You don’t have to finish every cardio session looking like you’ve been beaten up. Many people finish their workout with sore joints , and in the long run, this can be an intractable problem. If you are one of those whose knees or shoulders are dusty from doing depending on which movements, you better stop and give your routine a spin.
Any time you do high-impact movements , like jumping rope or running, you raise your heart rate and burn more calories more quickly. However, one of the big disadvantages of these types of exercises is that the bones absorb a certain amount of force when you land. So the risk of pain or injury increases.
The solution, in addition to getting good shoes that cushion the foot, is to find movements that do not cause wear and tear on the joints, bones, ligaments and tendons. It is what is known as low impact , since the movements exert less force on the body . During these movements, at least one foot is always on the ground. If they are both supported, even better.
Low-impact activities are especially beneficial for people with bone problems or injuries . Although it is also highly recommended for people with considerable excess weight , as it will help them stay in shape and train the heart, but without the need to expose certain parts to impact stress, which is even greater due to body weight.
It is worth pointing out that less impact is not synonymous with less intensity . In other words, you can raise your heart rate without any problem as high-impact exercises would, but you will need more weight, resistance or speed.
There are many exercises that can be interesting to preserve the health of the joints and bones. These are some of the essential exercises and movements to avoid mistreating the joints:
Stationary bicycle
Riding a stationary bike is an efficient and effective way to burn calories and body fat while keeping your ankles, knees, and hips well protected due to the smoothness of the motion. At the same time, the strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings is increased.
Climbers
Going up stairs is not the same as going down, we are not going to lie. It makes you much more tired and that is the beauty of the stair climbers, which are machines that will make you sweat the intemerata climbing stairs as if there were no tomorrow, for this reason they are a better option than climbing the stairs of your building. And without compromising the knees, since the steps are very smooth.
Elliptic
It is one of the best known options to lose weight without compromising the joints. It is very gentle on the knees and arms. Older people can find a great ally in this machine.
Remo
If you want to get a good cardio workout on a stationary machine that gets your heart rate up, uses multiple muscle groups, and requires coordination, you should sit on a rowing machine. During the movement, the main muscles of the back and arms will work. You can add more resistance to have more intensity. One of the biggest problems is that you need good technique to be able to perform the movement safely.
Swimming
To burn calories without compromising your joints, you can put on a turbo swimsuit, some goggles and jump into the water for a few lengths. It seems that swimming is a child’s thing to have a soft resistance, but it is quite a challenge: you will get tired faster than you think. It is a very good option to work the whole body, since the shoulders, back, arms and legs are required. Depending on the style, some muscle groups or others will be involved.
Should the rest of the movements be renounced?
If there is no injury or pain, low-impact cardio can be complementary to other less joint-friendly exercises such as burpees, jumping jacks, or running.
In the event that performing any exercise with impact causes discomfort, it should be stopped immediately so that the problem does not worsen. And of course, a professional should be consulted to determine what it is and how it can be fixed.
