Benefits of Low-Impact Exercise and EMS Fitness
In the past couple of years, there have been predictions of an increase in demand for low-impact exercise. Low-impact exercise made the top 10 list of trends of 2022 at Bustle. Unrelated, but I was quoted in Bustle for guidance around kettlebell training. Low-impact exercise is also trending for 2023 according to the lifestyle website inRegister.
When discussing low-impact exercise, most of the conversations revolve around yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi, Barre, and so on. All of these modalities have plenty of benefits and I would encourage trying them all. However, these modalities, and other low-impact activities such as swimming or bike riding, do not necessarily make you stronger. I’ve seen yoga, Pilates, and maybe even Barre studios mention strength among their benefits. This is only true to a certain extent.
Initially, your body will get stronger, but after four to six weeks, the strength gains will plateau since you are mostly only using body weight without additional loads or speed to continue to challenge the muscle. I wrote a blog about muscle fiber types and how EMS workouts help train all of them here.
Personal training is often left out of the conversation because it is not typically considered low-impact, but any knowledgeable personal trainer should be able to modify any high-impact exercise into a low-impact variation. This is particularly important when it comes to training seniors and older populations as well as people with injuries, aches, and pains.
That said, I don’t want to take anything away from any of the mentioned modalities, as they are still very beneficial for other reasons. So let’s explore the benefits of low-impact exercise:
Low-impact exercise is an excellent way to improve your physical health and well-being without putting undue stress on your body. Unlike high-impact exercises such as running or jumping, low-impact exercises are gentler on your joints, making them an ideal choice for people of all ages and fitness levels. In this article, we will explore the benefits of low-impact exercise and why you should consider adding it to your fitness routine.
Reduces the risk of injury
One of the most significant benefits of low-impact exercise is that it reduces the risk of injury. High-impact exercises can put a lot of stress on your joints, which can lead to injuries such as sprains, strains, and fractures. Low-impact exercises, on the other hand, are much gentler on your joints, reducing the risk of injury. This makes them an excellent option for people who are recovering from an injury or who have joint problems.
In our electrical muscle stimulation workouts, we don’t have to use any weights at all. Most of the time we use light weights, around three to five pounds to help guide the movement. You can read more about why we only use light weights with EMS here.
Improves cardiovascular health
Low-impact exercises such as walking, cycling, and swimming are excellent for improving cardiovascular health. These exercises increase your heart rate, which helps to strengthen your heart and lungs, reducing the risk of heart disease and other cardiovascular conditions. Even if you have existing cardiovascular problems, low-impact exercise can still be safe and effective.
We have developed in-house EMS fitness programs that combine strength training with cardiovascular exercise to reap the benefits of both exercise modalities. With our Metcon and Torch programs, we elicit a higher heart rate while doing fun exercises such as boxing and using Smovey rings.
Increases strength and flexibility
Low-impact exercises are an excellent way to increase your strength and flexibility. Exercises such as yoga and Pilates can improve your balance, core strength, and flexibility. By doing these exercises regularly, you can reduce the risk of falls and improve your overall mobility and range of motion.
After a few weeks to a couple of months of going to yoga and Pilates classes, you will start to hit a plateau in core strength gains. You should not stop going because you will continue improving in other areas, however, your core muscles will need increasingly bigger challenges in order to continue getting stronger. This is why we have a built-in progression in our electrical muscle stimulation settings to gradually increase the baseline stimulation every eight sessions.
Helps with weight loss
Low-impact exercises can also help with weight loss as they are an effective way to burn calories and improve your metabolism. By incorporating low-impact exercises into your routine, you can gradually increase your fitness level and work towards your weight loss goals.
We talked earlier about our EMS programs that include cardio workouts, but there’s another advantage that electrical muscle stimulation training offers that no other modality can match: engaging all the major muscle groups at once. The more muscles that are engaged, the more calories you’ll burn.
Reduces stress and anxiety
Finally, low-impact exercise can also help to reduce stress and anxiety. Exercise has been shown to release endorphins, which are natural chemicals in your body that can help to improve your mood and reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. By taking part in low-impact exercises such as yoga or tai chi, you can also benefit from the meditative and calming aspects of these activities.
All of our sessions include a cool-down period using electrical muscle stimulation settings that increase blood flow, help remove lactic acid, and calm down the nervous system. This is by far our client’s favorite part of their session.
Low-impact exercise is an excellent way to improve your physical health and well-being. It is a safe and effective way to increase your strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular health while reducing the risk of injury. If you are looking to add low-impact exercise to your routine, think of trying EMS fitness as it will get you stronger while reducing the risks of injury.
You can also check out a previous blog on this topic with specific examples of pains and aches and how electrical muscle stimulation can help circumvent them.
If you are interested in learning if EMS fitness would be a good option for you, click here to get started.
Conrad
Director of Education and Technology
Bodybuzz