In the news, we constantly hear about the latest workouts, and many of them can sound pretty intense and might not be for everyone. For example, Crossfit hit mainstream a few years ago, and it seemed like everyone was doing it; but for someone with arthritis or another condition would have a lot of trouble completing one of these workouts. Running, for someone recovering from a knee injury, can be extremely challenging— sometimes even long after the injury is supposedly healed.
Whether it’s due to age or injury (or any other number of reasons!), sometimes a vigorous workout isn’t what’s best for you. Certain motions, stretches, or activities can be painful or even harmful to some individuals, for any number of these reasons. Not all bodies are built the same, and our bodies evolve as we age and progress in life— so why shouldn’t our workouts evolve, too? Luckily, there are plenty of choices for those in need. You can (and SHOULD be) aware of your body while still getting a great workout.
A low-impact workout is considered by many to be one that requires at least one foot to be on the ground at all times. This eliminates running, contact sports, gymnastics, and other such activities (great news for the massive number of people who thought running was good for everyone!). Those of us looking for a low-impact routine need not get bored with their workout: There are plenty of options to choose from! So what are some low-impact exercises for those of us who need to be especially wary of what our bodies can and cannot handle? Let’s take a look at a few:
WALKING
Wear the correct footwear, and a walk around the block or through the park is a low-impact and scenic way to get in some physical activity! It gets your heart rate up while keeping you at a steady speed, completely in control of your actions. You can customize a walk however you want by adjusting your speed or where you’re walking. Walking on concrete stimulates muscles differently than walking on dirt or grass, and walking on a flat surface is much different than walking up a hill.
CYCLING
Hop on a bike once in a while for a fantastic workout with low impact on knees and ankles. Again, you can adjust the workout by incline and speed; and many bikes also have gears that require various amounts of effort from the rider.
SWIMMING
Dive into a workout you won’t even realize you’re completing: In a swim workout, you’ll feel weightless. Virtually all pressure is taken off of your joints as you float. Water aerobics is an excellent variation of this— lifting light weights in and above the water helps you create muscle, but it does so while minimizing the impact on your body. Take a couple of laps, practice various strokes, play an old-school game of Marco-Polo, or just freestyle it! You’ll feel refreshed afterwards in any case.
The best part about most low-impact workouts is that you can turn the experience into leisure while still putting in effort. If you’re looking to get back into the fitness game, whether it’s to rebound from an injury or otherwise, GYMGUYZ is here and happy to help you come up with a great low-impact routine that will maximize the benefits to your body and help you to achieve your goals! Give us a call today.
