Low impact aerobic
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Low-impact Aerobic Exercise

Introduction

Low-impact aerobic exercise strengthens the heart and enhances cardiovascular health without overtaxing the body. Compared to high-impact workouts like running or lifting weights, low-impact aerobic exercises are kinder to the joints.

Aerobic exercise, which raises heart rate and increases circulation, is a crucial part of any fitness regimen. By reducing stiffness and enhancing blood flow to the spinal structures, aerobic exercise can help reduce back pain by boosting the amount of nutrients that reach the spine.

Low-impact exercise is a better choice for people with back pain since it can increase heart rate without disturbing the spine or worsening the condition.

Cardio workouts that don’t put a lot of strain on your joints raise your heart rate. Planks, squats, and lunges are possible exercises. A low-impact aerobic exercise can help you lose weight and lower your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

This is not to say that burpees or box jumps are easier than low-impact aerobic exercises. Although some individuals may confuse “low-impact” exercises with “low-intensity,” these movements can increase heart rate just as effectively. Learn about low-impact cardio and try these workouts by reading on.

Low-impact exercise: what is it?

Compared to high-impact exercise, low-impact exercise puts less strain on your joints and raises your heart rate gradually. Walking, yoga, Pilates, swimming, skating, cross-country skiing, and golf are all well-liked low-impact workouts. Compared to high-impact workouts like weightlifting or jogging, the motions involved in low-impact exercises like these are softer and slower.

Before starting a new fitness regimen, especially if you have health issues, see your doctor.

Because it encourages the formation of new, stronger bone structures, the stress caused by high-impact activities can be advantageous. However, Milton points out that if your muscles, joints, and connective tissues aren’t strong enough to withstand it, it can potentially cause harm to them.

Without putting undue strain on the joints and connective tissues, low-impact activities provide many of the same health advantages as high-impact ones.

However, a low-impact workout does not always equate to a low-intensity one. For instance, cycling can be done at a higher intensity despite having a low impact. “Low-impact activities can stress that heart rate response,” Walker explains.

You may create a comprehensive, completely low-impact regimen because low-impact exercise encompasses a variety of skills, including strength, flexibility, mobility, and aerobics.

Advantages of Aerobic Exercise

Frequent aerobic exercise can help reduce back or neck pain in the following ways:

  • Lowering the possibility and/or intensity of unpleasant flare-ups in the future
  • Preserving the spine’s range of motion and function, reducing the impairment brought on by persistent pain. When someone with persistent back pain doesn’t exercise, their mobility and functionality usually deteriorate.
  • Calorie burning to assist reach and maintain a healthy weight can relieve too much strain on the spine.
  • Enhancing endorphin synthesis, which functions as a natural analgesic and can improve mood to alleviate depressive symptoms

You can accomplish your fitness objectives with low-impact exercise without exacerbating an existing injury or developing a new one.

Additionally, low-impact exercise aids in the maintenance and growth of muscle mass, which gradually declines with age. Your body can burn calories even when you’re at rest if you have higher muscle mass.

Improved Heart Health

Walking and other low-impact aerobic exercises have similar heart-health advantages to their high-impact counterparts, such as running. Indeed, throughout a six-year follow-up, researchers identified comparable decreases in risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and potentially heart disease in 33,060 runners and 15,045 walkers (ages 18 to 80). If the walking was moderately intense, that is.

Reduced Diabetes Risk

You can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes by engaging in a variety of low-impact activities.

For instance, when combined with a nutritious diet, walking may reduce your risk of diabetes more effectively than prescription drugs. 3,234 individuals at risk for type 2 diabetes participated in a National Institutes of Health study that revealed that combining dietary modifications with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, often walking, over a five-year trial period decreased the chance of developing diabetes by 58%. In the meantime, the risk was reduced by 31% for individuals who took the preventive drug metformin, which helps regulate blood glucose (sugar).

Better Joint Health

People with joint problems can exercise with less pain and discomfort when they participate in low-impact activities. Additionally, according to the Arthritis Foundation, the movement involved in low-impact exercise may help lubricate stiff, achy joints and provide blood and nutrients, improving joint health and function.

