Low-impact exercises are those exercises that don’t require too much force to perform. They are ideal when we are starting to do physical exercise or return to physical activity after an injury.
They usually imply that one of the feet will always be in contact with the ground, so our body will have a foothold.
In addition, as they do not involve great strength, they are usually chosen by people who want to do physical exercise but are not passionate about it.
On the other hand, it is believed that these exercises do not lose weight, but the opposite occurs, by performing the correct exercise tables, low-impact exercises can also help reduce weight.
Now let’s see what are the low-impact exercises that we can perform:
Swimming
Let’s start with swimming. Swimming is one of the least impactful sports, since suspension in the water reduces the perception of our body weight, and when put into practice no part of our body exerts a great force. Swimming is a very complete sport, since it works practically all the muscles of the body as well as resistance or speed of movement. Keep in mind that although water helps you, it is necessary to perform the exercises and movements correctly, since you can also suffer an injury, such as in the neck. This article may be useful to you: How to Learn to Swim
Walk
This low-impact exercise, especially widely practiced by people with a medium-high age, is walking. Walking doesn’t require a lot of effort, but it does make our body work and develops cardiopulmonary capacity, as well as physical endurance, not to mention what helps us to disconnect our minds and relax.
A way of walking that has become very fashionable is “Nordic walking” which consists of walking with the help of canes. This modality is ideal for walking on high areas or where the terrain is uneven, but for normal walking on flat terrain it is not recommended when you are in good health and physical condition.
Ski
Skiing is also a well-known low-impact sport, but this exercise also has its negative side, since it can only be done during one time of the year, it needs certain environmental conditions, as well as specific equipment, and previous learning, not to mention that it is an expensive sport, which is not within everyone’s reach. But, if you can afford it and you are in good physical condition, go ahead is an ideal sport to practice that also does not require a great effort.
Oar
Rowing is a sport that is not very widespread, but it is also low impact, especially because there are parts of the body that work more than others, especially the arms. Despite being considered low impact, this sport does require a good physical condition, as it is necessary to take the weight of the boat, as well as the exercise of guiding the boat through the water only with oars. A good alternative, especially to start with, is to use a rowing machine that you can find at the gym. This is an excellent exercise, especially if you want to work your arms.
Elliptical
Elliptical. Elliptical machines are also perfect for low-impact exercise. It does not damage the joints and works several parts of the body at once, as well as speed and physical endurance. In addition, as both feet are supported while performing the exercise, areas such as the hips, knees, or back relax and reduce stress. You may be interested in: How to Exercise with the Elliptical Trainer
Cycling
Cycling or cycling is also a low-impact exercise. Many people start pedaling with a lot of vigor, but as they are not in good physical condition, they immediately fatigue and stop or stop, so it is best to start pedaling slowly, get your body used to the movement and gain strength and endurance before increasing the pace. Keep in mind that you must place the handlebars and saddle correctly according to your height so that you feel comfortable and avoid hurting yourself. You can do a normal bike (road, mountain, etc.) or use an exercise bike. Before you start, visit this article: What are the Cycling Regulations like?
These low-impact exercises are recommended to start exercising, and in 20- or 30-minute sessions at least twice a week. Once we get into the rhythm, we can increase the intensity to sessions of between 45 and 60 minutes, and then increase the number of times per week that we do this exercise. In addition, you can also do combinations of the above exercises, for example doing a session of each sport on one day, or one day doing one exercise, and on the next day of the week that you have to do sport, perform the other type of exercise.
These have been just some of the low-impact exercises that we can put into practice, of course keep in mind there are many more that you could try if you are interested, but these above are the most common.