Ditch the Burpees: 11 Exercises That Build Strength Without Punishing Your Joints

Burpees are often called the ultimate full-body exercise, but they come with a hidden cost: significant stress on your joints and a high risk of poor form. The good news? You can build the same strength and cardiovascular fitness with exercises that are much gentler on your body. Physical therapist RikkiLynn Shields Hannigan has identified 11 alternatives that deliver similar benefits without the punishment.

Why Are High-Impact Exercises So Hard on Your Body?

Traditional burpees force you through rapid up-and-down transitions that put tremendous stress on your shoulders, wrists, knees, and hips. "This high-impact exercise puts a lot of stress on your joints and is often performed with incorrect form," notes the research. Low-impact alternatives focus on control, alignment, and muscle engagement rather than using momentum or creating extra joint stress.

What Are the Best Burpee Alternatives?

These 11 exercises provide the same full-body benefits as burpees while protecting your joints:

• Jumping Jacks: A moderate-intensity exercise that elevates heart rate quickly while maintaining smoother, more consistent movement than burpees' jarring transitions
• Jump Squats: Build lower body power and cardiovascular fitness with a simpler movement that allows better focus on strength and form
• Kettlebell Swings: Explosive movements that build full-body strength with far less strain on shoulders and wrists, elevating heart rate without repeated floor transitions
• Medicine Ball Slams: High-intensity, low-impact exercise working upper body and core while improving power, strength, and coordination
• Dumbbell Thrusters: Deliver full-body muscle activation through controlled movement combining squats and overhead presses
• Mountain Climbers: Provide high-intensity interval training benefits without leaving the ground, making them gentler on joints
• Plank Jacks: Add cardiovascular challenge to core strengthening while maintaining much lower impact than burpees
• Ski Jumps: Build lateral strength and agility while challenging the cardiovascular system through low-impact side-to-side movement
• Sprawls: Work the same muscles as burpees but with less jumping and no overhead movement for reduced body impact
• Bear Crawls: Strengthen upper body, lower body, and core while offering coordination and balance challenges in a low-impact format
• Inchworm Push-ups: Activate multiple muscle groups including arms, back, chest, shoulders, and abs through controlled strength and mobility work

How Do You Start a Low-Impact Strength Routine?

When incorporating these exercises into your routine, choose three to five to start with and modify as needed by adjusting repetitions or adding weight. Most exercises can be performed in three sets of 10 repetitions, though isometric holds like planks work well for 30-60 seconds. The key is consistency over intensity—your body benefits more from regular training than occasional high-impact sessions that leave you sore for days.

Low-impact strength training offers significant advantages beyond joint protection. It reduces injury risk through slower, more controlled movements that improve body awareness and form. Regular strength training, even with bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or light dumbbells, helps build stronger bones, improve balance, and maintain joint health without the wear and tear of high-impact alternatives.

Remember to check with a healthcare provider before starting any new exercise routine, listen to your body to avoid overtraining, and ensure proper hydration during workouts. These alternatives prove that effective strength and cardiovascular training doesn't require punishing your joints—sometimes the smartest approach is also the gentlest one.