For instance, individuals with osteoarthritis, a “wear and tear” joint disease, may find that swimming and cycling assist lessen joint discomfort and stiffness. 48 middle-aged and older persons with osteoarthritis took part in a 12-week swimming or cycling program (45 minutes, three days a week) in one study. Both groups reported notable improvements in their quality of life and joint pain and stiffness.

However, extrapolating the results to broader groups is challenging due to the study’s limited sample size.

More robust bones

Weight-bearing workouts are necessary to build bone, so certain low-impact hobbies, like swimming and cycling, aren’t the best options, according to Milton. However, there are some extremely beneficial low-impact activities. According to Milton, “One of the best things you can do for bone density is strength training.”

A high-intensity strength training program lasting 30 minutes twice a week for eight months resulted in notable gains in bone density for 101 postmenopausal women with poor bone mass.

Better Health of the Brain

Walking and other low-impact workouts assist preserve and improving brain function, which may help avoid dementia, which is the loss of thinking, memory, and thought. Researchers examined health and exercise data collected from over 78,000 healthy UK people over seven years in a study that was published in JAMA Neurology in 2022. Researchers found that people who walked roughly 9,800 steps a day, or five miles, had a 51 percent lower risk of dementia than people who walked less than 3,800 steps a day.

To successfully increase circulation, aerobic exercise is typically recommended three to five times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes. Starting with shorter exercise sessions, such as walking for five to ten minutes, and working your way up to a longer program may be beneficial for people with severe pain.

Low-impact aerobic workouts are a fantastic approach to boost physical activity and offer a variety of advantages. Increasing physical activity can reduce the chance of developing diseases like

  • Heart conditions
  • A few types of cancer
  • Diabetes type 2


Low-impact cardio also has the advantage of lowering the chance of injury.2. Your bones absorb some force when you land from any high-impact activity, such as running or leaping. Low-impact aerobic exercise can help your joints absorb less trauma.

Even low-impact cardio can raise your heart rate. Your heart can become stronger by engaging in activities that raise your heart rate.

Low-impact cardiovascular workouts may be beneficial for people who are new to exercising or have not worked out in a long time. Low-impact aerobic exercises may be suggested for people with specific medical conditions or statuses (such as osteoporosis or pregnancy) to reduce physical strain on their bodies.

Contraindications

Anybody can safely perform low-impact aerobic workouts. Before beginning this routine, you might wish to consult a healthcare professional if you have:

  • Acute injuries like sprains or strains of the muscles
  • Issues with balance
  • severe symptoms of heart disease or arthritis
  • Had surgery recently.
  • pregnancy at high risk
  • Dizziness

Low-Impact Exercise Types

  • Back stiffness is reduced, blood flow is increased, and recovery is aided by low-impact aerobic activity.
  • Uncertain whether a move has a high or low impact? If it’s the latter, you’ll always have at least one foot on the ground. One can get their heart rate up using a variety of low-impact activities, such as tai chi, strength training, and strolling.

You can repeat the entire set one or two more times and perform each exercise in the correct order. If a healthcare physician advises it is safe for you, use dumbbells or resistance bands to increase the resistance for a challenge.

Typical low-impact aerobic workouts consist of:

Walk for exercise. Exercise walking is different from regular walking since it is quicker-paced and aims to increase heart rate while gently activating muscles. The benefits of exercise walking include being easier on the spine than jogging, being accessible in practically any place, and having no additional equipment other than a decent pair of shoes. Exercise resistance can be increased by using wrist or ankle weights. Walking can be done outdoors, as on a nature walk or in the neighborhood, or indoors, like in a mall or on a treadmill.

Step machine or elliptical trainer. These devices offer a low-impact cardiovascular workout by simulating the motions of jogging, running, and climbing stairs. To prevent the feet from ever hitting a hard surface while exercising, the majority of machines use footholds or pedals that are suspended above the ground and glide up and down. A variety of resistance settings are also included in many machines, which can aid in muscle strengthening.

