Real strength and cardio without jumping or pounding, adjusted to your joints every session.
This page is for you if your knees, hips, back or feet don't love jumping and running, but you still want to get fitter and stronger. HipTrain is live 1-on-1 personal training over video with the same coach each time, from about $14 a session. Every session can be low-impact, and your first one is free.
Your joints still need you to move. Mayo Clinic says exercise is important for people with arthritis because it helps strengthen muscles, keeps joints working smoothly and can lower pain and tiredness. It lists low-impact choices like walking, cycling, swimming and elliptical workouts, and suggests strength exercises at least two days a week using bands, hand weights or your own body weight.
The guidelines don't require impact. The CDC suggests adults get 150 minutes a week of moderate activity plus 2 days of strength work, and that older adults add balance activities. Every part of that can be done low-impact. Brisk walking counts as moderate activity. Chair squats, wall push-ups and step-ups count as strength work.
"Low-impact" depends on your body. A lunge may be fine for one person's knees and painful for another's. A pre-recorded "low-impact" video can't know the difference. A live coach asks, watches and adjusts. Shorter range, a chair for support, a seated version, or a different move entirely.
Steady is better than heroic. Mayo Clinic says consistency in exercise matters more than intensity. A booked session each week, with a coach who knows your body, is what makes that consistency happen.
Here's an example of a 30-minute low-impact session for someone with stiff knees and a sore lower back. You'll need a sturdy chair and a little floor space. Some people like to use a warm shower or heat pack beforehand, as Mayo Clinic suggests for sore joints.
This example has two 30-minute live sessions and joint-friendly cardio on other days.
"My trainer is Demian and he is great with checking in to make sure the exercises are not causing discomfort. He is also very flexible with my changing schedules, and he is very patient." (Andrea M., Google review)
The two-a-week 30-minute plan in the sample week is $119.99 a month, which comes to about $14 a session. If you'd like a single longer session, one 60-minute session a week is $109.99, about $25 each. Your first session is free, with no credit card needed.
HipTrain is HSA / FSA eligible. If your doctor recommends exercise for a diagnosed condition, such as arthritis, you may be able to pay with HSA or FSA funds. IRS Publication 502 sets the rules, and many plans ask for a Letter of Medical Necessity. Our guide to the Letter of Medical Necessity explains how it works. Always check your own plan.
For comparison, Thumbtack reports that in-person personal trainers cost $40 to $100 an hour, with an average of $55.
If you have a new injury, pain that's getting worse, or you've just had joint surgery, see your doctor first. They may send you to a physical therapist, which HipTrain is not. Our coaches are certified personal trainers, not doctors or physical therapists. If water exercise is what your joints like best, a pool class is a better fit than video. And if you want a hands-on trainer in the room, look for in-person help, since HipTrain is video only. We're also a smaller company, with 29 App Store ratings against thousands for the big apps.
Yes. Low-impact is about how hard you hit the ground, not how hard you work. Brisk marching, step-ups and strength moves can all raise your heart rate and build muscle. Results vary, and we can't promise specific outcomes, but these moves count toward the CDC guidelines.
Mayo Clinic says exercise is important for people with arthritis, and that low-impact activity and strengthening exercises can help. Ask your doctor what's right for you, then share it with your coach so sessions fit.
They ask how you feel before each session, avoid jumping, use supports like a chair or wall, keep movements in a pain-free range and check in often. Andrea's review above describes exactly that.
Yes. Many people pair it with Pilates, which Harvard Health calls a low-impact form of exercise, or with balance training.
Ready for workouts your joints can live with? Check with your doctor, then try your first session free. No credit card needed.