Smart Training Swaps
Low-impact alternatives that deliver without the recovery cost
On Tuesday, I wrote about how my body is changing the rules on me. The frustration of realizing high-impact training doesn’t work for me any more. The resistance to accepting that I need to train differently now.
A lot of you replied. Some of you are wrestling with the same thing. Some of you made the shift years ago and wished you’d done it sooner.
So here’s what I’ve learned—both from my own training and from watching what actually works for people who want to stay strong without wrecking themselves: you don’t have to give up the activities that make you feel alive. You just need smarter versions of them.
This guide is about those swaps. The low-impact alternatives that give you the same cardiovascular benefits, the same strength gains, the same sense of accomplishment—without the three weeks of recovery or the nagging injuries that never quite heal.
These aren’t compromises. They’re strategic choices that let you keep training next week, next month, and 30 years from now.
Instead of running on pavement…
Try: Trail running/hiking hybrid, hiking or rucking (no running), or treadmill incline walking. If you live in a snowy climate, snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.
Trail running/hiking hybrid
Swap the concrete for softer surfaces and varied terrain. The uneven ground engages stabilizer muscles while the natural surface absorbs impact that would otherwise hammer your joints. I’ve found that by hiking the uphills, then running the downhills and flats, I’m much more efficient and it’s less taxing on my body.
Benefits: Builds ankle stability, strengthens stabilizer muscles, reduces repetitive stress injuries from constant pavement pounding.
Hiking or rucking (no running)
Strip out the running entirely and treat it as a vigorous hike or ruck—you’ll be surprised how much your heart rate climbs when you’re moving with purpose up an incline. Focus on maintaining a brisk pace on flats and power hiking steep sections. The sustained effort builds endurance with very low impact. Add a weighted backpack to make it a dual strength-training workout.
Benefits: Minimal joint impact while maintaining cardiovascular challenge, allows you to cover longer distances without recovery cost, builds mental endurance and leg strength through sustained effort.
Treadmill incline walking
Walking at 12-15% incline gives you serious cardio without any impact. An app like FitShow can help you build treadmill workout plans, while the iFit app has immersive guided walks that make the time go faster. For iFit, if you don’t have a pairing-enabled treadmill, then you’ll need to manually adjust your treadmill’s speed and incline (which is super easy). I personally LOVE the iFit treadmill workouts and trainers, especially Tommy Rivs.
Benefits: Same cardiovascular training as running, minimal joint impact, easier to maintain consistent effort without weather as a factor.
Snowshoeing or cross-country skiing
When you live in a snowy climate and trails are icy, these are your winter go-tos. Both give you full-body cardio in beautiful landscapes without the high-impact landings of running. I live in Los Angeles, so unfortunately I can’t step outside my house and snowshoe. But whenever I travel up to the mountains, I ALWAYS bring my snowshoes.
Benefits: Full-body workout engages upper and lower body, builds cardiovascular endurance, accessible to most fitness levels.
Instead of high-impact sports or plyometrics…
Try: Rowing intervals, cycling sprints, swimming, or paddle boarding.
Rowing intervals
Rowing machines deliver full-body intensity that rivals any jump workout. The pulling motion engages your entire posterior chain—legs, glutes, back, and core—while the sliding seat creates explosive power without any impact. An app like FitShow can help you build rowing workout plans, while the Peloton App+ has a library of coach-led classes.
If you don’t want to spend $3500 on a new Peloton rowing machine, check out the highly-rated Concept 2 for under $1000. The Concept 2 made the top position on this “best of” list from Garage Gym Reviews (check out the list for more).
Benefits: Full-body cardiovascular challenge, builds explosive power in legs and posterior chain, zero impact on joints.
Cycling sprints
Short bursts of maximum effort cycling on an indoor bike build leg power and cardiovascular capacity without the landing forces of plyometrics. The seated position protects your joints while still allowing you to generate serious power through your legs. An app like FitShow can help you build indoor bike workout plans, while the Peloton App+ has a library of coach-led classes.
The Peloton indoor bike is under $1700, and Garage Gym Reviews has a nice roundup of other indoor bikes. If you prefer riding outdoors, find a route with minimal traffic interruptions where you can safely do 30-second sprints followed by 2-3 minutes of easy pedaling.
Benefits: Develops leg power and speed, maintains VO2 max capacity, eliminates landing impact on knees and ankles.
Swimming
The ultimate low-impact cardio option. Water provides 12 times the resistance of air while supporting your body weight. Sprint intervals in the pool deliver the same cardiovascular intensity as plyometrics with literally zero joint stress. I like using bone-conducting underwater headphones (they make lap swimming more bearable interesting) and the swim workout app MySwimPro.
Benefits: Full-body muscular endurance, cardiovascular fitness without any impact, active recovery for sore joints while still training hard.
Stand up paddleboarding (“SUP”-ing)
If you’re near water, paddleboarding combines balance work with sustained cardiovascular effort. The constant micro-adjustments engage your core while paddling works your upper body. Add intervals of hard paddling and you’ve got a legitimate high-intensity workout. For SUPing in calm water like lakes and harbors, I recommend a lightweight inflatable paddleboard.
Benefits: Builds core stability and balance, upper body and cardiovascular endurance, outdoor workout that feels more like play than training.
Instead of squats and lunges that require deep knee bends…
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