Cycling while stationary. A stationary bike provides cardiovascular training without the jarring impact of riding on uneven terrain by simulating the pedaling action of a bicycle. As part of a spinning class, which is led by an instructor and frequently offers a range of workout alternatives for novice or expert cyclists, stationary biking might be preferable. There are two types of stationary bikes: upright, which requires leaning forward, and recumbent, which supports the back in a posture that may be adjusted to be more relaxed.

A class may teach specific water exercises or swim strokes, or a doctor may recommend them. Swimming and water aerobics: Exercise in the water combines natural buoyancy and additional resistance to provide aerobic exercise with minimal impact on the spine. Swimming and water aerobics may be considered if a workout on a hard surface may be too bothersome.

Equipment: What You’ll Need for Low-Intensity Workout

There are a few essential items you should keep on hand for low-impact exercise, however, your equipment may change according to the program. Begin by doing these:

Shoes You’ll need supportive footwear unless you’re swimming or doing mat-based exercises like Pilates or yoga. Invest in shoes made especially for your preferred activity, such as cycling or walking shoes. According to Michael Hamlin, CSCS, proprietor of Ever Flex Fitness, a personal training business located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, walking shoes are also ideal for rowers and elliptical users. For strength training exercises, choose a cross-training shoe with a wide toe box and a little padding.

According to Hamlin, the broad toe box gives our toes more room to spread out, providing a more solid foundation for strength training.

Yoga Mat During floor movements, a yoga mat can assist protect your knees. If working out on a slippery floor, it also provides a non-slip surface. To reduce the amount of material between your feet and the floor, Hamlin advises using a thin yoga mat rather than one made of thick foam. “I want my customers to notice anything about their movement, from a shift in weight to their toes being bunched up in their shoes,” he explains.

Bands of Resistance According to Hamlin, “I adore resistance bands for low-impact work because they let you do lighter movements with tiny amounts of additional resistance.” According to the Cleveland Clinic, these resistance training aids look like big rubber and are available in a variety of designs, such as flat loops or elastic tubing with detachable handles. To try out different tension levels, get a pack of resistance bands.

Dumbbells Adding resistance to bodyweight strength workouts is easy with a pair of dumbbells. Hamlin suggests beginning with basic neoprene dumbbells, which are typically 5, 8, and 12 pounds for women and 8, 12, and 15 pounds for men.

Clothing That Wicks Away Moisture According to McSorley, “Even though low-impact exercises are less taxing on the joints, some of them can be pretty strenuous, and you might find yourself working up a sweat just as you would with a high-impact exercise.” It’s crucial to dress appropriately because of this. McSorley advises working out in breathable, comfortable clothing made of materials that drain away sweat, such as nylon, spandex, polyester, bamboo, and wool.

Five Low-Intensity Fat-Burning Exercises That Won’t Damage Your Knees

Low-impact workouts are still demanding and interesting while putting less strain on your joints. Swimming, cycling, and walking are a few low-impact workouts.

One type of exercise that lessens the strain on your joints is called low-impact exercise.

Those who are new to exercising or have joint trouble can benefit from this kind of exercise. For athletes who choose to continue exercising during their recuperation days, it can also serve as a cross-training alternative.

Swimming

swimming
swimming

Strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular fitness are all incorporated into swimming. By supporting your weight, the water’s buoyancy also lessens the strain on your body.

A simple freestyle stroke works your core and muscles in your upper and lower body, particularly your shoulders, triceps, pecs, and quadriceps.

You might want to try the following additional swimming strokes:

  • Butterfly backstroke, butterfly breaststroke
  • Although different strokes target different muscle regions, they are all excellent ways to work out. You can try different strokes to see which ones you like and which ones are difficult for you.

Walking

Walking
Walking

Walking Compared to running or jogging, walking is less taxing on your knees. Compared to walking on concrete, walking on a track or trail can cause even less strain on your joints.

Walking outside is also linked to lower stress levels and improved moods.

Concentrate on using your hips and legs to generate power. To accelerate, press the ground behind you while maintaining an engaged abdominal position.

