Indoor Low-Impact Aerobics

When it's too hot or cold outside to enjoy your favorite type of aerobic exercise, rather than skipping your workout, bring it indoors. There are a variety of indoor low-impact aerobic exercise options that provide cardiovascular benefits without being stressful on your joints. Walking, swimming, spinning and light dance or water aerobics are just a few examples you can choose from.

Walking

• A brisk walk -- not a stroll -- is an easy low-impact aerobic activity that works just as well indoors as outdoors. And it can always be worked into your schedule, once you find a nearby gym with an indoor walking track. Indoor walking tracks are designed to be kind on your knees and joints. If there's no indoor walking track available, a treadmill at the gym or in your home will work just as well. With a treadmill, you can still control the speed and intensity of your walk.

Swimming

• If you're fortunate enough to have an indoor pool in your community, swimming laps will get your heart rate up. You don't have to be a good swimmer to benefit from this activity. Jumping in the pool with a kick board and kicking your way down and back the length of the pool a few times will give you an aerobic workout. Swimming is one of the best indoor low-impact aerobic activities for your joints because the water buoyancy offers resistance without impact.

Spinning or Cycling

• If you like to bike, indoor cycling and spinning classes are two more low-impact aerobic options. With indoor cycling, you are in control; you can vary the speed and resistance on the bike, and you don't have to worry about traffic. If you're a beginner, start out at a low speed and light resistance until you feel comfortable enough to start increasing one or both.

Aerobics Classes

• Many gyms offer dance or aquatic aerobic classes. If you're new to this type of indoor activity, check and see if your gym or fitness center offers a trial class or day pass. Trying a few different classes can help you determine which ones are right for you. Deep-water aerobic classes can get your heart rate up with little to no impact. If you don't like being in the water, some dance aerobic classes are designed specifically to be low-impact with no skipping, hopping or jumping. These classes are set to music so you can get your heart rate up while having fun.

Considerations

• Mixing up your indoor-workout routine and varying the type of low-impact aerobic activities can be enjoyable and beneficial. Challenging your body to different movements and types of activity helps you avoid hitting an exercise plateau and you won't get bored. If you're having trouble sticking with an exercise routine, get a friend or coworker to join you for a low-impact workout at the gym or in class. Having a buddy to workout with will help you stay accountable and motivated. Remember to always warm up your muscles with some light aerobics -- like slow walking -- before you ramp up the intensity.