snapping the knees straight at the top: keep a soft bend.

Swap for: 45-Degree Leg Press, Hack Squat, Barbell Back Squat

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Pushing and pulling

The upper body takes almost no impact in daily life, but it does lose strength. A counter push-up and a row with a band or cable cover the chest, shoulders, back and arms in two exercises.

Chest, shoulders and triceps, incline push-up

Incline Push-Up

Chest

Hands on a sturdy box, bench or kitchen counter, you lower your chest and push back. It works the whole upper body with a fraction of your weight, and lower surfaces make it harder over time.

How to do it

  1. Put your hands on a bench, box or counter, a little wider than shoulder width.
  2. Walk your feet back until your body is a straight line from head to heels.
  3. Lower your chest to the edge, elbows angled about 45 degrees from your sides.
  4. Press back up until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Body like a plank
  • Elbows at about 45 degrees
  • Higher surface, easier rep

Common mistakes

  • Hips sagging toward the floor: squeeze your glutes and brace as if you were about to be poked in the stomach.
  • Flaring the elbows straight out: tuck them back at about 45 degrees.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Close-Grip Push-Up, Bench Dip

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Upper back and lats, band row

Band Bent-Over Row

Lats, Upper Back

Standing on a band and rowing the handles toward your hips strengthens the upper back with a tool that costs a few dollars and weighs nothing. The band is easiest at the start of the pull, which suits stiff shoulders.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the middle of a band, hold an end in each hand, and hinge forward with a flat back.
  2. Row your hands to your lower ribs with the elbows tucked near your body.
  3. Straighten the arms slowly and keep the hinge.

Cues

  • Elbows to your hips
  • Hold the hinge

Common mistakes

  • Standing up as you row: keep the same torso angle every rep.

Swap for: Dumbbell Bent-Over Row, Inverted Row, Seated Cable Row

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Upper back and lats, cable row

Seated Cable Row

Upper Back, Lats

Seated with your feet braced, you pull a handle to your stomach. It is the gym version of the band row, with a weight stack that rises in small steps and a seat that supports you.

How to do it

  1. Sit at the cable row with your feet on the platform and knees slightly bent, holding a close-grip handle with your arms straight.
  2. Sit tall with your chest up and let the cable pull your shoulder blades forward a little.
  3. Row the handle to your lower ribs, driving your elbows back past your torso.
  4. Return it under control until your arms are straight and your shoulders reach forward, then repeat.

Cues

  • Sit tall, no rocking
  • Handle to the belly button
  • Shoulders reach at the front

Common mistakes

  • Rocking back and forth to move the stack: your torso should stay close to upright throughout.
  • Shrugging the handle up toward your neck: pull your shoulders down before the elbows bend.

Swap for: Chest-Supported Row, Single-Arm Cable Row, Barbell Row

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Hips and ankles

The muscles on the side of the hip and the calves keep you steady on uneven ground and on stairs. Both exercises are done standing with a counter in reach and take a couple of minutes.

Outer hips, side leg raise

Standing Side Leg Raise

Abductors

Lifting one leg out to the side, with a counter in reach if you need it, trains the hip muscles that keep your pelvis level when you walk. It needs no equipment, and a slow lift with a pause at the top makes it work.

How to do it

  1. Stand tall, feet under your hips, hands resting on your hips.
  2. Keep the outer leg straight with the toes pointing forward.
  3. Lift it out to the side without leaning your torso away.
  4. Lower slowly until the foot almost touches the floor.

Cues

  • Toes forward
  • Stay tall
  • Slow lower

Common mistakes

  • Turning the toes up: that shifts the work to the front of the hip.
  • Leaning sideways: lift only as high as you can with an upright body.

Swap for: Fire Hydrant, Clamshell

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Calves, rising onto the toes

Dumbbell Standing Calf Raise

Calves

Rising onto your toes trains the push-off you use with every step and on every stair. Start with no dumbbells on a flat floor, holding a counter, and add the step and weights as you get stronger.

How to do it

  1. With a dumbbell hanging from each hand, put the balls of both feet on a step or two stacked books, hip-width apart.
  2. Let your heels sink below the step until the calves are fully stretched, and pause.
  3. Press up onto your toes as high as you can with straight knees, and hold the top briefly.
  4. Lower slowly back into the stretch and repeat.

Cues

  • Tall body, straight knees
  • Slow down, quick up
  • Weight over the big toes

Common mistakes

  • Cutting the bottom short because the step feels unstable: use a wider step or touch the wall with a fingertip.
  • Bending the knees to help at the end of a set: that turns it into a little jump and stops loading the calf.

Swap for: Single-Leg Calf Raise, Kettlebell Calf Raise

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Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in.

Session 1

At home, walking plus a band and a chair

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets54 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentResistance Bands

You want to stay active without jumping or running, you have a resistance band and a sturdy chair, and you can walk outdoors or in a mall.

Each session opens with a 10-minute brisk walk and then four strength exercises at 2 sets each, so 8 strength sets three times a week, or 24 in total. Light, frequent sessions suit bodyweight and band exercises, and every set ends with 2 or 3 reps left so your joints stay fresh for the next day.

