Lowering Impact without Losing Intensity

low-im·pact

adjective

Definition:

1. not strenuous: not requiring much energy or effort

2. easy on environment: causing little or no damage to the surrounding environment

3. easy on joints: describes exercise that involves little compression of the joints (source - MSN Encarta)

I have to be honest...  every time I hear about "low impact" workouts the first thing that comes to mind is "water aerobics."  Not really my idea of workout, more like a nice Sunday afternoon nap.  ;)

But there is good news!  You can have an intense workout without being high impact.  The key to this is modification of your routines.  It may sound difficult at first, but after some time and trial and error, you will recognize which moves do not work for you and make changes that will save your body in the long run.

Regardless of HOW you DO your exercises, the intensity comes from within.  It means pushing yourself TO your limits, not OVER.  Intensity comes from long strong arms and legs, exaggerated movements, not how high you can jump.

Here are some examples of exercise modifications:

1)  Jumping/tucking - instead of both feet leaving the ground, tuck one leg and then the other.  It may sound or feel silly at first, but it is much better than an injury preventing you from working out at all.
2)  Squats - the wider your stance, the less strain on your joints.  Plie squats are also a good modification.  This involves taking the feet very wide and pointing your toes out.  As you squat, your knees track out over your toes.
3)  Pull-ups - instead of doing pull-ups, take a resistance band and loop it around a rafter or bracket on the wall and sit on the floor with the bands as tight as you can handle and pull the handles of the bands back towards your chest (several youtube videos explain this and other modifications).
4) Pushups - of course we all remember this one from gym class.  Instead of full plank position, start the pushup on your knees.  If you have knee issues, be sure to put extra padding under your knees for cushion.
5) Jump rope - use the imaginary jump rope, and alternate skipping the rope one foot at a time.

Your options are really endless, as almost any exercise can be modified to save your joints and keep you active.  As you continue to watch and try modifications on your own, you will learn what works for you and it will become second nature.  The most important thing to remember is to KEEP MOVING!