By Kia Edwards
Some people find that after a great workout, they feel pain in places they didn’t plan for and promptly decide that exercising is a dangerous task. Exercises with no impact are beneficial because you can get the benefits of exercise without hurting your joints. Individuals with arthritis and individuals who are obese may find no impact exercises to be particularly useful in helping them become healthier. If you are following a low to no impact exercise regimen, make sure you incorporate resistance exercises to maintain or increase your bone density.
Swimming
Swimming is great exercise because it provides a full body workout with minimal impact on your body. This is due to the fact that you are almost weightless when you are in the water. Swimming works out your back, legs, arms and core muscles and to top it all off, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) found that swimmers have half the risk of death when compared to inactive people. Suddenly, exercise doesn’t seem so bad, does it?
The Elliptical
The elliptical machine is great if you are trying to avoid joint pain that you may experience on a treadmill or while running outdoors. The motion of the elliptical prevents you from stepping on hard surfaces. As an added bonus, many ellipticals have arms that can be pushed and pulled during the workout. This gives you the chance to work your arms out while giving your gams the chance to get ready for the summer.
Stationary Bike
Stationary biking is great for three reasons- it’s low impact, just about everybody can do it and it’s a good calorie burner. It’s easy on your knees but still gives your legs a great workout. You can increase the intensity by increasing resistance as you get stronger. Biking is a great way to get the heart pumping and improve your cardiovascular strength.
Resistance Training
Strength training is a great way to work out without stressing the joints. Resistance exercise increases bone density, which fights against osteoporosis (a big issue for us women). It helps you maintain muscle mass, which helps in the never ending war against slowing metabolism. Resistance training doesn’t have to be done with weights. You can use your body weight or resistance tubes if you find dumbbells and kettle bells a bit too much to handle.
Add in any of these workouts to your fitness regimen to experience some great health benefits without being afraid of joint pain.
Kia Edwards is a certified personal trainer and nutrition specialist who lives in New York City. She studied French and Economics at Colgate University, spent 15 years as a high-level competitive gymnast and 6 years as a gymnastics coach. Her business, La Fortesse At Home Fitness Training, helps clients get healthy with simple at home exercises and nutrition counseling. www.LaFortesse.com