It's easy to hyper-focus on strength training or cardio alone, endlessly lifting weights, running miles, or grinding on the Peloton. But experts are now pressing pause on that one-dimensional approach in favor of a smarter, more sustainable strategy: low-impact cross-training.

Whether you're a serious cyclist, a weekend warrior, or someone looking to avoid burnout, these low-impact moves offer a refreshing reset that supports muscle growth, cardiovascular health, and mobility, all while being gentle on your joints.

Cross-training isn’t new, it’s been around long enough to have an entire category of athletic shoes named after it but its importance is experiencing a strong resurgence. According to leading fitness trainers, today’s workouts need to be more holistic. That means you don’t just build muscle—you build endurance, joint flexibility, coordination, and overall resilience.

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And here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be intense or intimidating. Cross-training is most effective when done 1–2 times a week, and even small, consistent additions can lead to big gains. Swapping out the final 10 to 15 minutes of your workout with functional movements outside your usual program can improve recovery, prevent injury, and train your body to move in multiple planes.

What Is Low-Impact Cross-Training?

Low-impact training is a game-changer—especially for those battling chronic joint pain, recovering from injury, or simply aging gracefully. According to certified trainer Brodie, as we age, our joints naturally lose range of motion and muscle mass begins to decline after 30. Cross-training with low-impact exercises ensures that your fitness evolves with your body.

These movements keep at least one foot on the ground at all times (yes, that means no jumping), making them safer for your knees, hips, and back. But make no mistake—they still challenge your muscles in new, meaningful ways.

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What You Need for Low-Impact Cross-Training?

To get started, grab:

1. A medium to heavy kettlebell
2. A mat
3. Open floor space

Aim for 10–12 reps of each movement, resting 30–60 seconds between each. Do 2–3 sets, twice per week to start seeing results.

1. Kettlebell Swing

The kettlebell swing is a full-body, explosive movement that works your posterior chain—from glutes to lower back—and teaches you how to generate force safely. “It’s not just about swinging a weight; it’s about understanding muscle activation and relaxation,” says Brodie.

This move is especially beneficial for cyclists and desk-jobbers alike, helping correct poor posture and preventing lower back pain by reinforcing hip mobility and glute engagement.

Form tip: Keep your core tight, back neutral, and drive from the hips—not the arms.

2. Goblet Squat

Squats are foundational, but the goblet squat makes them smarter. Holding the kettlebell in front of your chest helps engage your upper body while deepening your squat form and improving balance.

What makes this exercise low-impact is that it builds muscle in your glutes, quads, abs, arms, and grip—without joint stress or high-impact plyometrics. The upright posture also translates well to better bike handling and hill endurance.

Form tip: Keep your feet grounded and chest lifted as you squat.

3. Around the World

Around the World is often overlooked—but it's a quiet powerhouse. By rotating a kettlebell around your body in a controlled motion, you’re not just improving shoulder stability, but also enhancing core strength and coordination.

This is particularly useful for cyclists, who often deal with upper-back tightness from riding in a hunched position.

Bonus use: Works great as a warm-up to upper-body workouts.

4. Weighted Glute Bridge

Modern lifestyles mean long hours sitting at desks—or in saddles. Enter the weighted glute bridge: a deceptively simple move that strengthens your glutes, opens tight hip flexors, and engages your core.

This exercise directly improves your ability to push and pull pedals while protecting your lower back from strain.

Form tip: Avoid arching the back; instead, focus on squeezing your glutes and keeping your core stable at the top.

5. Suitcase Carry

If you’ve never done a suitcase carry, you’re missing one of the most functional, real-life applicable exercises. Holding a weight in one hand while walking forces your core to stabilize—mimicking the movements needed in cycling, lifting, and even daily tasks.

It’s a brilliant way to train anti-rotational strength, reduce the risk of injury, and improve posture.

Challenge yourself: Use two kettlebells for a farmer’s walk variation that works both sides simultaneously.

6. Hiking, Snowshoeing, or Cross-Country Skiing

Not all cross-training needs to happen in the gym. Outdoor activities like hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing offer a total-body burn with the added mental health benefit of being in nature.