30 to 60 seconds of walking at a slower recovery speed can be interspersed with 1 to 3 minutes of walking at a higher pace.

Rowing

Seated Rowing
Seated Rowing

Another exercise that works the entire body and improves cardiovascular fitness is rowing. For people who have joint issues, this non-weight-bearing exercise is a good choice.

This will probably be a gym-based workout because you will need access to a rowing machine. Additionally, rowers come in a range of price points.

  • Riding a bicycle
  • Cycling is a vigorous, low-impact workout, regardless of whether you choose to ride a stationary bike in a class or go out on a regular bicycle.

According to a 2019 study, indoor cycling could enhance:

Body composition, lipid profile, blood pressure, and aerobic capacity
Additionally, the researchers discovered that dieting is not necessary to attain these advantages. It doesn’t cost much to start riding a bike, especially if you already have a stationary bike.

You can intensify your cycling workout by going into higher gears or, if you’re outside, choosing a route with steeper inclines. By going into lower gears or choosing a flatter path, you can also lessen the intensity.

Skating

Skating
Skating

Skating’s side-to-side action provides a counter-stimulus to your lower body’s muscles and joints, which typically move in the sagittal, or front-to-back, plane.

When you skate, your legs function differently than when you walk, run, or ride a bike. You may strengthen your inner thighs, hip abductors, and glutes by skating. It’s also enjoyable!

The lateral lunge to reach 

side lunges
side lunges

Strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, abductor muscles, and adductor muscles.

To complete this task:

  • Keep your hands by your sides and your feet close together when you stand.
  • Take a large step to the side with your left leg while maintaining an elevated chest.
  • Bend your left knee to create a 90-degree angle and send your butt back while maintaining a straight right leg. Ensure that your feet are facing forward.
  • Raise your left arm straight overhead and touch the left foot with your right arm.
  • Resuming the starting position requires pushing off your left foot.
  • After 25 seconds of repetition, switch sides.

The Sumo Squat Touch-Down to Heel Raise 

Heels Elevated Hack Squat
Heel raise squat

Strengthens the calves, hamstrings, glutes, abductor muscles, and adductor muscles.

To complete this exercise:

  • Stand with your toes slightly out and your feet somewhat wider than shoulder distance apart.
  • Place your arms straight in front of your hips.
  • After maintaining a straight back, core brace, and raised chest, bend both knees, send your butt back and down, and touch your hands to the floor.
  • To get back up, push your feet onto the floor, raise your heels off the floor, and keep your arms straight while standing.
  • 45 seconds of repetition are required.

Push-Up Plank Walk-Out

plank to push ups
Plank to push ups

Strengthens the chest, back, shoulders, arms, and core.

  • To complete this task:
  • With your hands by your sides and your feet hip-distance apart, begin standing.
  • Bring your hands to the floor by folding your torso forward and bending your knees slightly.
  • Place your shoulders over your wrists and walk your hands forward into a high plank.
  • Bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle, lower your chest toward the floor to perform a push-up, keep your shoulders back and down, and tuck your pelvis to stabilize your core.
  • To push yourself back up into a high plank, press your hands into the floor.
  • Roll up to standing and walk your hands back toward your feet.
  • For forty-five seconds, repeat.

Repeater

Strengthens the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings.

  • To complete this task:
  • Place your left foot back on a tiny diagonal from your right foot on the ground and your right foot forward with a slight knee bend.
  • Maintain a straight spine and a braced core as you bend your torso forward to sit over your right leg.
  • Lift your arms above your head.
  • Squeeze your abs while simultaneously driving your left knee up and bringing your hands down to contact (parallel to the waist).
  • Raise your arms high, straighten your leg, and bring your left foot back to the floor behind you.
  • After around 25 seconds of repetition, switch sides.

Front Kick to Touch Back

Front-kick
Front-kick

Strengthens the glutes and hamstrings.

  • To complete this task:
  • Hold your hands by your cheekbones in a guard position as you begin to stand with your feet hip-width apart.
  • In front of you, kick your right leg straight forward.
  • With your right hand resting on your back and your left hand touching the ground in front of you, step your left foot back into a low lunge while placing your right foot back down.
  • After around 25 seconds of repetition, switch sides.

