Oct 09, 2025

Low-Impact Exercise in Menopause: Gentle, Effective Movement for Energy, Heart Health & Joy

By The Sculpt Society

Navigating menopause, and the ensuing shifts in your mental and physical health, can feel overwhelming. Although symptoms vary for everyone, if you’re dealing with fatigue, joint pain, and a dip in energy levels, you’re far from alone. Staying motivated to stick to a fitness routine can feel especially challenging during this stage of life. But you don’t have to keep doing what you were doing—your body changes during menopause, and your workout routine should, too. Low-impact exercise, especially cardio, offers a safe, effective, and enjoyable way to keep moving without overloading your joints. From daily walks to gentle cycling to swimming, these workouts help boost energy, support heart health, and lift your mood. Exercise that feels good, not forced, is a game-changer. Menopause doesn’t have to mean slowing down: It can be a time to shake up your routine and try some fun new workouts.

What is low-impact exercise?

Low-impact exercise is movement that gets your heart rate up…without putting excessive stress on your joints. Put simply, it’s gentle exercise for menopause that still delivers results. Some of our favorite kind-to-your-body workouts include our Dance Cardio sessions, Slow & Controlled classes, plus walking, swimming, and cycling—basically, anything that keeps you moving without a jarring impact. It’s important to note that “low-impact” doesn’t mean “low-intensity.” You can still challenge yourself, push your endurance, and feel that satisfying burn, all while protecting your knees, hips, and back. This makes low-impact exercise an ideal choice for women navigating the joint sensitivity and fatigue that can accompany menopause. Stay active, ache-and-pain-free.

Why low-impact exercise and low-impact cardio matter in menopause

Menopause brings changes that can affect your heart, joints, and energy. Now for the good news: exercise gives you a way to combat these symptoms, and feel mentally and physically stronger. Some significant low-impact workout benefits include:

Heart health: Shifting estrogen levels can increase cardiovascular risk, and low-impact cardio helps support your heart and circulation (without overloading your body).
Joint protection: Hips and knees might feel more sensitive. Gentle, low-impact movement keeps you active while reducing stress on these key joints.
Energy and mood: Stop us if you’ve heard this one before—exercise releases endorphins! It’s such a great way to naturally boost energy, in addition to helping manage fatigue and mood swings.
Bone and muscle support: Certain low-impact options—like Dance Cardio, Sculpt classes, or resistance-based cardio—help maintain strength and support bone density.

By focusing on gentle exercise for menopause, that still feels challenging, you’ll keep your strength and spirits up.

Best types of low-impact cardio for menopause

Finding the right menopause cardio workouts can make all the difference in staying motivated, protecting your joints, and feeling good in your body and mind. In terms of the best exercise for menopause, we love:

Dance Cardio: Boost your heart rate while having a seriously good time. Dance cardio improves coordination, supports brain health, and gives you a joy boost. With easy-to-follow choreography and upbeat playlists, you can dive right into these workouts without any dance experience.
Low-Impact Sculpt: Combine strength training and cardio, without any jumping. These workouts target your upper body, lower body, and core to build muscle and maintain strength.
Walking and hiking: Simple and accessible, walking and hiking (especially uphill!) support cardiovascular health and improve bone strength, making them excellent everyday go-tos.
Swimming and water aerobics: Gentle on joints and cooling for your body. Jumping in the pool (or even the ocean) feels so good.
Cycling (indoor or outdoor): Whether you’re on a stationary bike or out on the roads or trails, cycling boosts cardiovascular endurance, while keeping stress off hips, knees, and ankles.

We recommend trying out a bunch of different new workouts, so low-impact cardio for menopause stays energizing and fun. The idea here is to start building a routine you love doing, that can support you in the long term.

Tips to get started safely

Our best advice for beginning menopause cardio workouts:

Start with shorter workouts: Begin with 10–20 minute sessions and gradually build up. This helps your body adapt and prevents burnout.
Listen to your body: Pay attention to how you feel during and after exercise. Modify movements when needed—joint discomfort or fatigue is a sign to stop or adjust, not push through.
Mix it up: Alternate cardio with Sculpt and Strength classes, or mobility-focused sessions. The variety keeps workouts engaging, while supporting overall fitness and joint health.
Make it enjoyable: Choose workouts that energize you, and that you’ll look forward to doing. Consistency beats intensity, every time.

Low-impact exercise during menopause offers powerful benefits—from supporting heart health and protecting your joints to boosting your energy, mood, and overall well-being. The key is finding movement you genuinely enjoy; whether that’s dancing, walking, swimming, or a Sculpt class. Find the joy in your routine, and you’ll notice the benefits right away.

Looking for fresh, fun ways to try low-impact cardio workouts at home?

Check out some of our favorites:

20MIN SLOW + CONTROLLED FULL BODY 01
7MIN DANCE CARDIO 27
20MIN FULL BODY STRENGTH 01

Explore our full library of classes here. And if you aren’t a member of The Society yet, try a week of workouts—free!—with a 7-day trial.

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