Low-impact exercise is a great way to stay active and boost your health. It’s also gentle on joints, making it ideal for anyone wanting to enjoy the benefits of exercise while reducing the risk of injury.
To help you get started, here are seven different low-impact exercise ideas that you can do from the comfort of your own home.
What is low-impact exercise?
In a nutshell, low-impact exercise is a type of physical activity that involves keeping one foot on the ground at all times. As it doesn’t involve any running or jumping, pressure on joints and bones is reduced.
What are the benefits of low-impact exercise?
There are many benefits to low-impact exercise. We’ll cover some of the most common benefits below.
Places less stress on joints
High-intensity exercises like running, jumping, and tennis can cause or worsen joint problems – particularly in the knees, hips, and shins.
Low-impact exercise places less stress on the body and reduces the risk of injury as a result.
Can improve joint and bone health
Research has found that exercise helps to improve joint function and flexibility, prevent stiffness, build bone density, and strengthen muscles. So, in many cases, low-impact exercise can improve the condition of sore joints and offer pain relief.
As a result, health professionals recommend low-impact exercise to help prevent and treat conditions like arthritis and osteoporosis.
Is just as beneficial as high-impact exercise
While it’s easy to assume that only high-intensity workouts bring results, research shows that all exercise is beneficial.
For example, studies have revealed that low-impact exercise offers all of the same health benefits as high-impact exercise. This includes boosting heart health and brain function, reducing anxiety and depression, and promoting weight loss.
May be more sustainable over time
Because low-impact workouts tend to be less tiring, some people find this makes them more sustainable in the long run.
7 low-impact exercises you can do at home
There are various forms of low-impact exercise to try, and you can do many of them from the comfort of your home.
Below are a few options to consider…
1. Rowing
Rowing provides a full-body workout and can help to improve strength and endurance. But, unlike exercises like running, football, and netball, rowing doesn’t involve high-impact movements – nor does it require extreme mobility. This makes it a suitable option for anyone with joint concerns.
If you’ve experienced back strain from rowing before, working on your form can help to avoid this. This article from British Rowing offers tips on improving form.
2. Yoga
Depending on the style and pace, yoga can get your heart pumping with very little strain on joints. Even more intense forms of yoga (such as Vinyasa), remain low-impact.
Not only is yoga good for helping people avoid injury from exercise, but it can also help to improve body aches and pains. For example, studies have found that yoga can improve symptoms of fibromyalgia (a long-term condition that causes pain across the body) and help to slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
Other benefits of yoga include its ability to help lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, increase strength and flexibility, lower stress, and boost mood.
You can find out more about the benefits of yoga and how to get started in our introduction to yoga. Or, you might like to sign up for a virtual yoga session on Rest Less Events.
3. Step aerobics
Step aerobics involves stepping onto and off of a small platform, one leg at a time.
The repeated ‘step-up’ exercises target the legs, core, and upper body and can improve cardiovascular fitness, coordination, balance, and agility.
Step aerobics is recommended as a low-impact exercise for people with osteoporosis or osteopenia to improve bone strength. Experts recommend holding onto the back of a chair or stable object for added balance and avoiding jumping.
All you need to get going with step aerobics is some kind of step to perform the exercises on. You can browse these on Amazon. And, for an idea of what to expect from a step aerobics home workout, check out the video below.
4. Ballroom dancing
Dancing is good for the soul, and not only can dancing help to release stress and boost mood – it also offers a great workout. In fact, research estimates that 30 minutes of dance burns 200 to 400 calories – which is roughly what you’d burn cycling or running for the same amount of time.
That said, whether or not dancing remains low-impact depends on the style of dance you decide to perform. Ballroom dancing can be a great choice. Slower dances such as the Waltz, Rumba, and Foxtrot are gentle on joints and considered low-impact. However, if you’re planning to jive or quickstep your way around a room, the jumping and kicking elements of these dances will quickly make it a higher-impact exercise.
Ballroom dancing is great fun, whether alone or with a partner – and the good news is that there are plenty of resources to help you get going if you’re just starting out.
You can find out more in our introduction to ballroom dancing.
5. Tai Chi
You might not expect a martial art to be low-impact, but Tai Chi is the exception.
Originating in China in the 13th century, Tai Chi was taught as a self-defense martial art, but today it’s practised across the world as a low-impact sport. It involves a series of slow and focused movements performed alongside deep breathing.
Tai Chi is usually accessible for people suffering from injury or joint pain, and may even help to improve symptoms. In this study, participants with rheumatoid arthritis found that after practising Tai Chi for 12 weeks, they had less pain, as well as improved mobility and balance.
Another study found that participants with knee osteoarthritis who did an hour of Tai Chi twice a week experienced a reduction in pain and an improvement in general well-being and quality of life.
To find out more, you might like to have a read of our beginner’s guide to Tai Chi. And to give it a go, you can sign up for one of the weekly Tai Chi classes running on Rest Less Events.
6. Low-impact strength training
Strength training has become increasingly popular in recent years and, as long as you don’t incorporate too much weight, it’s generally considered low-impact.
Because of its ability to help people build muscle mass, strength training has been found to boost longevity, prevent bones from weakening, and reduce the risk of falls.
It can also be done using just your body weight, and movements can be easily modified depending on experience level. For example, beginners might prefer to perform chair squats or wall push-ups rather than regular squats and push-ups.
Alternatively, equipment such as light dumbbells, kettlebells, and resistance bands can be useful.
You can find out more in our article: The importance of building strength and balance in your 50s and 60s. Or, to give it a go, why not try one of these strength training exercises from Today?
7. Pilates
Pilates is a full-body exercise that works to improve posture, flexibility, and muscle strength (particularly around the core). The slow, gentle movements involved in Pilates make it highly accessible and suitable for all ages, abilities, and fitness levels.
Pilates is often recommended for people suffering from posture-related back pain, repetitive strain, sports injuries, or stress. This study found that participants who practised Pilates for one hour a day, three days a week, over eight weeks improved their stability, balance, and mobility.
For more information on the benefits of Pilates and how to get started, check out our introduction to Pilates. Or, Rest Less Events runs various virtual Pilates classes. Why not try seated Pilates, standing Pilates, or Pilates with hand weights?
Final thoughts…
Low-impact exercise can help us stay active without putting our bones and joints at risk. It offers many of the same benefits as high-impact exercise and there are countless types to try.
For more fitness tips and inspiration, head over to the fitness and exercise section of our website. Here, you’ll find information on everything from creative ways to increase your step count to our beginner’s guide to joining the gym. Or, browse upcoming fitness events on Rest Less Events below.
What’s your favourite form of low-impact exercise? Have any of the examples on this list caught our eye? We’d be interested in hearing from you in the comments below.
* Links with an * by them are affiliate links which help Rest Less stay free to use as they can result in a payment or benefit to us. You can read more on how we make money here.
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