Low Impact Strength Workout for Beginners: Simple Moves That Build Real Strength

You don’t need to feel sore for days to know your workout worked. And you don’t need to collapse in a puddle of sweat to start building strength.A low impact strength workout can be just as effective—especially when you're new to fitness or returning after a break.

If high-intensity programs have left you burned out or discouraged, this approach offers something different: a smart, sustainable way to get stronger without wrecking your body.

This post walks you through simple beginner-friendly moves that build real strength—without jumping, pounding, or pushing past your limits.

Want to explore the bigger picture behind this approach? Check out Low Impact Workout: Strength, Movement, and Results Without the Strain—it breaks down why this method works, how it helps you stay consistent, and what makes it different from everything that’s left you burned out before.

Disclaimer: This blog is designed to provide helpful tips but isn’t personalized medical advice. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting a new exercise program or making changes to your health routine. For full details, see our Disclaimer & Terms of Use.

Why Low Impact Strength Training Works

Low impact strength workouts are designed to challenge your muscles without overloading your joints. They remove the jump-heavy, high-intensity moves that often cause pain or burnout—especially for beginners or anyone coming back after a break.

This training style focuses on controlled, intentional movements, helping you build strength, balance, and endurance in a way that’s sustainable.

A 2015 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that low load resistance training performed to fatigue produced similar muscle gains to high load training in untrained individuals. In other words: you don’t need to lift heavy or push to the max to see strength gains when you're starting out.

Additional benefits include:

• Reduced joint strain (especially on knees, hips, and spine)

• Improved muscular endurance and stability

• Better motor control and coordination

• Greater adherence due to lower injury risk and physical recovery demands

Low impact doesn’t mean low results—it means smart strength training that works with your body, not against it.

Curious how it all connects? Head over to my post Low Impact Exercise Program: What to Look For and How to Build Your Own for a deeper look at how to create a low impact routine that fits your needs—and why building your own program is one of the smartest, most sustainable ways to get stronger without wearing yourself down.

Beginner-Friendly Low Impact Strength Workout

This simple workout can be done at home with just your bodyweight or resistance bands. It’s perfect for total beginners—and totally customizable.

How to Use This Workout:

• Do each move for 40 seconds, rest for 20 seconds between.

• Repeat the circuit 2–3 times depending on your energy.

• Do this workout 2–3 times per week to build a solid foundation.

1. Bodyweight Squats

Strengthens: Glutes, quads, hamstrings

• Feet hip-width apart

• Sit back as if into a chair, then press through heels to stand

• Keep spine long and chest lifted

Low impact tip: Only squat as low as feels good—depth will improve with time.

2. Wall Push-Ups

Strengthens: Chest, shoulders, triceps

• Stand arm’s length from a wall

• Lower your chest toward the wall, elbows at 45°

• Push back to start position

Low impact tip: Keep core braced and move slowly to avoid strain.

3. Glute Bridges

Strengthens: Glutes, lower back, core

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat

• Press through heels to lift hips off the floor

• Squeeze glutes at the top, then lower slowly

Low impact tip: Avoid pushing through your lower back—focus on using your glutes.

4. Seated Rows with Band

Strengthens: Upper back, biceps, core

• Sit tall with legs extended, band looped around feet

• Pull elbows back, squeezing shoulder blades together

• Control the return

No band? Do a towel row or mimic the movement without resistance.

5. Wall Sit Hold

Strengthens: Quads, glutes, mental grit

• Slide down a wall until thighs are parallel to the floor

• Hold for 30–45 seconds

• Keep back flat and core engaged

Low impact tip: Even a shorter hold helps build endurance without joint impact.

6. Dead Bug (Core)

Strengthens: Core, coordination, spinal stability

• Lie on back, arms extended, knees bent at 90°

• Lower opposite arm and leg toward the floor

• Return to center and switch sides

Low impact tip: Move slowly and keep your low back in contact with the floor.

Want a done-for-you plan that puts moves like these into a simple, follow-along routine? My free 7-Day Kickstart gives you daily workouts that build strength, boost confidence, and help you stick with it—no guessing, no burnout.

How to Progress Over Time

Progress doesn’t need to mean doubling your effort or intensity. Especially in low impact training, small, intentional changes make a big difference.

Here’s how to level up this workout gradually:

• Add a third round of the full circuit as you gain stamina

• Increase time under tension by slowing down each rep

• Add resistance with light dumbbells or resistance bands

• Introduce single-sided (unilateral) movements to challenge balance and coordination

• Decrease rest between exercises slightly to increase muscular endurance

According to a 2021 review in Sports Medicine, progressive overload—increasing demand on muscles over time—is the key to strength improvement. That can be achieved not just by lifting heavier, but also by increasing reps, slowing tempo, or reducing rest. These are all beginner-friendly and low impact–compatible methods.

Start here for more beginner-friendly strength moves.

Progress is personal. What matters most is consistency and feeling stronger in your daily life—not how fast you move through sets.

This is Just the Beginning…

If you want a step-by-step plan to build strength from the ground up, you’ll want to check out my 7-Day Kickstart. It’s designed to help you move consistently, feel stronger, and stay motivated—all without burning out.

Final Thoughts

You don’t have to crush yourself to get stronger. This low impact strength workout helps you start where you are, move with purpose, and build strength that sticks—without strain or soreness as a badge of honor.

It’s not about doing more—it’s about doing what works. And this works.