These are especially effective for building endurance, balance, and cardiovascular strength, all while maintaining low impact on joints.

Whether you're scaling trails or gliding through snowy landscapes, you're engaging muscles that often get overlooked—making this a worthy addition to your training year-round.

If you’ve been training the same way for years, it may be time to refresh your routine with cross-training. And the best part? Low-impact doesn’t mean low return. By mixing in these six movements a few times a week, you’ll build a more adaptable, injury-resistant body—without derailing your current program. The next time you feel tempted to skip mobility work or cardio, try one of these low-impact cross-training exercises instead. Your future self will thank you.

Mobility and independence are two things that keep people healthy, however, with age, as bones weaken and muscle is lost, elderly become more dependent. This condition is called sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss. India is finally focusing on this and have now new guidelines to warn people against it.

The Geriatric Society of India released country's first 'Indian Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Sarcopenia'. These guidelines are a combination of recommendations by experts across multiple specialties, including geriatric medicine, orthopedics, endocrinology, physiotherapy and nutrition. These guidelines aim to help doctors detect and treat muscle loss early. The aim is to not let elderly compromise with their independence.

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What Is Sarcopenia?

Sarcopenia literally translates to 'loss of flesh'. Medically, it refers to gradual decline in muscle mass, strength and physical function with aging. While it is often overlooked, it is also the major reason for many fractures and hospitalizations of older adults, and sometimes, even death.

India is expected to have around 319 million people aged over 60 by 2050, which is one-fifth of the population. It could be concerning as they are at risk of sarcopenia. Studies have also shown that the number has increased from 8-18 per cent to 25-40 per cent adults, especially hospitalization cases. Experts point out that those with chronic diseases like diabetes are at a higher risk.

What Are The First Indian Guidelines On Muscle Loss or Sarcopenia?

Dr OP Sharma, who led guidelines said that muscle health is most important for healthy aging. "Strength preserves dignity. Early detection saves independence," he said. Dr Sharma also noted that the sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition and chronic illnesses are accelerating this condition among seniors.

The guidelines also advise doctors to look for warning signs in patients, which include weak grip strength, slower walking speed, or difficulty getting up from a chair. There are also screening tools like SARC-F questionnaire, which could help identify those at risk.

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The ray of hope here is that sarcopenia could be prevented or slowed that too with simple lifestyle changes.

What Lifestyle Changes Could Prevent Sarcopenia?

• Strength training exercises
• Adequate protein consumption
• Correcting deficiency including vitamin D and calcium

Doctors are also advising to eat a balanced diet, which includes protein, fats, green vegetables, and pulses. Dr Raju Vaishya of Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals said, "India is a sarcopenic nation". He pointed that everyone needs to be aware about muscle health, however this awareness remains low in the country.

Dr Randeep Guleria said the guidelines aim to brings muscle health into routine medical care. "They bridge science with clinical wisdom, making sarcopenia visible in everyday practice."

A new Nature Human Behaviour (2026) study suggests that single-session psychological exercises lasting less than 10 minutes can lead to measurable decreases in depression symptoms even one month later.

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the world. Every year, hundreds of millions of people suffer from depression, and many are unable to get therapy because of cost, stigma and the dearth of mental-health professionals.

Symptoms include excessive sadness, depression often includes fatigue, changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, difficulty concentrating and feelings of hopelessness. Treatment requires professional guidance for diagnosis and management.

A 10-Minute Intervention With Lasting Effects

All the brief interventions took less than 10 minutes to complete and were designed to teach practical coping skills that are commonly used in psychotherapy. Some exercises helped participants to reframe negative thoughts, while others focused on motivation, goal-setting or making sense of things by helping others. Participants completed surveys measuring their well-being immediately after the session and again one month later.

The results were striking: while many exercises boosted motivation and hope immediately, two interventions - Interactive Cognitive Reappraisal and Finding Focus - showed measurable reductions in depression symptoms even after a month. On average, participants experienced about a four percent greater reduction in depression scores compared with the control group.

