FITNESS
•Centr Team
5 of the best cardio workouts for bad knees
Trying to find workouts for bad knees can feel like a vicious cycle: you know you need to exercise to reduce the stress on your knees, but bad knees prevent you from exercising.
Finding good cardio for bad knees can be particularly tough, as it usually seems like there’s a whole lot of jumping and jarring that your knees just won’t be happy about!
But there is a way. Centr makes cardio workouts easily accessible with low-impact training styles and specialist workout programs including low-impact modifications.
Find all the low-impact cardio workouts you need when you start your free trial with Centr.
Read on and we’ll show you how you can get moving without an irritating pain flare-up.
Can you lose weight with bad knees?
It’s important to remember that exercise is only one factor when it comes to weight loss.
Ultimately, the equation comes down to calories in vs calories out: you need to burn off more calories than you consume via eating and drinking in order to lose weight. This is called being in a calorie deficit.
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Luke and Alexz can help you to burn fat, get stronger and tone all over with Centr Unlimited, the 6-week program with low-impact modifications for every exercise.
Nutrition has a big role to play in weight loss, as do everyday functions like regular movement and simply existing (all the processes happening inside your body are responsible for 60–70 percent of the calories you burn every day). Of course, adding exercise into the equation will make a positive contribution to achieving that calorie deficit.
While the kind of exercise often recommended to assist weight loss is high-impact cardio, it’s possible to lose weight with low-impact exercise, or even no exercise at all! If you’re looking for a form of exercise that can burn as many calories as a high-impact cardio session, without the knee pain, high-intensity, low-impact training (HILIT) can be just as effective.
Let’s take a closer look at HILIT and other styles of training that can help get you and your knees back into the exercise game.
5 of the best cardio workouts for bad knees
The best exercise for bad knees will differ depending on your particular pain points and what’s most accessible and sustainable for you. Let’s take a look at some of the most common recommendations.
1. Swimming
Could the best cardio exercise options for people with bad knees be in the pool?
There’s a reason swimming is often prescribed as rehabilitation after an injury: it’s low impact and works major muscle groups. Lap swimming will deliver a great full-body cardio workout.
Any stroke will lift your heart rate, but you may find the straight-leg kicks of freestyle or backstroke more comfortable for your knees than the frog kicks required for breaststroke.
The other benefit of swimming is that while the buoyancy of water takes the stress off your knees, it also provides resistance which means the muscles around your knees will be working harder and building strength.
The one drawback may be finding access to a pool – we don’t all have one in the backyard and some places may only offer seasonal access.
2. HILIT
To really get your heart rate up and maximize fat burn, you can’t go past HILIT – high-intensity low-impact training.
This style of training involves short bursts of movement at maximum intensity, followed by a short period of rest.
Because you’re training at your highest intensity, it only takes 20-30 minutes to deliver an effective cardio workout. And with exercises covering all planes and ranges of motion, you’ll work the whole body.
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Bring the burn (without the knee pain) with Alexz Parvi’s HILIT (high-intensity low-impact) workouts on Centr.
A HILIT workout designed by an accredited trainer – like Alexz Parvi’s Bodyweight HILIT sessions on Centr – will ensure you get the maximum benefit from your time on the workout mat.
As well as being a big fat burner, HILIT will help to build cardio and muscular endurance, tone and define your body, and strengthen your posterior chain to further support your knee joints.
3. Walking
It’s free, it’s easy and walking consistently at a moderate-to-brisk pace will deliver a good cardio workout. Wear a comfortable and supportive pair of sneakers to decrease the load on your knees, and find an even walking surface.
Depending on the type and level of your knee pain, walking may not be low-impact enough – and you certainly shouldn’t overdo it. However, you may find that your knees feel better when walking, as the exercise will lubricate the joints, reduce stiffness and increase your range of motion.
4. Cycling
What’s the best cardio machine for bad knees? Cycling on a stationary bike is a low-impact cardio classic.
As you’re pushing those pedals to get your heart rate up, your quads, hamstrings and glutes will also be getting a workout – the stronger they are, the more they’ll protect and support your knee joints.
If you are cycling outdoors on a regular bicycle, stick to flat terrain in order to minimize potential knee impact.
5. Functional training
Knee pain can be caused, or aggravated, by bad movement patterns.
For instance, tight or weak hips and glutes can refer pain down to your knee. That’s where functional training comes in. Incorporating foundational movement patterns (such as crawling and squatting) into your workouts can retrain your body to move as nature intended.
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Da Rulk’s Functional Training workouts feature low-impact modifications to protect your knees while you improve your mobility.
Chris Hemsworth swears by functional training to maintain mobility when adding muscle, and his functional trainer Da Rulk will help you do exactly the same by improving joint mobility.
Rulk's Centr workouts include low-impact modifications, removing the explosive element from exercises while keeping you moving to maximize mobility, strength and cardio benefits.
Exercises to avoid if you have bad knees
Even if your knees are giving you grief, your workouts don’t have to. The key is being smart about what you cut out – but not cutting exercise altogether.
High-impact exercises are usually the biggest culprits. Running on hard surfaces like pavement, jumping movements, deep knee bends and explosive plyometrics (jump squats, box jumps, burpees) can overload your joints and flare up old injuries.
But that doesn’t mean cardio is off the table. Swap in lower-impact options that protect your knees while still giving you a solid workout. Try cycling, swimming, or using an elliptical – they’re all excellent for heart health and leg strength without the impact.
Steer clear of:
Running or jogging on hard surfaces
High-impact jumping moves, e.g. jump squats, box jumps, burpees
High-impact aerobics
Step classes
Staying active with knee pain is possible – it just requires a smarter approach. The goal isn’t to push through pain, it’s to train in a way that keeps you moving strong long-term. By ditching high-impact moves and choosing smarter alternatives, you’ll keep building strength, protect your joints and stay active without increasing your injury risk.
Your FAQs on workouts for bad knees
Got more questions on knee-friendly workouts? We’ve got the answers.
What cardio machine is best for bad knees?
The elliptical trainer tops our list for this – its smooth, joint-friendly motion delivers a great cardio hit while protecting your knees from unnecessary stress.
Stationary bikes are another great choice, promoting stronger joints and improving cardiovascular fitness without the impact. If you prefer something even gentler, opt for the stationary recumbent bike for more back support and even less pressure on your knees.
Ultimately, there isn’t a top cardio machine for bad knees – just go for the one that lets you exercise comfortably, consistently and without pain.
Can you burn fat with bad knees?
Absolutely – you don’t need high-impact exercise to burn calories. Don’t believe us? Just give this five-minute HILIT burner with Centr expert Alexz Parvi a go.
Can you fix bad knees with exercise?
Exercise can’t magically undo injuries to your knees, but it can build strength and reduce pain – both serious benefits you shouldn’t ignore.
The key is strengthening not just your knees, but the muscles supporting them. That’s your quads, glutes, hamstrings and calves – when these muscle groups get stronger, they take pressure off your knees.
Low-impact workouts are the ticket here. As we mentioned earlier, cycling, swimming and working out on the elliptical trainer are great ways to strengthen those supporting muscles. And if you prefer something with a little more oomph, it’s hard to beat Alexz’s HILIT training – that’s high-intensity low-impact training if you missed it the first time.
But with all that being said, you should never push through sharp pain. If an exercise doesn’t feel right, dial down the intensity or look for a lower-impact alternative. And if you’re dealing with persistent pain or a condition like arthritis, it’s a good idea to see a physiotherapist or doctor before any exercise. They can pinpoint what’s causing the issue, tailor exercises to your needs and help you avoid movements that could make things worse.
Want more low-impact workout advice?
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