Most cardio advice assumes you have a body that tolerates intensity, upright posture, and consistency. That’s rarely the reality for people with fragile or complex physiology like myself. This post isn’t a list of “best exercises” or medical recommendations. It’s a breakdown of how I personally approach cardio when my body has limits: what I can tolerate, what I avoid, and the logic I use to decide whether something is worth trying at all.
This is based on my personal experience and experimentation. If you’re dealing with POTS, EDS, or other conditions, your tolerances may be different, and that’s okay.
How I Decide Whether a Cardio Option Is Worth Trying
Before I try any cardio, I ask myself:
- Can this be done seated, reclined, or supported?
- Can I stop instantly if symptoms spike?
- Does it load joints gently rather than repetitively?
- Can I scale it down to minutes, not sessions?
If the answer is “no” to most of these, I don’t experiment with it, even if it’s “recommended.”
What Works for My Body
Cycling
Cycling is my go-to. It’s low-impact, easy to modulate, and highly sustainable. Whether stationary or on the road, it strengthens my lower body and supports cardiovascular health without flaring my joints or autonomic symptoms.
I tolerate cycling better than upright cardio because it reduces how much gravity affects my circulation and doesn’t demand constant joint stabilization.
On low-energy days, this might mean 5-15 minutes at low resistance. On better days, I increase time rather than intensity.
Key takeaway: For bodies with connective tissue challenges, intensity and duration matter far less than consistency and tolerability.
Swimming
Swimming is one of the few forms of cardio I come back to when my energy is low and my joints feel unreliable.
What works for me isn’t the intensity or the distance, but the environment. Being in water reduces the load on my joints and changes how my body experiences movement compared to land-based exercise.
I scale swimming by:
- Resting between movements instead of pushing continuously
- Stopping as soon as symptoms start to build, not after
For me, swimming works best when I treat it as supported movement.
Tip from experience: Alternating strokes and adjusting pace lets me get a full workout without triggering downstream fatigue or flares.
Rowing
Rowing is one of the cardio options I experiment with when I want something structured but still controllable.
What makes rowing tolerable for me is that it’s seated, predictable, and easy to scale. I can adjust resistance, pace, and duration without needing to stay upright or react quickly to changes.
I don’t use rowing to chase intensity. Instead, I treat it as a way to engage multiple muscle groups while staying aware of my limits.
I scale rowing by:
- Starting with low resistance
- Rowing in short intervals with full rest in between
- Ending the session before fatigue turns into symptom escalation
Rowing works for me when I treat it as an adjustable system, not a race.
Stair Climbing
This is an occasional tool. Some days, I can do it for a few minutes; other days, even 10 seconds is too much. My tolerance depends on:
- EDS “phase” (my ups and downs over the months)
- Hormonal fluctuations
- Recovery status
- Even the weather
The lesson: Cardio is highly conditional. It must be approached cautiously and adaptively.
What Doesn’t Work for Me
- HIIT — I’ve tried many forms, and nearly every time it pushed my POTS to the limit. Short bursts of high intensity almost made me faint and triggered severe autonomic symptoms. It’s a definitive no.
- Running / jogging — even short sessions left me unable to walk for days due to knee pain.
For people with fragile physiology, what “works” is less about trendy exercises and more about respecting your body’s limits.
Principles for Cardio When Physiology Is Fragile
- Consistency over intensity: A moderate session you can repeat regularly is more effective long-term than sporadic extreme workouts.
- Listen to your body: Daily fluctuations in hormones, joint stability, or autonomic function matter. Adjust session type and duration accordingly.
- Prioritize low-impact movement: Cycling, swimming, rowing: these can support the cardiovascular system without damaging joints or triggering symptoms.
- Track recovery: Pay attention to fatigue, pain, or flares. They are the most informative metrics, not calories burned.
- Accept variability: Your ability to move will cycle. Some days allow more, some less. Build frameworks, not rules.
Closing Takeaway
Cardio isn’t about burning fat or checking off minutes; it’s about supporting your body over the long term, especially if your physiology doesn’t conform to typical norms. The right movement is the one you can do consistently, adaptively, and without destabilizing your system. For me, that’s cycling, swimming, and rowing, and maybe stairs when conditions allow.
Sustainable movement wins over “best workouts” every time.
Wellness with EDS 
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