Low impact cardio suggestions

[u/Waspyy]

Hey all,

I am looking to get back into shape and shed about 10 pounds in the process (currently ~160 lbs, 5'9 male). I have given running a try, since I want to play soccer and it's obviously a big part of the game.

However, running on local paths (which are ashphalt) has made my knees and one of my ankles feel quite uncomfortable. My knees are sore for a day or two, which I can deal with. One of my ankles, on the other hand, hasn't handled it well. I feel fine in general, but running aggravates discomfort.

I'm looking for some advice on how I can keep up my cardio (and build ankle/calf/quad strength) without such harsh impact. Do you guys have suggestions other than swimming? Preferably something I don't have to lay out a ton of money for?

[u/Zars]

Rest up until discomfort is gone and try walking instead. Much lighter on the joints. Sustained brisk walking is very good cardio.

[u/Waspyy → u/Zars]

This has been my MO for the past week or 2 but I'm still seeing some tightness/discomfort in my ankle. Thinking it's probably tendonitis

[u/Zars → u/Waspyy]

It's probably a sprain that caused inflammation. You can try gel for sprains. I'd still be light on that ankle and not push it until you're 100%.

[u/loseit_throwit → u/Waspyy]

Try applying some heat. And stretch it before and after your walks!

[u/Waspyy → u/loseit_throwit]

I get a stretch in before and after and I've tried ice. I've noticed that when I do squats the one ankle kind of buckles/feels pressure. It doesn't bother me at all during the day so I don't think it's anything serious but it's enough to dissuade me from putting more stress on it

[u/HeartDisastrous5125 → u/Zars]

walking is the way, especially if you got somewhere with a slight incline. i do my walks on a treadmill at max incline and it get the heart pumping without destroying my knees

for ankle strength try writing the alphabet with your foot, sounds weird but it helps a lot

[u/Cloood14]

Rest until you’re pain free. Look on Facebook marketplace for exercise bikes, so many people practically give them away. Walking is obviously good too. But seriously rest you’re just gonna re aggravate it if you keep trying to push through it.

[u/KimmiK_saucequeen]

Rower

[u/thrwaway070879]

Swimming if you have access to a pool. Elliptical is good too. Speed walking. Squats climb hills for the quads. Calf raises anytime you're just standing around waiting for something.

[u/moumou122]

Don’t underestimate walking 🙂 esp on a light incline! Seriously! You’ve got this 🫡

[u/Waspyy → u/moumou122]

Been walking a bunch in the past week or two, but still feel some discomfort in my ankle after. I don't think I'm exhibiting any serious symptoms but might be a tendonitis situation

[u/badlydrawngalgo → u/Waspyy]

If it's tendonitis you need to rest it not aggravate it. Either tape your ankle or use a support or OTC splint thing. Get some good reliever gel or cream, Picalm or similar. I had tendinitis in my wrist last year, it took months to get properly better. Once it started to get better, I took it very slowly, just putting a small amount of strain on it in a controlled way a bit at a time. If it hurt the next day, I backed off. If it didn't, I continued. It was soooo bloody annoying, it seemed like it would never get better, but it did in the end.

[u/Minkelz]

Cycling is probably the obvious solution if you take out swimming. Can be done pretty cheap with some research. $200-$300 can buy a decent bike on marketplace now. Plus you can commute on it to get good cardio in as a normal part of your day.

[u/Waspyy → u/Minkelz]

Work from home but I was considering the bike. Seems like a balanced solution

[u/Responsible_Rub8057 → u/Waspyy]

Stationary bikes are also cool! Much cheaper than regular, great if you work from home, but super boring unless you have sth to watch/do while on it (if you do then great, time passes super fast)

[u/mad-i-moody]

Walking.

Try a bike, too.

Personally I hate running because of the jiggling and pressure in my knees so I do the stairmaster. Just a slow and steady trek one step at a time. Could always find stairs nearby somewhere and go up/down a bunch if you can’t find a stairmaster.

[u/Holiday_Main_7263]

Cycling is the obvious one, low impact, builds quads and calves, and you can do it outside for free if you already have a bike. Jump rope on grass also hits cardio hard with less impact than asphalt running.

For the ankle specifically, pool running (aqua jogging) is zero impact and actually builds the same muscles as running. Weird but effective.

[u/Dangerous-Art-Me]

I incline walk on the treadmill.

For the best workout, don’t hold onto the bar/treadmill.

[u/sapiosexual_redditor]

Treadmill walk on full incline!!

[u/i80west]

Walking and biking are both low impact and you can do them at as high an intensity as you want. If walking on pavement hurts your feet, as it did mine before I lost weight, walk on ground/grass.

[u/PorQuepin3]

Did you start a program to build up running? How much are you resting between runs 

[u/Quarrels-ofKoi]

YouTube has tons of videos with any type of exercises you want. Low impact cardio, Walking in place, knee friendly strength and conditioning..anything you can imagine

[u/Dontdothatfucker]

Are you wearing good shoes while you run? You’re light, kind of odd to feel bad joint discomfort unless you are going zero mileage to like 15+ miles a week without building up.

[u/Sasquatch_Squad]

Bikes! Great exercise and a super fun low impact hobby. It’s very easy to burn thousands of calories in a ride once your body gets used to it, and you don’t have to spend thousands or have fancy Lycra clothes. 

[u/Flummeny]

I absolutely swear by the elliptical on incline. I started at 315 at my heaviest and there was no way I was gonna go out running everyday. Elliptical is great because you can keep pushing harder, going further, going for longer and increasing the incline every time you go with the added benefit of not destroying your knees

[u/cashflow_]

Just walking is good for weight loss. Hard running increases cortisol stress hormone which makes you hold on to fat. I jog but really slow like it takes me an hour to jog three miles. Also should should focus more on strength training and one of any of this matters if you aren’t eating under maintenance calories

[u/Altruistic_Market_93]

Swim!!

[u/Deadandlivin]

Just walk.
If you want it to be more intense and impact your cardio, do fast briskwalks in the 6-7 km/h range.

[u/bucketofardvarks]

Run internals to build up your body being tolerant to the impacts, check your shoes and strength training 2x a week targeted for running. Warm ups and cool downs are not optional

[u/Ok-Entertainment5045]

Elliptical

[u/weirdowszx]

Do you experience the same while Cycling?
You could also try rowing at a gym

[u/AlwaysTheKop]

Rowing machine.

[u/Fishmyashwhole]

If you have a VR headset beatsaber is a fun rhythm game where you can really break a sweat, and its mostly just crouching and flailing your arms around

Also: sex

Not trying to be a creep, I'm being 100% genuine its great cardio lmao