Good news for people who don’t like aerobic exercise. You don’t have to do endless burpees or go on grueling runs to stay fit and healthy.
Low-impact strength training is a great way to get your heart rate up and improve cardiovascular health while developing muscles without stressing your joints.
Brittany Williamsfrom the fitness app sweatdesigned a low-impact workout as an alternative to aerobic exercise.
This routine, which uses six dumbbell exercises, is ideal for anyone looking to improve fitness and strength in a joint-friendly way. Since it is intense, it also increases your metabolism.
How to do Brittany Williams’ low-intensity cardio routine
Perform each exercise for 40 seconds, then rest for 20 seconds. Alternatively, if you prefer a rep-based format, you can perform 10 repetitions (reps) on each side of each movement.
Depending on your time, repeat this circuit three to four times, taking 90 seconds of rest between rounds.
You will need a pair of dumbbells for this workout. Light to moderate weights are best to maintain good form and maximize cardiovascular benefits.
If you’re comfortable with it, we recommend standing with more weight for movements like dumbbell swings and planks. However, for exercises such as ground-to-overhead transfers and lateral lunges, lighter weights are recommended.
Effects of high-intensity training on metabolism
Although a low-impact routine, this is an example of HIRT (high-intensity resistance training). It’s similar to the popular HIIT format, but you move a little slower and lift heavier.
Similar to HIIT, this type of intense training boosts your metabolism, albeit temporarily. Calorie expenditure increases even after you finish exercising. This is known as the afterburn effect.
This workout will also help you build muscle. Muscle is a metabolically active tissue that burns more calories than fat at rest, so strengthening your legs, arms, and core will also increase your metabolism.
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