11 Exercises for Boosting Strength and Fitness That Are Lower Impact Than Burpees

Burpees are often considered the best bodyweight full-body exercise. However, this high-impact exercise puts a lot of strain on your joints and is often performed with incorrect form. Rather than relying solely on burpees, there are many alternative exercises that can also help you build strength and cardiorespiratory fitness just as effectively.

Jumping jacks are a moderate-intensity alternative to burpees. They quickly elevate your heart rate, providing a cardio boost to the entire body. However, jumping jacks also allow you to maintain a smoother, more consistent movement (unlike the up-and-down jumping transitions of burpees).

In addition to its cardiovascular benefits, jumping jacks are also a good exercise if you’re looking to improve your bone health.

Here’s how to do the movement:

1. Stand with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
2. Spread your feet apart while raising your arms above your head.
3. Bring your feet together while bringing your arms down.
4. Repeat at a steady pace for 30 repetitions.

Like burpees, jump squats improve lower body power and increase your heart rate. However, they are much simpler, allowing you to focus on strength and form. Over time, jump squats can also help you improve your vertical jump height.

Here’s how to do the movement:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands in front of you.
2. Bend your knees while squatting as if you were sitting in a chair.
3. Push through your feet to jump straight up.
4. Land gently with your knees bent and move straight into your next jump squat.
5. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Kettlebell swings are explosive movements that build full-body strength, putting much less strain on your shoulders and wrists than burpees. They also elevate your heart rate quickly, without requiring repeated transitions to the ground.

Here’s how to do a kettlebell swing:

1. Stand with your feet apart, holding the kettlebell in both hands.
2. Bend your knees slightly and swing the kettlebell between your legs.
3. Push your hips forward to swing the kettlebell toward your chest.
4. Let the weight come down smoothly, maintaining control.
5. Perform 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Medicine ball slams are a high-intensity, low-impact exercise that works your upper body and core. They are gentle on your joints and help improve power, strength and coordination.

1. Stand with your feet apart, holding the medicine ball above your head.
2. Keep your core muscles tight and lift the ball over your head as high as possible.
3. Throw the ball straight down.
4. Pick it up and repeat 3 sets of 10 slams.

Dumbbell thrusters cause a full-body burn, working the muscles of your core, lower, and upper body. The movement is much more controlled than burpees and builds strength and power with reduced impact.

Here’s how to do a barbell thruster (or a weighted squat and press):

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder level.
2. Squat down as if you were sitting in a chair.
3. As you stand, press the dumbbells overhead.
4. Return the dumbbells to your shoulders and repeat for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Mountain climbers are considered a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise, just like burpees, so they can improve strength and increase your heart rate. However, mountain climbers don’t require you to leave the ground, making them easier on your joints.

Here’s how to do the movement:

1. Start in a plank position with your wrists under your shoulders.
2. Bring one knee toward your chest.
3. Quickly switch legs, almost as if you are running in place.
4. Continue to change for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Board jacks add a jump to a traditional board, working your core muscles while also improving endurance. This is an intense exercise, but has much less impact than burpees.

Here’s how to make board jacks:

1. Start in a plank position with your wrists under your shoulders.
2. Keep your core muscles engaged as you jump your feet wide, like you would a puppet.
3. Place your feet back together and continue for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Ski jumps develop strength and agility laterally or laterally. They also challenge your cardiovascular system while remaining low impact.

Here’s how to do ski jumps:

1. Start standing with your feet together and your knees slightly bent.
2. Jump sideways to the right and land on both feet.
3. Then jump sideways to the left, landing on both feet (as if you were skiing).
4. Keep your jumps smooth and controlled and repeat 3 sets of 10 jumps on both sides.

The sprawl, also called a no-jump burpee, works many of the same muscles as a traditional burpee. But with less jumping and no overhead movement, sprawling has less of an impact on your body.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Start standing with your feet apart and your knees slightly bent.
2. Get into a plank position with your hands on the floor and your feet back.
3. Jump your feet toward your hands and stand up.
4. Repeat 3 sets of 10 movements.

Bears crawl like a board, strengthening the upper, lower body and core muscles. They also offer a coordination and balance challenge and are low impact compared to burpees.

Here’s how to do the movement:

1. Start on all fours, then engage your core as you lift your knees off the floor.
2. Step forward with your right hand and left foot simultaneously.
3. Then move your left hand and right foot forward.
4. Stay low and continue crawling forward for 3 sets of 10 repetitions.

Inchworm push-ups, sometimes called walkouts, work strength and mobility with less impact than burpees. They activate and engage a number of muscle groups, including the arms, back, chest, shoulders and abdominals.

Here’s how to do a thumb push-up:

1. Start standing, then lower toward your toes, placing your hands on the floor.
2. Walk your hands in front of you until you are in a plank position.
3. Perform push-ups, then bring your hands back to your feet and stand up.
4. Repeat 3 sets of 10-inch push-ups.

If you want to add more bodyweight exercises to your routine, choose three to five to start. Modify them as you see fit by decreasing the repetitions or increasing the weight, for example.

Every time you start a new exercise routine, remember to:

• Ask a healthcare professional first
• Listen to your body to avoid overtraining
• Make sure you hydrate well while you exercise