As popular as plyometricsĀ are ā especially forĀ home workoutsĀ ā low-impact activities like swimming, cycling and weightlifting are often touted for theirĀ joint-friendly properties. But low-impact workouts have more to offer than just being easy on your joints āĀ a lotĀ more, according to fitness experts.
Here, they outline the less discussed advantages of incorporatingĀ low-impact workoutsĀ into your routine.
1
REDUCED RISK OF MOBILITY-RELATED INJURY
Aside from the reduced risk of joint issues, there are other ways low-impact workouts minimize your injury risk. āFor high-impact exercises, youĀ need more mobilityĀ than you might realize,ā says Jill Brown, a certified functional strength coach. āIf your ankles or hips donāt have good mobility, youāre more likely to get hurt trying to jump higher or go faster.ā
2
LESS RECOVERY TIME
āHigh-impact workouts call for a significant amount ofĀ downtime to recover,ā says Christa Dellebovi, a personal trainer and director of fitness and education at CLMBR. This can translate into more frequent sessions. āLow-impact exercise routines allow you to cut back on rest days while still being able to achieve benefits of regular exercise.ā
3
INCREASED STABILITY AND BALANCE
āLots of times with high-impact workouts or dynamic movements, you are moving so rapidly that the body does not have time to stabilize, and youāre more concerned with the performance of that movement than with the mechanics of the body,ā says Michelle Houston, a certified personal trainer. āLots of low-impact workouts emphasize slow, stationary orĀ single-leg activitiesĀ which allow you to take more time in a movement to really establish balanceĀ in the body.ā
4
IT FOSTERS BETTER TECHNIQUE AND ALIGNMENT
Because low-impact movements are often slower-paced, you have more time to focus on the mind-muscle connection. This leads to better results from your workouts in the long term, among other advantages: āThis is extremely beneficial when learning new exercises, so you donāt create poor muscle patterns that, over time, can cause additional strain on your joints and connective tissue,ā says Samantha Parker, a certified personal trainer and yoga therapist.
5
INCREASED RANGE OF MOTION
Youāre more likely to use your full range of motion in low-impact exercises as opposed to high-impact ones, which can help increase flexibility and strength, according to Alissa Tucker, AKT master trainer. āGoing through your full range of motion is important to keep the optimal length and strength of your muscles and reduce muscle imbalances and potential injury. It also helps you raise your heart rate even if youāre not doing designated ācardioā moves.ā
6
MUSCULAR ENDURANCE GAINS
If youāre hoping to get stronger, low-impact workouts are a must. Compare aĀ jump squatĀ to a weighted squat, for example. āFaster movements can actually be easier, as momentum helps you ācheatā with the force being generated,ā Parker explains. āWhen you slow the exercises down, the muscles are forced to work for a longer duration.ā
7
GREAT FOR BEGINNERS
āLow-impact workouts can feel āeasier,ā which can increase self-esteem, fueling the fire in continuing to stay on track with your workouts,ā Parker says. And, keep in mind: Just because youāre not drenched in sweatĀ doesnāt mean you didnāt get a great workout.
8
OPTIMAL FOR BURNING BODY FAT
āLow-impact workouts canĀ burn more body fat per session,ā says Jason Kozma, a certified personal trainer. This is because high-impact workouts put the body into the anaerobic zone, where your heart rate will be higher, but youāre less likely to use fat as fuel. YouāreĀ more efficient at burning fat at a lower heart rate. āPeople often read the value of a workout according to how exhausted they are at the end of the workout, but this often doesnāt translate directly into the desired results,ā Kozma adds.
9
BETTER FOR YOUR FLOORS ā¦ AND NEIGHBORS
āGiven the pandemic, a lot of workouts are being done at home,ā notes Kevin Munoz, owner of PEAK PT. āHigh impact is not only high impact on your joints but also on your floors!ā Most people donāt have gym flooring in their homes, so both your joints and your house take a beating, Munoz says. If you have downstairs neighbors, high-impact movements might also elicit complaints. If youāre looking to work out at home and keep things quiet, try this 10-move full-body workout.
10
MOTIVATING
āWe all have days when we feel less than 100% or the idea of jumping around does not sound appealing,ā Houston points out. Low-impact workouts are perfect for these days, as you can still get a workout in, no jumping required. More often than not, when you step outside for a walk to go just a few blocks because something is better than nothing, you end up going longer ā and definitely not regretting it.
11
STRESS RELIEVING
āLow-impact workouts cause less stress to the body both physically and mentally, Brown says. āWeāre in a very stressful time in history, and while you might think you want to bust your butt to work off stress, lots of high-impact workouts can actually have the opposite effect and raise yourĀ cortisol (stress hormone) levels,ā she explains. Low-impact workouts, on the other hand, can reduce stress levels, which is a key step in working toward virtually every health and fitness goal.
Check out āWorkout Routinesā in the MyFitnessPal app to discover and log workouts or build your own with exercises that fit your goals.