If you are like us, you have been introduced to many fitness crazes over the years. We encourage you to try them all! Today, we want to focus on one particular kind of workout that offers tons of benefits while being safe, fun and full of power – low impact training.

Low impact training is for nearly everyone, from an everyday workout to high performing, competitive pursuits. In this article, we break down why low impact training is for you and just how efficient and sustainable it can be, whether you’re wanting to lose weight, build strength, tone and lengthen, or enhance your functional strength for high performance sports.

By definition, the range of low impact workouts starts with Walking, Tai Chi and Yoga. Add intensity, strength building and endurance to the range and we find TRX, resistance training, X-Former workouts and high-end endurance training such as rowing, swimming and cycling…each gentle on the joints but going deep into your muscle fiber and stretching your cardiac output.  

Be good to your Joints

Haven’t been active for a while? Worried about potential injury if jumping in too fast? Low impact training options have you in mind. This does not mean that you have to go slow and low on intensity and effort level. But low impact training avoids the shock of bigger impact and helps your joints build strength and elasticity, making them more ready if you want to take your workouts to a higher impact option.

Recall that the cartilage in your joint has only one way of getting nourished: not through blood supply as our muscles do, but through a sponge like squeeze-and-fill of the synovial liquid within your joints. So, in order for our joints to be healthy and fully functional, we need to move them. If you have not been moving regularly, you will want to take care to to ease into higher impact workouts such as running, jumping and weight lifting as your cartilage needs some time to soak up new nourishment and build itself up again to be ready for the higher workload.

In short, low impact training will massage your joints and cartilage into great health!

Improve your Reflexes

Low impact training helps to improve your reflexes. After an injury, in particular, your body’s own feedback from your joints is impaired since some of the nerves and sensors are not well connected anymore. Starting in a low impact, and therefore safer workout, can help your brain to re-learn the needed control over coordination and balance. Our X-Former workout, Power, could be an excellent option for you in this build-up time. As always, please always consult your physician first.

Safely boost your Mobility

A substantial body of literature clearly demonstrates the health benefits of physical activity and exercise training at all life stages. Mobility is key, whether you’re playing football, rugby, skiing, cycling, hiking or pushing strollers or moving boxes. Remember that mobility is a function of strength, speed, and endurance in your musculature in concert with the adaptability of your joints and skeletal structure. Low impact training hits each of these variables and does so safely. Getting into good habits can be life changing. And since low impact has no age limit, you can start while you’re young and continue through the golden years. 

Low impact is safe and effective. And there is a reason why we love resistance training. Resistance training, in particular, has been proven to be among the most beneficial forms of exercise you can do to build strength and endurance safely. Low-impact resistance training can form the foundation of your everyday workout or add a big boost your competitive sporting goals. Safely combining endurance training with strength training is why Velocity Cycling and X-Former Power were born. You are welcome anytime!

References

http://www.therealmanplan.com/low-impact-exercise/  

https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1055&context=kine_fac

https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/22018