Elevator Plank

Plank Pose
Plank Pose

Strengthens the back, shoulders, arms, and core.

  • To complete this task:
  • With your legs out in front of you and your shoulders stacked over your wrists, begin in a high plank position.
  • Squeeze your glutes and quadriceps and tuck your pelvis in to stabilize your core.
  • To perform a forearm plank, drop your right elbow to the floor while maintaining a raised and stable hip position. Then, lower your left elbow.
  • To return to a high plank, place your left hand on the floor after placing your right hand on the ground to straighten your elbow.
  • As you lower yourself into a forearm plank and then raise yourself back up into a high plank, keep your core strong to prevent your hips from dropping to one side.
  • For forty-five seconds, repeat.

Russian Twist With Punch

Russian Twist With Punch
Russian Twist With Punch

Strengthens the arms, shoulders, obliques, and abs.

  • To complete this task:
  • With your feet flat and knees bent, take a seat on the ground.
  • Raise your feet off the floor after bending your torso back by around 45 degrees or until your core is activated.
  • Punch your left arm to the right after rotating your torso to the right without moving your legs.
  • Punch your right arm to the left after turning your torso to the left and coming back to the center.
  • Keep switching for forty-five seconds.

Skier

Skier
Skier

Strengthens the lats, shoulders, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves.

  • To complete this task:
  • With your heels off the ground and your arms raised, stand with your feet together and approach the balls of your feet.
  • To make your arms and shoulders tense, squeeze your fists.
  • Bend your knees after pushing your hips back. Maintaining a straight spine and pushing your heels to the floor, hinge your torso forward until it is nearly parallel to the floor. At the same time, swing your arms behind you and down.
  • Return to your toes after thrusting your hips forward and swinging your arms overhead.
  • For forty-five seconds, repeat.

Advancements

Whether you’re at home or work, face a staircase. Straighten your leg, put one foot on the stairs, and take a step up. Give your other foot five seconds or so to linger over the ground. Repeat, placing your opposite foot on the stairs and letting it float over the floor this time. Do it again. For balance, cling to a railing if necessary.

One-Legged Stand

One leg standing
One leg standing

Place your feet parallel to the longest edge of your desk or surface as you stand next to it. Extend one leg upward and out while keeping your feet facing the same way. Make use of your core muscles. After holding for roughly 30 seconds, reunite your legs. Repeat with the opposite leg.

Stretching the Hamstrings While Seated

hamstring stretching
Hamstring stretching

With both feet planted on the floor, take a seat in a chair. Lift one foot with a little kick while bending from the knee until that leg is parallel to the ground. After about 30 seconds of holding, lower your foot back to the floor. Do this multiple times for every leg.

Squats

Place your feet hip-width apart as you stand. Reach your arms forward until they are parallel to the floor while maintaining a straight back. As if you were going to sit in a chair, lower your buttocks to knee height. When you bend your knees, make sure your toes are behind your toes when you look down. Hold on. After that, get back up to your upright position. Do it again.

Building and toning muscle can be accomplished safely and effectively with low-impact exercise. Seniors can incorporate low-impact exercise into their daily routines or as part of a larger fitness program, and it is equally useful to them as it is to younger people. Walking, using the stairs, or periodically getting up from your desk to move your body can all have beneficial effects with little effort.

How can I make low-impact exercise a part of my daily routine?

No matter your age or level of ability, low-impact exercise is simple to incorporate into your everyday routine. For instance, elders may benefit just as much from low-impact exercise as younger people do.

Take brisk walks. Take a bike ride. Move your body. Do some housework. Garden. Scale the steps. Take a swim. Rake walks away. Engage in a variety of activities that will keep you active. Seek out fresh approaches to include exercise into your everyday schedule, but before starting a new fitness regimen, see your physician.

