Low impact exercises are some of the most popular workouts available at Everyone Active centres. They consist of classes and exercises that give you a great workout but without putting your body through too much strain.
They’re ideal for everyone as they’ll help you avoid injury in the first place, by not putting your body through too much stress, but they’re especially good for people who are, perhaps, returning to exercise after a long lay-off or injury, as well as people who may struggle with their mobility.
What are Low Impact Exercises?
Low impact exercises can mean anything that doesn’t involve putting a lot of strain and weight through your muscles and joints while exercising. These include the likes of swimming, aqua classes, Yoga, Pilates, Bodybalance classes and cycling.
All these avoid putting significant force through your joints and muscles through one way or another. Aqua classes and swimming use the support of the water itself to reduce impact, while with cycling, you’re just not pounding the pavement or treadmill, which reduces the force going through your body. Beyond these, low-impact classes like Yoga, Pilates and Bodybalance focus on breathing, stretching and flexibility, rather than rapid body movements that can put the joints under more stress.
These sit at the opposite end of exercises and workouts such as running, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), intense fitness classes like Bodypump, Bodycombat and INSANITY, all of which put the body under significant strain.
What are the Benefits of Low Impact Exercises?
There are loads of benefits to giving low-impact exercises a try. For starters, you’re likely to hurt a little less the morning after a tough workout, but also, they’re brilliant if you’re just coming pack to exercise after a long lay-off, either coming back from injury or if you just fell out of the habit
Which Low Impact Activities does Everyone Active Offer?
Everyone Active has a huge portfolio of low-impact activities available to its members. These classes and activities are perfect for everyone, whatever your fitness goals may be.
1. Aqua Classes
Aqua classes are just great exercise. Whatever you’re trying to achieve, be it lose weight, get fit or build muscle, aqua is the class for you. The resistance of the water provides a superb whole-body workout, while the buoyancy that it provides means you’re putting very little stress through your joints, reducing your chances of hurting yourself.
2. Badminton
Badminton is a fantastic fun, easy to play and very social sport. It’s a great excuse to get out of the house for an hour and play at your own pace.
3. Bodybalance
Bodybalance classes mix Tai Chi, Pilates and Yoga. It will challenge your body and mind, as well as helping make you stronger and more flexible too.
4. Forever Fit
This group fitness class features a variety of activities and is designed to be fun and low-impact, making it ideal for older members.
5. Golf
At Everyone Active, we have seven golf courses across the country, ranging from short nine-hole courses to the full 18. It’s the perfect way to get outside, get active and enjoy a rich social life.
6. Pilates
Although not specifically designed for older people, Pilates is ideal as it is low impact, meaning it doesn’t put the body’s joints under too much strain while building strength, mobility and flexibility.
7. Group Cycling
Group cycling is fabulous aerobic exercise, really helping to get your heart rate going, which will improve your fitness and help you lose weight. Another benefit is that you’re not putting all your weight through your hips, knees and ankles like you are on a treadmill, so you’re much less likely to hurt yourself, too. Furthermore, in a group cycling class you can go at your own pace, you won’t fall off and you can meet new people.
8. Swimming
Swimming is the ideal whole-body workout. It will increase your stamina, help build muscle strength and endurance and, thanks to the buoyancy of the water
9. Walking Football/Netball
Identical in every way to their full-paced counterparts, the only difference is that there’s no running allowed! These sessions are available at most centres that have multi-use pitches available for hire and are a great way to enjoy getting active, as well as being an opportunity to get out and meet people.
10. Yoga
Another slow-paced group fitness class that focuses on improving your posture, flexibility and joint strength, as opposed to outright muscle mass and aerobic capacity. These gentle sessions are perfect for people looking to get active but in a less intense environment than some of our other fitness classes.