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.

Yoga can often seems challenging, but many stretches and regular exercises you may do, could also be part of yoga. Exercises like stretching or warm-up routine are an essential part of yoga that benefits your entire body as a whole. Not only do these benefit your muscles and joints, these yoga positions can also have a positive effect on your brain, heart and psychological health.

One such position is Paschimottanasana or the seated forward bend.

The 'Seated Forward Bend' might look like a simple yoga move, but it's often surprisingly challenging for many people. This is because activities like running and sitting for long periods can make our hips, the backs of our legs, and our lower backs really tight. This simple forward bend can help loosen those areas up, but it's important not to rush or push too hard.

Step-by-Step Guide To Do Paschimottanasana

• Bring both arms up beside your chest, bending your elbows so your forearms are parallel to the floor, palms down. Breathe normally.
• Exhale as you bend forward, arching your spine and drawing your abdomen in, reach your hands to hold your big toes.
• Gently lower your elbows towards the ground and bend your head, bringing your forehead towards your knees.
• Rest your forehead in the space between your knees and hold this final position, breathing normally with slow, rhythmic breaths.
• To return, lift your head, release your toes, gently straighten your back, and bring your hands back to your sides.

Benefits of Paschimottanasana

Getting into this pose takes time and being patient with your body. Instead of trying to look a certain way, focus on finding a version of the stretch that feels right for you. The mental focus on being gentle and patient can be as intense as the stretch itself, teaching us that yoga is about more than just physical effort. Here are some benefits of it.

Spinal Health and Circulation

When you do this deep stretch along your backside, it's like a gentle adjustment for your spine. It can help fix small curves that aren't quite right. Plus, this stretch encourages better blood flow all around your spine, which is good for keeping it healthy and working well.

Abdominal Organ Massage and Relief

The strong squeeze you feel in your belly area during this pose is like a gentle massage for your internal organs. This can really help if you have tummy troubles like constipation or if your digestion feels slow. It can also give a little boost to your liver if it's not feeling its best.

Stretching Key Muscle Groups

This pose is a great way to stretch out important muscles in your body. You'll feel it in the muscles that are closer to the surface and the ones that are deeper in your legs. It also gives a good stretch to your shoulders and all along your back, making them more flexible and less stiff.

Preventing Future Spinal Issues

Doing Paschimottanasana regularly can be like building a defense against future problems with your spine. By keeping it flexible and strong, you're less likely to have those aches and pains come back over and over again. It helps maintain good spinal health in the long run.

Relief from Sciatica and Lower Back Pain

If you've ever had that shooting pain down your leg called sciatica, or just regular lower back pain, this pose can offer some comfort. The stretch can help to ease the pressure on the nerves that cause these issues, bringing a bit of relief to those sore areas.

Cultivating Inner Qualities

Practicing this pose consistently isn't just about the physical stretch. It can also help you develop important inner feelings. Holding the pose can teach you to let go, to be more dedicated to your practice, and to commit to taking care of your body and mind.

High blood pressure is a common condition that many people deal with throughout the world. Can yoga help with the same?

Yoga is one of the best ways to ensure that your health stays in the best condition. Not only does is it a form of exercise that helps us make our body more flexible, but it also helps us strengthen it and ensure our bodily functions work properly.

Yoga is an ancient practice that consists of poses, breathing exercises, and meditational practices. Many people believe that it is more than just exercise, it is a way for you to connect with your mind and body, leading to a wide range of benefits for your overall health. From making your body stronger and more flexible to calming your mind and reducing stress, yoga offers a holistic path to feeling better and living healthier.

Does Science Support Yoga For Hypertension

High blood pressure is a serious condition, and while there are many ways to manage it, what works for one person might not work for another. Researchers are always looking for the most effective treatments and extra therapies to help control blood pressure. A 2023 pilot study, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, explored whether yoga could be one of those helpful additions.

While both groups saw improvements in their resting blood pressure and heart rate, the group that did yoga had more significant improvements in these areas. The yoga group also showed better Reynolds risk scores, which are measurements used to predict the risk of heart disease and other serious heart problems. These findings suggest that regular yoga could be an effective extra therapy to help improve blood pressure levels.

