You may well have heard of the terms high-impact workout and low-impact workout. After all, in the wide world of fitness offerings
Basically, it’s about two types of game, each representing a different form of training, they are, so to speak, two sides of the same coin. However, high or low impact training is not ideal for everyone. For whom which training is suitable depends on many factors, e.g. B .:
- the personal fitness level
- any physical problems and health restrictions
- High impact training
This term stands for intense, sweaty training, during which the body is expected to be subjected to higher loads. Above all, bones and joints are sometimes heavily stressed. During high-impact training, a lot of calories are burned and the heart rate skyrockets.
Typical types of training are e.g. B. jumping rope, running or intense aerobic workouts.
Low impact training
This term subsumes trainings that only pose a low burden on the body. The classics would be hiking, light cardio training, yoga, Pilates or Nordic walking. So it’s about gentler physical exertion.
Whether water aerobics and swimming are included is often the subject of discussion. On the one hand, these two sports can get your heart rate up and on the other hand, the joints are spared.
Which workout is suitable for whom?
You should always start with low-impact training. Whether you are a beginner in sports or a returnee after a long break, the joints and muscles are not used to heavy loads and injuries can occur so quickly. So you should start with gentle workouts and give the body time to get used to the unfamiliar exertion. Of course, low-impact training is also the first choice for older people or for people with joint problems, injuries or overweight.
High-Impact suits amateur athletes as well as professional athletes. This is about starting with a good fitness level and pushing your limits higher and higher. Nevertheless, it is also good for a well-trained body if low-impact units are built in, because with them the body can always recover a little.
Why is high-impact training “more dangerous”?
High-impact training is “more dangerous” in the sense that it carries a higher risk of injury. That is only logical, because every action evokes a reaction. The body has to absorb the forces acting on it during intense workouts. When running, about twice the force acts on the body than when walking, which means that about twice the body weight is applied to the knees, ankles and hips with every step. If the body is not used to this, it can B. overtraining or fatigue fractures. The greater the forces acting on the body (i.e. the more intense the training or the heavier someone is), the higher the risk.
The best from both worlds
It is optimal if you find a good balance between the two types of training, because this way you have the best of both worlds:
you improve your physical performance bit by bit with high-impact units, but with low-impact units you always give your body a little rest and prevent injuries.
Note: Today there are many sports and training sessions that consist of both high and low impact exercises. The transition is fluid. The rule of thumb is often:
In the case of low impact, one foot is always in contact with the ground; in the case of high impact, not. (Although this cannot be applied to all sports. What would swimming be like? No Impact?) Whatever the case, the basic rule is: the more strenuous, the more likely it is to have high impact and vice versa.