You can perform a variety of low-impact workouts while traveling, at home, or your desk at work. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Spend fifteen minutes stretching at the beginning of the day.
  • Try getting off at an earlier station and walking the remaining distance if you take public transit to work or shopping.
  • Instead of driving to work, the grocery store, or neighborhood errands, choose to walk or ride your bike.
  • Instead of using the elevator, use the steps.
  • By including steps in your shopping excursions, you can turn your errands into a gentle workout.
  • Look for a workout partner who can accompany you on walks at lunch or perhaps to a yoga or dancing class before or after work. Working out with a partner can help you stay on schedule.
  • Move around, stretch, go for a walk, practice yoga, or do anything else that gets your blood flowing during your free time.

How to Begin Low-Intensity Exercise

Before starting a low-impact workout, keep in mind that lower impact does not equate to zero risk. The National Institute on Aging advises those with recent injuries and surgeries, as well as those with chronic illnesses including diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis, to consult their doctor before beginning any fitness program.

If you have been cleared by your doctor to begin exercising, follow these guidelines to begin low-impact exercises.

  • Begin slowly.

Low-impact exercise should be approached with the same prudence as high-impact exercise, particularly if you’re new to the activity. Even while low-impact exercises are easier on your joints, excessive use can still result in injury. “Swimming is very low-impact, but each arm stroke you make creates resistance from the water, and if you do it a lot and your shoulders aren’t ready, it could cause injury,” says Milton.

Choose a workout duration and level of difficulty that you can manage. Walker advises starting with modest movement objectives and progressively increasing your length, frequency, and intensity.

  • Select Activities That Are Easy for Novices

While most low-impact sports are suitable for beginners, some are simpler and simpler to use. Walker recommends walking and stationary cycling as particularly excellent choices for novices.

In the meanwhile, resistance bands, light weights, and bodyweight movements provide a starting point for strength training. If you have joint problems, the weight you choose can significantly affect how much tension the joint feels,” says Hamlin. “Start with body weight and work your way up from there.

  • Pay Attention to Your Body

Low-impact activities are not an exception to the rule that all workouts include some risk of injury. Recognize when your body tells you to reduce your intensity.

One indicator that you’re overdoing the activity is excessive muscle discomfort. It’s normal to feel a little sore after working out, but if you’re still sore 48 hours later, meaning you can’t move about easily, you should cut back, Walker advises.

Another indication of relaxation is joint pain or discomfort.

Does Low-Intensity Exercise Help People Lose Weight?

When paired with a nutritious diet, low-impact exercise can help people lose weight, according to Lalitha McSorley, a physiotherapist at Brentwood Physiotherapy Clinic in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

You can achieve the calorie deficit required for weight loss by engaging in low-impact exercises. Despite this, certain low-impact workouts burn fewer calories than others. For instance, according to Harvard Health, a 30-minute general weightlifting session burns an average of 108 calories for a person weighing 155 pounds. In contrast, a low-impact aerobics session of the same length of time results in 198 calories burned by the same individual.

However, because resistance training builds muscle, it may help people lose weight. According to a previous study, muscle burns more calories at rest than fat since it is metabolically active tissue. When combined with calorie restriction, this could help with weight loss.

How to Increase the Difficulty of Low-Impact Exercise

To keep improving after you’ve gotten into a low-impact exercise regimen, you’ll need to figure out how to make the exercises harder. Here are several safe methods for doing so:

Make your workouts longer. According to Walker, extending your workouts by no more than 10% (total) per week is a general rule of thumb to reduce the chance of injury. For instance, if you spend 90 minutes walking, cycling, or swimming in three 30-minute sessions one week, try to reach 99 minutes the next week (three 33-minute sessions).

Increase your speed. If you’re used to walking, cycling, rowing, elliptical training, or swimming at a moderate pace, try to get into a moderate-intensity zone. Additionally, attempt to move a little more quickly if you’re already exerting yourself at a moderate level. Walker advises measuring your intensity by your breathing. You’ll know you’re operating at a moderate level if you can only communicate in fragmented sentences. You’re in a high-intensity zone if you can only speak for a word or two.

