Specific exercises that are high intensity but low impact

[hotncmom]

I'd like to get a list of exercises that would be high intensity but don't consist of high-impact jumping. I'd like to integrate some interval training into my workouts. I know that some of the plank-based exercises like mountain climbers and reptiles are good for this, and there's reverse plank with knee or leg raises, but what else can I do?

Thanks!

[Jane P.]

The exercise that really gets my heart rate up is fast knee ups while twisting the opposite side of my upper body towards the knee I'm lifting. Hold your hands behind your head as if doing a crunch, and reach elbow to knee when twisting. I don't know why but this one makes my heartrate sky rocket, and it has no impact at all.

Also holding hand weights (four limbed moves) will increase your heart rate without impact.

I would do a Leslie dvd that had two minutes of jogging at the end of each mile. Instead of jogging, I would do various low impact moves to see which ones raised my heart rate the most.

[desderata]

Add in some kettlebell swings. They always get my heart rate soaring, and zero impact.

[saffron]

How about:

Squats w/ a front kick or side kick.

A lunge back while bending forward to touch the floor, followed by a front kick w/ the opposite leg.

Over/Under - (with a chair in front of you) swing your leg up and over the chair then do a ducking move to get back to start.

HTH

[neatski]

Squat thrusts with a squat at the end instead of a jump

[ilovemybirds]

Speed bags with your arms! They REALLY get my heartrate up, and I don't have to use my legs at all! This is a great thread!

[ilovemybirds]

I forgot to add that even doing Leslie moves at a fast pace gets my heart rate up. I'll do that sometimes while doing Tracey M's total body blast segments.During her high impact interval segments (which last one minute), I'll do a combo of side steps and hamstring curls at a quick pace for about 30 seconds followed by speed bags for 30 seconds. It's a GREAT combo!

[Helen]

Here's a few:
1) side kick (high roundhouse) with right leg, then put right leg down & move left leg to the left for a plie squat, step left leg in & raise right for another kick.

2) Forward lunge with right leg, push up with force into a front kick with right leg, You can land back into the forward lunge position, but if that landing is too much, just bring feet back together & start from stepping out into the lunge. The tough part is pushing out of the lunge into the front kick.

3) Split stance, rear leg straight, front leg bent to square, torso 45° or lower. Keeping front leg in place, repeatedly draw the knee of the straight (rear) leg into your chest at a fairly quick pace. Harder to do if keep arms extended overhead. For back support, rest hands on front thigh if needed.

4) Mountain climbers - try with feet on slides to avoid the impact of jumping feet back & forth. Also try them with an added hip twist, taking knees to opposite sides.

5) Rear lunge with right leg, pull out of lunge into a front kick with the same leg, finish kick by moving into another rear lunge,

6) Any kind of standard upper body weights exercise done with really light weights (just a pound or two), and at a brisk pace. Keep legs going by walking, marching, kicks.... like Leslie Sansone. I do Leslie workouts with ankle weights & very light handweights.

7) Walking lunges with a high knee raise with every step. If you want to reduce the quad/glute work of the lunges, just take smaller steps and don't go so deep, but including the knee lift with every step adds to the workload in general.

[kat999]

Just shadow boxing to the corners of the room from shoulder height, when done down in a plie squat and done really fast, usually gets me fatigued like crazy really fast. ZERO impact. I'll often mix up my punch target spot for variety, but a few minutes of that and my arms and thighs are burning.

In some workouts, when they call for skaters with a hop, I just take the hop out and try to go double time with the move or be more exaggerated with my arm movements. Still feels like I get my heart rate up but without the added impact.

I don't know what it is about jumps. I don't even have bad knees, I just don't like how jumps make me feel, and I can never get much height going anyway. I can do plyos for a while, but that's about it. Jumping jack series just destroy me.

[lfcjasp]

Hotncmom, no exercises to add...but thank you so much for starting this thread!!! I really do love jumping, but DH won't allow it in the house and I need to lose quite a bit of weight so my hips/knees don't have issues with it either...