Yoga poses That Can Help With Hypertension

Stick Pose

This simple pose, also known as Dandasana, involves sitting tall with your legs stretched out in front of you. It helps calm your mind and can contribute to lowering your blood pressure by promoting relaxation and good posture.

Extended Hand to Big Toe Pose

Known as Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana, this pose involves balancing on one leg while extending the other. It improves balance and focus, which can help reduce stress and bring down blood pressure by calming the nervous system.

Chair Pose

Chair Pose, or Utkatasana, strengthens your legs and core. While it builds heat, the controlled breathing and mindful movement can help regulate your heart rate and improve circulation, contributing to better blood pressure control.

Butterfly Pose

Also called Baddha Konasana, this seated pose involves bringing the soles of your feet together. It gently opens the hips and inner thighs, promoting relaxation and easing tension, which can be beneficial for managing high blood pressure.

Fish Pose

Matsyasana, or Fish Pose, gently arches your back and opens your chest. This pose is known for its calming effects on the brain and can help relieve stress and mild depression, indirectly aiding in blood pressure reduction.

Child’s Pose

Balasana, or Child's Pose, is a gentle resting pose that calms the brain and helps relieve stress and fatigue. Its soothing nature can significantly contribute to lowering blood pressure by promoting deep relaxation.

Bound Angle Pose

Similar to Butterfly Pose, Baddha Konasana focuses on opening the hips. It's a very grounding and calming pose that can help reduce anxiety and stress, factors often linked to high blood pressure.

Seated Forward Bend

Paschimottanasana is a relaxing pose where you fold forward from a seated position. It calms the brain and helps relieve stress, which can directly help in lowering high blood pressure by promoting a sense of tranquility.

Every year on June's first Wednesday, Global Running Day is observed to encourage people to run and to embrace its benefits. This year, it is being observed on June 4.

While running every day may sound intense, but studies show that even short, consistent runs can offer major health benefits. According to research, running just 5 to 10 minutes a day at a moderate pace (about 6 miles per hour) can significantly reduce your risk of death from heart attacks, strokes, and other cardiovascular diseases.

Interestingly, researchers found that benefits tend to max out at around 4.5 hours of running per week, so there’s no need to overdo it. Overtraining can lead to injuries like shin splints and stress fractures.

What You Gain From Running

The benefits of daily running aren’t limited to just heart health. Some other science-backed perks include:

• Lower risk of developing certain cancers
• Reduced chance of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
• Better mood, sleep, and focus

A study on adolescents who ran 30 minutes each morning for three weeks showed improvements in sleep quality, mood, and concentration compared to non-runners. These same benefits can be seen in other daily activities like walking, cycling, swimming, or even yoga.

But Is It Safe to Run Every Day?

While the benefits are clear, running daily can increase the risk of overuse injuries if you're not careful. These injuries often occur when someone starts too fast or doesn't give the body enough time to recover.

To reduce the risk:

• Use proper running shoes and replace them regularly.
• Increase your mileage gradually.
• Always warm up and cool down properly.
• Run with good form and posture.

If you start to feel pain or fatigue, take a break. Use the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) and consult a doctor if needed.

The Importance of Mixing It Up

Running alone isn’t enough for overall fitness. Cross training—such as cycling, swimming, yoga, or strength workouts—can help balance your routine. Benefits include:

• Reducing injury risk
• Activating different muscle groups
• Improving core strength and flexibility
• Keeping workouts fun and varied

Experts recommend adding cross training one to two times a week and incorporating strength training for best results.

How to Start and Stick With It

Beginners should aim to run every other day for 20–30 minutes, gradually increasing frequency. A “couch-to-5K” program can provide helpful structure.

Essentials to start running include:

• Good running shoes (ideally two pairs to rotate)
• Sweat-resistant clothes
• Reflective gear if running early or late

Plan your runs according to your schedule—mornings, lunch breaks, or weekends. Join local running groups for motivation.

For experienced runners, weekly plans can include a mix of:

• Long runs
• Speed training
• Hill workouts
• Recovery jogs or pool running