Make use of interval training. Alternating short bursts of high-intensity activity with lower-intensity work is what McSorley suggests. For instance, cycle for 30 seconds at full effort and then cycle for another 30 seconds at easy effort to recuperate. Do it again. The National Academy of Sports Medicine advises starting with fewer repetitions and increasing from there. For example, five minutes of total labor.

Increase the resistance. Milton advises beginning strength training with sets of ten to fifteen repetitions. She advises increasing weight by 5% once you can perform every repeat without feeling tired and with proper form. If, at the end of the set, you feel like you can do one or two more repetitions before your form breaks down, you know the weight is right.

Dietary Advice for Low-Intensity Exercise

Natural remedies for fatty liver diseases
Diet

Regardless of the low-impact activity, your body requires energy to function. Fuel up with these recommendations.

  • Before

Your pre-workout buddy is carbs. As a board-certified sports dietitian and consultant for Mom Loves Best, located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Mary Wirtz, RD, CSSD, adds, “Carbohydrates convert into glucose and give your body easily-digestible energy to fuel your low-impact workouts.”

Think about having a modest, high-carb snack 45 minutes before working exercise if it has been three hours or longer since your last meal. Wirtz recommends:

  • A fruit slice
  • One tablespoon of honey on a piece of bread
  • One portion of graham crackers

According to Wirtz, limit your intake of fat, protein, and fiber because they “take longer to digest and may leave you feeling full and uncomfortable before the workout.”

According to the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA), if your morning workout is low-intensity (like strolling, yoga, or tai chi) or brief (30 to 45 minutes), you may not need to eat before your first meal of the day.

But if your morning workout is longer (60 to 90 minutes) and moderate to high-intensity (like jogging, weight training, or cycling), you’ll want to eat something beforehand. Take into account the same tiny, high-carb snacks mentioned above.

  • While

If your low-impact workout lasts more than an hour, it’s a good idea to receive electrolytes and carbohydrates, according to Wirtz. A carbohydrate-based sports drink offers both in a convenient form.

Water is all you need for shorter workouts, according to Wirtz.

  • Following

Eat carbohydrates and protein within an hour of your workout. When it’s time to eat again, Wirtz recommends:

  • A slice of toast and a Greek yogurt-based fruit smoothie
  • Sautéed vegetables and eggs on a whole-grain wrap
  • Berries and oatmeal with turkey sausage on the side

Low-impact aerobic workouts you can do at home.

You will need a pair of gliding discs for this 10-minute low-impact cardio routine that was designed by Falcarinol. Gliders are a great technique to increase your heart rate while testing your core strength and stability.

  • Every exercise should be done for 30 seconds.
  • Take a 30- to 60-second break after each round.
  • Do the exercise three times in a cycle.
  • Squat Thrusts
squats-exercise
squats-exercise

An African American woman uses dumbbells to perform a squat exercise. //Getty Images

Consider this to be a burpee without the push-up component. Place a gliding disc beneath each foot and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Make a squat position by bending your knees. Slide your legs behind you into a plank posture while keeping your hands on the floor. Wait a moment. Get back into the squat position. After that, put your feet firmly on the ground and push through them to stand tall. Extend your arms above your head. For 30 seconds, repeat.

  • A woman exercises at home using planks, pikes, and pushups.

Place a glider beneath each foot to begin. Position your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and your legs hip-width apart on a sturdy, straight-arm plank. Keeping your spine neutral, raise your hips toward the ceiling. Return to the plank position by lowering your hips with control. Lower yourself into a pushup while maintaining a straight torso from head to heels. Breathe in as you bend your arms and out as you push off the ground. After 30 seconds, return to the plank posture. Keep the legs zipped together during the maneuver and use one glider rather than two for a more difficult move.

  • Jacks for Touchdown
Jacks-for-Touchdown
Jacks-for-Touchdown

With a glider beneath each foot, stand with your toes apart and heels together. Your arms should be extended toward the ceiling. Bend both legs into a squat, slide your right leg to the right, and tap the floor with your hands. Reach your arms toward the ceiling, stand tall, and slide your right leg back in. Squat again and tap your left side. Spend 30 seconds switching from side to side. As you stand tall, make sure to drive through both feet and bend both legs.

