Jumping, lifting, and running can all cause a lot of strain on our bodies. However, with the growing popularity of bodyweight workouts and low impact classes, your body can finally get the love it deserves. Swap the weights and cardio a few times a week for a low impact exercise to keep your muscles and joints happy. If you have an injury, low impact exercises are a great way to stay fit without all of the strain. Consistency and a good mix of Barre, Yoga, Piyo, walking, swimming and the like will give you great results. However, one should be sure to diversify their workouts and include muscle building in their weekly routines.
What Does Low Impact Mean?
Don’t be fooled by the term ‘low impact’, low impact does not mean you won’t be sweating. All this means is that these workouts will be good for your joints and are a great way to get in a sweat-inducing workout with your greatest chance of avoiding injury. Our joints are consistently banging together during workouts, or straining, along with your muscles, to lift heavy things—but with low impact exercises, you are sending a nurturing little hug to all of your muscles and joints.
Who Should Do Low Impact Exercises?
In short, everyone! If you are a bodybuilder, your muscles and joints will need some love from all of the hard work that you have put them through. But, bodybuilders aren’t the only ones who need these exercises: folks who are new to the gym, people suffering injuries, older folks, and pregnant woman can all really benefit from this form of workout.
Low Impact Exercises You Should Try Today!
PiYo
Have you ever wondered what that silly word ‘PiYo’ was? Well, that, my friends, is Pilates/Yoga and it will make you sore sore sore! My first time in a PiYo class I thought, “Piece of cake, I’ll try this thing out and walk my way back to work to finish the day.” However after about 50 minutes of class my legs, abs, glutes, arms—every fiber of my being was screaming. I found a workout that not only hurts so good, but doesn’t require the dreaded (but effective) burpee.
Yoga
Not only is yoga a great destresser (Who doesn’t need that?), but it is a great way to tone your body and build lean, long muscles. We recommend adding yoga into your routine at least three times a week. You do not need to practice for a long time, even ten minutes a day will get you more flexibility and definition.
Barre
This is another one of those ‘looks easy, really hurts’ classes. Barre is an amazing low impact, ballet inspired workout. In these classes you will mainly work on your legs and glutes, so this is a great class to join on your normal leg day! Barre is recommended for those who want to improve stability, elongate muscles, and work on muscle endurance. We give this class a complete A+!
Stairclimber
This machine is popular for many reasons. Along with a lot of other exercises on this list, the stairmaster does wonders for your glutes. It can also be a relatively slow workout that scorches tons more calories than walking alone (another great low impact workout). So, if you are looking to try out this whole low impact thing, but aren’t so sure about classes just yet, grab your towel and climb those stairs. You will sweat. Like, sweat from your eyes kinda sweat. And it will be good.
Low impact exercises are good for everyone a few times a week. Be sure to take care of yourself. Schedule rest days, low impact days, and always work on keeping or building your muscle mass.