Surely you have heard about high and low impact exercises and possibly you have even been recommended to practice or avoid one of them, but do you know what they consist of and what are the differences between them? Here we explain it to you so that you know which activity is the best for you.
low impact exercises
In a few simple words, Low-impact exercises are those in which at least one foot remains in contact with the ground at all times, which reduces the impact of your body weight on the extremities and does not involve excessive shock or force on the joints of the feet and legs.
Among the activities that can be classified in this group are: swimming, walking, going up and down stairs, as well as pilates and yoga. On the other hand, exercises called «zero impact» are also usually placed here, such as riding a bicycle or pedaling on the stationary, in addition to the elliptical machine, since the weight of the body is supported all the time by the device.
Low and zero impact exercises promote elasticity and resistance, and also help to lose weight.
Its practice is recommended for those who are starting out in sports life, for the elderly or those who suffer from obesity, pregnant women, as well as for people who are recovering from an injury or who have joint and bone problems.
high impact exercises
This type of training implies a strong impact on the body, since during its practice both feet lose contact with the ground, so that all the weight falls on the feet and legs at the moment of the fall.. Even when performing activities such as jumping or running, a force is generated that triples the weight of the body at impact.
Some of the exercises that are classified as high impact are: running, jump rope, tennis, squash and all activities that involve jumping.
High-impact exercises promote physical and mental coordination, strength, speed, and calorie burning that help reduce weight.
These types of activities require greater strength, so its practice is recommended for those who already lead an active lifestyle. Since these exercises frequently cause cartilage, knee and ligament injuries, it is important that you warm up before doing them and stretch afterwards. In addition, the use of appropriate footwear also helps to minimize the risk of injury.
On the other hand, if you do not have any medical condition that prevents you from performing high-impact exercises, the ideal is to combine activities from both modalities in your routine.
If you are not sure whether or not you can carry out high-impact activities or if you feel any discomfort when practicing them, consult a professional to choose the best training for you, and thus avoid possible injuries.