Although the improvement may appear small, researchers note that brief, scalable interventions could reach millions of people who currently lack access to mental-health care as they can be completed in a few minutes and delivered online, these exercises may allow people to take initial steps toward better mental health, especially those waiting for professional help or unwilling to ask for help.

The scientists also stressed that these activities are not intended to substitute for therapy, but should be seen as readily available tools to help with emotional health.

Exercise and Mental Health: A Growing Body of Evidence

Previous research also shows that a quick burst of activity can make you feel better from other research too. A British Journal of Health Psychology 2024 study found that just 10 minutes of daily mindfulness practice significantly improved well-being and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety among more than 1,200 participants from 91 countries.

Similarly, the US National Institutes of Health (2019) reviews suggest that the physical activity itself may help improve mood and depressive symptoms, strengthening the relationship between movement and mental health.

Collectively, these findings suggest that even small doses of mental or physical activity may lead to psychological benefits.

A Small Step That Can Make a Difference

Depression can make people feel trapped and out of control. The good news of the new research is that it suggests that big changes aren’t always necessary to move forward.

Sometimes, doing a small task, like spending 10 minutes learning a new coping skill or doing a quick mental exercise, is enough to change the way you think and gradually improve mood.

As researchers investigate these brief interventions, one thing is becoming clear: when it comes to mental health, few minutes matter more than we think.

British broadcaster Gabby Logan has revealed that her 20-year-old daughter Lois has been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal condition that may require her to step back from high-intensity endurance sport, including extreme long-distance running.

Speaking on her Mid-Point podcast, Logan said the diagnosis came after medical consultations about her daughter’s health and training. During the appointment, a specialist advised Lois to avoid “extreme running,” prompting mixed emotions in the family, concern about the condition, but also relief about scaling back punishing physical goals.

What PCOS Means for Athletes

PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders in women of reproductive age, affecting an estimated 8–13 per cent globally. It occurs when the body produces higher levels of androgens (male-type hormones) and often involves insulin resistance.

The condition can cause irregular periods, acne, excessive hair growth, weight changes and fertility challenges. Many patients also have difficulty regulating blood sugar, increasing long-term risks of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

While exercise is widely recommended as a cornerstone of PCOS management, helping improve insulin sensitivity, metabolism and mood, specialists say the type and intensity of exercise matter.

Why Extreme Endurance Could Be A Problem

Doctors cautioned Lois against extreme endurance events such as half-marathons because prolonged, high-intensity training can significantly elevate cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.

In people with PCOS, hormonal balance is already fragile. Persistently high cortisol may:

• worsen insulin resistance
• disrupt ovulation further
• aggravate fatigue and inflammation
• intensify menstrual irregularities

In other words, although movement is beneficial, chronic physical stress can sometimes counteract the hormonal stability patients are trying to restore.

Moderate-intensity exercise, brisk walking, strength training and shorter runs, is generally considered more supportive for hormone regulation than sustained high-intensity endurance workloads.

From Half Marathon To Shorter Goals

Logan previously completed the London Landmarks Half-Marathon with Lois in 2024, describing the preparation as mentally and physically demanding. The pair had hoped to repeat the experience, but the new medical advice has changed those plans.

Instead, they now intend to focus on shorter runs together.

The television presenter admitted she felt a surprising sense of relief at the specialist’s recommendation, recalling how intense the training had been for both of them.

A sporting life continues — just differently

Lois, a competitive showjumper and university student, has long balanced academics with elite sport. She has ridden horses since childhood and competed at national levels, later even participating in a charity jockey race — an experience she described as “brutal.”

Her diagnosis does not end her athletic pursuits, but it reshapes them.

Medical experts increasingly stress that PCOS management is not about stopping exercise but tailoring it. Sustainable training, adequate recovery, and balanced nutrition often produce better long-term hormonal outcomes than relentless endurance performance.

For athletes with PCOS, the goal shifts from pushing physical limits to supporting physiological stability — a change that, doctors say, can ultimately protect both performance and health.