LOW-IMPACT, HIGH-YIELD
I love to hear and learn about the new, hot, “it”, workouts. As we learn more about our bodies and how they function, it is expected that new ways to exercise are brought to light and publicized. If it has been tested by an accredited source and taught by professionals, who have received training by experts, then by all means…please share! It is always exciting to learn something new!! Especially when it comes to exercise!!!
Low-impact workouts are making a comeback. Also, to be clear, low-impact does not mean low-intensity. All low-impact workouts can be low-, moderate-, and high-intensity. Low-impact workouts can deliver a high yield, too.
Exercise has never been a “one size fits all” methodology. That is why I love teaching kettlebells. It’s low-impact, which is great for my arthritis, stenosis, and EDS. This drew me to kettlebells initially. But then when I started doing private trainings, small group classes, and large events, I realized I could adapt them to all different fitness levels as well as different ages and health issues. I could teach all students and ensure a lower injury risk by giving everyone a kettlebell weight that fit their needs. I saw that I could also customize the intensity for each individual and that they, in turn, had high yields.
When researching workouts, workout programs, and workout equipment or tools, many stand out because they have been around for a long time. Some examples of low-impact cardio and strength training exercises, as outlined in “Low-Impact Workouts: Health Benefits, How to Get Started, and How to Get Better” on www.everydayhealth.com, include,
Low-Impact Cardio Exercises
Walking
Cycling
Elliptical Training
Swimming
Water Aerobics
Low-Impact Strength Training Exercises
Weight Lifting
Tai Chi
Suspension training (such as with the TRX system)
Yoga
Barre
They also provided a simple way to understand the true meaning of low-impact exercise: “Low impact exercise is any activity where at least one foot is always in contact with the ground.”
High-impact workouts are exercises where both of your feet are off the ground at the same time. Many people feel that if they don’t do a high-impact workout—where they have sweat dripping all over them and are always giving 100% effort—the said workout doesn’t count. Just be mindful, as what you do might end up beating up your body instead of caring for it. If you are not careful, it is easy to injure yourself.
Switching from high-impact exercises to low-impact workouts that mimic the functions you perform in everyday life can help in recovering from an injury and preventing one from happening.
How do you get started?
It is actually pretty simple. According to Move Your Way via www.health.gov, adults need a mix of moderate-intensity aerobic activities for at least 150 minutes a week in addition to muscle strengthening activity 2 days a week. They even provide the option to add workouts that build a personalized physical activity plan for the week through their Move Your Way Activity Planner. I put in my information and it did not show a single moderate- or high-impact workout. What it showed me was how I could do low-impact exercises with the option to increase the intensity to moderate and high.
What does yield have to do with exercising?
Yield is what you receive or produce from working out. Most people do not work out to receive no- or low-yield after investing time, energy, and money. What’s worse is finding out the exercises you’ve been doing “yielded more damage than progress,” leaving you with an injury. That is why more people are going back to what I consider “the basics of exercising.” Low-impact exercises typically include fundamental movements, including warming up and cooling down, which is important for reducing injury risk. And since low-impact workouts can be modified to fit your needs, you have a lot of control over the yields you receive.
Does low-impact exercise provide high-yields?
More and more, we are finding this to be true. The low-impact cardio exercises mentioned above allow us to safely increase our intensity and produce high yields for our heart health by strengthening our hearts and lung function, as well as helping our mental health, all while reducing risk of heart disease and heart attacks. The low-impact strength training exercises mentioned above keep our bodies strong via maintaining muscle tissue, increasing strength, improving bone health, controlling body fat, and enhancing balance. For many, like me, those cumulative health benefits are worth my time, energy, and investment in doing them.
Can you increase the yields from low-impact exercises?
Absolutely! Everyone can exercise and receive the yield they want. If you like challenges, get bored easily with exercising, do not want to plateau, or are always looking for higher yields, low-impact is the way to go. It puts less tension on your body, allowing you can really focus on the unique movements of each exercises, which, in turn, produces higher yields because it minimizes distractions. Then, you can add more time, weight, or repetitions. Next, remember you are in control of the intensity. It might be low-impact, but you decide when it is time to move from low-intensity, moderate-intensity, and high-intensity, or a combination of all three.
Yield looks different for everyone, yet low-impact workouts can assist in everyone’s fitness goals. For example: toning of muscles, sculpting a specific area, building strength to aid in addressing aches and pains (like how core strength helps diminish lower back pain, which tends to increase with age), or keeping joints in optimal condition (hence, being kind to your knees). Continually adapting a low-impact routine that meets your unique and changing needs will benefit your health for years to come.
Health & Fitness Editor Dina Juve
Dina Juve
Health & Fitness Editor
Dina has been in health and fitness for over twenty years. Her health and wellness brand and methods utilize a mind, body, and soul approach to physical health, allowing her to help her clients create the bodies and lives they desire. Though based in California’s Central Valley, she is globally known as a fitness guru, transformation expert, weight loss specialist, and meditation teacher, and she has also worked with dozens of high-profile clients and celebrities across the world.
