Low Impact Exercise DVDs for Weight Loss and Cardio | Joint-Friendly Burn

For the full breakdown, see our best DVD Exercise Programs guide.

Low impact exercise DVDs for weight loss and cardio give you a serious calorie-burning session at home without the jarring impact that sends many people to the sidelines. The best titles pair high-intensity interval training with movements that keep at least one foot on the ground, so you push your heart rate without punishing your joints. For a complete rundown of the top programs available right now, our tested roundup of the best DVD exercise programs covers the full field.

What Makes a Workout Low Impact?

Low impact exercise minimizes joint stress by keeping at least one foot on the ground, or by removing impact entirely. Crunch’s explainer describes it as activity that avoids pounding the knees, ankles, hips, and spine. That doesn’t mean it is easy — the strongest programs are low impact but still high intensity, which is exactly the combination you want for weight loss.

Cathe Friedrich’s product pages stress this distinction repeatedly. Her ICE Low Impact Sweat DVD, for example, is built around two short but intense HIIT workouts with no jumping. The segments run under 30 minutes each, and the disc includes 33 additional low impact premixes so you can vary your sessions without buying another DVD.

Which DVDs Deliver Real Results?

The current market offers strong options for every fitness level, from beginners and seniors to intermediate exercisers who want a serious challenge.

Cathe Friedrich’s Low Impact series is the standout for anyone who wants high intensity without impact. The series page lists 10 workouts you can order individually, all low impact with no jumping. AfterBurn, which Woman’s Day names one of the best low-impact choices, delivers HIIT-style cardio plus metabolic weight training for weight loss. Cardio Super Sets is a 100% pure low impact cardio workout built around cardio supersets — you alternate short bursts of effort with brief recovery, keeping your heart rate up throughout.

Gilad’s 60 & 30 Min Low Impact Workouts, listed at $14.99 on Collage Video, gives you two complete workouts on one disc. The product page says it provides a fat-burning, cardiovascular workout with minimal impact on your joints. The combined sessions total an hour and a half of material, giving you options depending on how much time you have.

For beginners and seniors, the Weight Loss Exercise for Seniors and Beginners DVD includes 5 fat-burning express workouts plus a resistance band. Each workout is 20 minutes, for a total run time of 100 minutes. The listing says it uses no jumping, jarring, or floor exercises, making it one of the most accessible options available.

The AeroPilates Fat Burning Cardio DVD, listed at $11.82 on Target, blends Pilates principles with cardio for a lower-intensity option that still elevates your heart rate.

Several programs require simple equipment. Cathe’s Low Impact Sweat calls for light hand weights and a fitness mat; her Total Body Sculpting workout uses a stability ball and 3-pound weights; and the step-based workouts are performed on a 6-inch platform. A lower platform is fine as long as your heart rate stays in your training zone.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common error is assuming low impact means low effort. Cathe’s product pages explicitly say the workouts are low impact but high intensity — they are real cardio training, not gentle stretching. If you have an injury or medical condition, treat them that way.

The second mistake is using weights that are too light. The Total Body Sculpting description says to increase your weight selection when exercises become too easy. That progressive overload is what drives continued results.

Finally, don’t expect every DVD in a series to be identical. Cathe’s series contains multiple workouts and premixes with different formats and intensity options, so read the product description and pick the session that matches your energy for the day. Low impact reduces jarring forces, but it does not eliminate all exercise risk — listen to your body and stop if something hurts.