The conclusion

Low-impact workouts like swimming, cycling, and walking can still provide a difficult workout if you are unable to run, jump, or perform plyometrics.

There are several advantages to including low-impact aerobic exercise in your program, regardless of your fitness objectives.

Before beginning a new fitness regimen, consult your doctor and make sure you feel stable and strong before advancing to more difficult exercises.

The advantages of low-impact exercise are comparable to those of high-impact exercise, and they include better heart health, a decreased risk of diabetes, stronger bones, and increased brain function. Low-impact exercise, however, is a more accessible choice for the majority of individuals since it places less stress on the joints, muscles, and connective tissues. Low-impact exercise is not without its risks, though. Thus, begins slowly and increases with time.

FAQs

What is the aerobic low impact?

Walking, yoga, Pilates, swimming, skating, cross-country skiing, and golf are all well-liked low-impact workouts. Compared to high-impact workouts like weightlifting or jogging, the motions involved in low-impact exercises like these are softer and slower.

Can low-impact aerobics help you lose weight?

Comparing High-Intensity Training with Low-Impact Exercise for Weight Loss
On top of burning calories and aiding in weight loss, low-impact exercise has several other advantages. Cardiovascular disease can be prevented and treated with improved cardiovascular health, which is frequent.

Which low-impact aerobic workout is the best?

Low-impact cardiovascular exercises
Riding a bicycle.
Training on an ellipse.
Classes in Kongo Jump are available at Piedmont Atlanta Fitness Center.
Swimming.
Strolling.
Aerobics in water.

Does Zumba have a big impact?

Zumba lessons can be tailored to your needs, even though they typically include high-impact exercises like jumping and bouncing. Choose a Zumba class that uses some light weights for your upper body if you want a program that focuses on strength training in general.

Is aerobics better than gym for weight loss?

Generally speaking, a cardio workout burns more calories than a weight training session. You may burn more calories in less time with a HIIT session. You may often burn fat, gain muscle, and reduce weight by combining cardio and weightlifting. A healthy diet also supports general health and helps you sustain your results.

Will swimming three times a week help me lose weight?

Additionally, swimming simultaneously trains your entire body, including your core, lower body, and upper body. According to a 2015 study, women who swam for an hour, three times a week, experienced notable gains in their strength, flexibility, and even their cholesterol levels.

Reference

  • Gomez, J., MD. (n.d.). Low-impact aerobic exercise. Spine-health. https://www.spine-health.com/wellness/exercise/low-impact-aerobic-exercise
  • Cpt, T. C. (2024, December 23). 5 Fat-Burning low impact exercises that won’t kill your knees. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/low-impact-exercises#:~:text=slower%20recovery%20speed.-,Rowing,purchase%20at%20various%20price%20points.
  • Ayuda, T. (2024, August 23). 8 Low-Impact cardio moves to add to your workout routine. Health. https://www.health.com/fitness/cardio-workouts/low-impact-cardio#:~:text=Low%2Dimpact%20cardio%20is%20a,want%20or%20need%20light%20exercise.&text=MedlinePlus.,activity%20in%20adults%20and%20kids.&text=National%20Center%20for%20Complementary%20and,What%20you%20need%20to%20know.
  • What is Low-Impact Exercise? | Cigna Healthcare. (n.d.). https://www.cigna.com/knowledge-center/what-is-low-impact-exercise#:~:text=Popular%20forms%20of%20low%2Dimpact,like%20running%20or%20weight%2Dlifting.
  • Bedosky, L. (2024, October 25). Low-Impact Workouts: What they are, health benefits, and getting started. EverydayHealth.com. https://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness/low-impact-workouts/guide/#:~:text=Walking%20qualifies%20as%20a%20low,%2C%20and%20weight%20lifting%2C%20Dr.
  • Lampa, T. (2022, July 28). 6 Low-Impact cardio exercises that won’t hurt your joints. Good Housekeeping. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/fitness/a40683887/low-impact-cardio-benefits/

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