Introduction
According to Bharat Bhise, most people focus on high-impact exercises such as running, jumping, skipping, and more to maintain or improve their fitness levels. However, they might not be suitable for you, especially if you are just starting a fitness routine for the first time or have some kind of health issue. Low-impact workouts can be more beneficial for you in such cases since they put less physical stress on your joints and reduce the risk of injury.
The Benefits
Here are a few benefits of doing low-impact workouts:
- They can also help you to build muscle and burn calories – Unlike what many people assume, low impact is not equal to low intensity all the time. In fact, strength training such as lifting weights is a form of low-impact training since you remain stationary when lifting weights.
Similarly, kettlebell swings are also a low-impact, but high-intensity exercise and battle ropes are exceptionally challenging to your cardiovascular health while being low-impact. Thus, low-impact strength training is the best way to build muscle mass and develop strength since you can progressively overload your muscles.
On the other hand, high-impact activities put your muscles under less stress since you are constantly moving or jumping where your muscles are not staying under constant contraction.
- They are gentle on the joints – High-impact training is not suitable for the elderly who are deconditioned and people with some type of restriction such as joint pain since they put too much force on your joints. In fact, they can even exacerbate joint pain and slow down the recovery from an injury.
On the other hand, low-impact training activities are gentler on your joints and allow your body to recover faster. Additionally, since you can rest sufficiently between sets, you will not overtrain or hurt your muscles and joints no matter how hard you train.
- They help to protect against muscle loss – One of the primary reasons to maintain a fitness routine is to build strength and improve your fitness levels. However, sometimes, you have to do exercises that simply allow you to preserve your strength and fitness levels when you cannot participate in more strenuous exercises.
For instance, after a major accident or people who are elderly. Low-impact exercises help to preserve muscle mass, prevent you from gaining weight due to leading a sedentary lifestyle, and also help to keep your bones and joints healthy.
- They help to promote muscle and joint stability – Low-impact exercises such as the plank and other forms of isometric exercises are excellent for developing muscle and joint stability. Plus, they also help to improve muscle strength, endurance, and stability. It’s one of the reasons low-impact exercises are recommended to treat joint pain.
However, unlike high-impact exercises, they don’t aggravate the joint. Additionally, the improvements you gain are extremely functional and help you to lead a more comfortable lifestyle.
Conclusion
Bharat Bhise suggests you practice low-impact strength training if you are just starting out. It’s one of the best ways to develop your muscle mass and improve your strength without putting in too much energy or compromising your safety.