Walk and Strength
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Brisk WalkSeconds. Ten one-minute blocks back to back, a pace you can talk in. 10 × 60 4 0 s
Bodyweight SquatHips touch a chair seat. 2 × 8–15 3 90 s
Incline Push-UpHands on the kitchen counter. 2 × 8–15 3 90 s
Band Bent-Over RowStand on the band, flat back. 2 × 10–20 2 1 min
Standing Side Leg RaisePer leg. Hold the counter. 2 × 10–15 2 1 min
How to run it
Do it three times a week, for example Monday, Wednesday and Friday. On the days in between, take a longer walk of 20 to 30 minutes; together it adds up toward 150 minutes a week.
How to progress
Once a set reaches the top of its rep range with 2 or 3 reps still in reserve, make that exercise harder: a lower chair or a dumbbell for squats, a lower surface for push-ups, a stronger band for rows. Lengthen the walks on your other days by 5 minutes every couple of weeks until they reach 30.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

A gym with cardio machines and weights

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets38 a week
  • Per workout~30 min
  • EquipmentElliptical, Leg Press, Cable Row, Rowing Machine +2

You go to a gym or community center twice a week, and you want cardio and strength in one visit without anything that pounds your joints.

Each visit has 10 minutes on an elliptical or rower, then 9 strength sets on machines and simple exercises. Twice a week gives 18 strength sets, enough to build strength steadily at 2 reps in reserve, plus 20 minutes of machine cardio on top of any walking you do.

Day A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
EllipticalSeconds. Ten one-minute blocks back to back, steady pace. 10 × 60 4 0 s
Leg PressBack flat on the pad. 3 × 10–12 2 2 min
Seated Cable Row 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Incline Push-UpHands on a bench or bar in a rack. 3 × 8–15 2 90 s

Open Day A in the session builder

Day B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Rowing MachineSeconds. Ten one-minute blocks back to back, long easy strokes. 10 × 60 4 0 s
Step-UpPer leg. Low box beside a rail. 3 × 8–12 2 90 s
Seated Cable RowPause with the handle at your stomach. 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Standing Calf RaiseOn a step, holding a rail. 3 × 10–15 2 1 min

Open Day B in the session builder

How to run it
Leave at least one rest day between Day A and Day B, for example Monday and Thursday. The 10 minutes of cardio is your warm-up, so keep the first few minutes easy.
How to progress
Add reps until every set reaches the top of its range, then take the smallest step up: one plate on the machines, slightly heavier dumbbells for step-ups and calf raises, a lower surface for push-ups. On cardio, raise the resistance a level when 10 minutes feels easy, or stay on for longer after the strength work.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Knees or hips that ache when walking

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets36 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentExercise Bike, Leg Press, Cable Row

Walking more than a few minutes makes your knees or hips ache, and you want to keep your heart and muscles working anyway.

The bike replaces walking because it takes your body weight off the joints, and the leg press trains the thighs in a range you set. Each session is a 10-minute ride plus four strength exercises at 2 sets, 8 strength sets twice a week, all at 2 to 3 reps in reserve.

Bike and Strength
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Stationary BikeSeconds. Ten one-minute blocks back to back, easy resistance. 10 × 60 4 0 s
Leg PressFeet high on the platform, comfortable depth. 2 × 12–15 3 2 min
Seated Cable Row 2 × 10–12 2 90 s
Incline Push-UpHands on a high bench. 2 × 8–12 2 90 s
Standing Side Leg RaisePer leg. Hold a rail. 2 × 10–15 2 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week, for example Tuesday and Friday. If you have a bike at home, ride for 15 to 20 minutes on one or two other days as well.
How to progress
Raise the bike resistance a little each week. On the leg press, add depth before weight: once a range feels fine for two weeks, let the platform come an inch closer.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What exercise should a 70 year old do every day?

Walking, at a pace that raises your breathing, for 20 to 30 minutes. Add strength exercises such as chair squats, counter push-ups and band rows 2 or 3 days a week, with a rest day between them so the muscles recover.

How can older adults regain muscle quickly?

Strength training 2 or 3 times a week with loads that make the last reps of each set hard, plus enough protein at each meal. Machines like the leg press and cable row let you load the muscles with no balance needed, and strength usually improves within a few weeks.

What exercise burns the most belly fat for seniors?

No exercise burns fat from one area. Fat comes off the whole body when you burn more than you eat. Walking, the bike or the rower on most days, two strength sessions a week to keep muscle, and eating a little less is the combination that works.

Is strength training low impact?

Yes. Lifting weights or using bands moves the joints slowly against resistance with no landing, which is the definition of low impact. It is also the low-impact exercise that builds muscle best.

What are the best low impact exercises for seniors with bad knees?

The stationary bike for cardio, and the leg press with a comfortable depth, side leg raises and calf raises for strength. Rows and counter push-ups train the upper body without loading the knees at all.