Low impact exercise is becoming all the rage. People of all ages and fitness levels are embracing the notion that you don’t need to add stress to your joints to get a great workout. Cardio, strength, and high intensity can all be modified to be gentler on the body so you can reach your goals and feel good along the way. But how? Here are some tips you can try to make your favorite workouts low impact and highly effective.

Who Can Benefit From Low impact Exercise?

Low impact exercise is for everybody and every body! Young to old or advanced to beginner, low impact exercise can benefit everyone’s fitness routine and long-term wellness. Incorporating low impact exercises can help you feel better for longer and keep your joints in good health, so you don’t run into injuries or setbacks down the road.

What is Low Impact Exercise?

Low impact exercise reduces stress and load on the joints. Movements tend to keep at least one foot on the ground and keep your body in proper alignment.

Low impact exercises also avoid these high impact activities:

Jumping. Examples: jumping jacks, high knees, burpees, high jumps.

Heavy weightlifting. Examples: Barbell squats and deadlifts. Many weightlifting exercises add pressure to the joints that can cause strain. Lifting heavy also places a heavier load on our spine that can lead to compression of the discs. For these reasons, good form is essential for safe, successful weight training.

Running. Examples: Running on a treadmill or outside on pavement or a track. Running is one of the highest impact activities because of the continuous stress it places on your ankles, knees, and hips. Not to mention shin splits – ouch!

How to Turn Your Favorite Workouts Into Low Impact Workouts

If you love a good HIIT workout or weightlifting session, have no fear. Some simple modifications can make all the difference to help you sweat more and ache less. If you’re an equipment cardio junkie and your knees or hips are starting to talk you out of it, there are some low impact alternatives that still get you to your target heart rate.

Low Impact HIIT

Do more compound exercises that incorporate full body movement. This will help to increase your heart rate and calorie burn. Reduce or eliminate jumping exercises (sorry to all the burpee lovers out there). You can still perform all the same movements you love, with a low impact twist. Here are some examples:

  • Half jack side-steps instead of full jumping jacks
  • Walk out burpees to standing instead of full burpees
  • Squat thrusters instead of jump squats
  • Knee ups instead of high knees

Low Impact Strength

Weight training is very good for you and delivers a host of full body benefits including muscle strength, balance, bone density, and boosted metabolism. But, heavy weightlifting can impact the joints and add stress to the body if not done as part of a balanced routine. Incorporating some gentler strength training activities and prioritizing recovery can be helpful for ongoing success in your training. Try incorporating some of these into your routine:

  • Lighter dumbbells and slightly higher reps can help you zero in on your form with less weight to lift.
  • Body weight movements like squats, lunges, incline push-ups, tricep dips help you build functional strength.
  • Low impact resistance training with the FitForm Home Gym delivers feel-good resistance training that is gentler on the joints.
  • Decompressing post-workout helps your joints recover from impact and reduces soreness. Inversion Tables, Gravity Boots, and the Dex II are all great decompression tools for your home gym.

Low Impact Cardio

The right cardio for you comes down to personal preference – it’s up to you how you want to get your heart rate up. High impact cardio like running can take a big toll on your knee and hip comfort, especially in the long-term. Here are some low impact options that will get you to your goals without any compromises:

  • Walk at an incline, uphill or up a flight of stairs.
  • Use elliptical equipment that emphasizes body alignment and non-weight bearing movement like the Power10 and FreeStep.

Here are some other low impact workouts to try if you feel like spicing up your normal routine:

  • Pilates
  • Yoga
  • Step aerobics
  • Swimming
  • Tai Chi

There are many ways to enjoy your favorite workouts and make them low impact and joint-friendly. We hope these tips help you feel better and move better. Happy training!

Teeter does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information