In the realm of high-intensity interval training, it’s occasionally necessary to slow down to accelerate. To put it another way, it’s wise to slow down before advancing. Low-impact cardio exercise can be helpful in this situation.
Your body is under less stress when you engage in low impact aerobics, especially your knees and lower back, which are common areas for chronic discomfort.
Simply put, a low impact does not prevent a rise in heart rate. Your heart rate will increase with most, if not all, physical activity. Low impact simply refers to an exercise program that is kinder to your joints and muscles.
Low-impact exercises include swimming, hiking, using an elliptical machine indoors or outdoors, Pilates, and other activities.
Here are three good reasons to incorporate low-impact cardio into your exercise regimen.
1. Your metabolism can be increased with low-impact cardio.
Contrary to what we’ve been told, HIIT isn’t the only strategy for increasing metabolism. It is still possible to increase your metabolism with low-impact aerobics (1).
Even with low-impact workouts, your heart rate rises, your muscles are working hard, and you are burning calories and energy to do this. Not to mention that consistently performing harder workouts might wear out or hurt the body.
By including low-impact exercises in your routine, you can receive the benefits of regular exercise without subjecting your body to constant stress. This will enable you to perform those intensive workouts at an even greater level, which will further increase your metabolism.
2. Cardio with little impact can help you stay injury-free.
It goes without saying that your risk of injury increases with the intensity of your training. That’s not to say you shouldn’t work out hard; when done well, strenuous exercises may be quite beneficial!
However, the truth is that low impact cardio still gives you a fantastic workout while putting less strain on your muscles and joints.
Recall your most recent spin class experience: Was it challenging? Of course, it was. The distinction is that, unlike greater impact exercises like jogging, your knees aren’t banging against the floor as you spin on a spin bike.
Since low impact cardiovascular exercise doesn’t do much harm to your muscles, it also tends to reduce inflammation in the body, so you can go into your next intense workout without risk of injury.
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3. Your flexibility can be enhanced with low-impact cardio.
Although some low-impact exercises, like spinning, climbing, etc., can be quite strenuous, other exercises that focus on flexibility, like stretching, also fit into this category. Despite popular opinion, stretching can still be an exercise. Practicing mobility exercises of any kind can improve your flexibility, which will enable you to move more fluidly in other training modalities. Although stretching and mobility are often disregarded, they are among the best resources at our disposal for enhancing general strength and flexibility.
When is a good time to work out low impact? Your physique is the determining factor! To aid in muscles’ healing, engage in a quality low-impact workout once a week. It’s ideal to include them either before or after a day of rest!
It’s important to keep in mind that low impact exercises should be combined with different forms of exercise because this will keep your body guessing, which is the greatest method to reach your fitness objectives and maintain optimal health.
To Wrap Things Up
Incorporating low-impact cardio into your exercise routine is essential for a well-rounded fitness regimen. It helps boost metabolism, reduce injury risk, and enhance flexibility, all while being gentle on your joints and muscles.
By balancing low-impact exercises with more intense workouts, you can achieve optimal health and maintain peak performance.
Your body thrives on variety, so mix up your workouts to keep progressing towards your fitness goals. Embrace low-impact cardio and experience the benefits it brings to your overall well-being.
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