When many people think of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), they often mistakenly think that intensity and impact are the same. This myth often turns many people away from HIIT because they have hesitations that their body can’t handle the impact but they can with low impact HIIT training.
Contrary to popular belief, Intensity relates to how much effort you’re exerting, not how much pressure you’re putting on your body. Fortunately, low impact and high intensity can exist within one workout. You can still see amazing results without high impact pressure on your body.

Low Impact HIIT Circuit

For low impact HIIT workouts, create a HIIT workout plan that protects your knees, ankles, and other sensitive joints. This means engaging in movements that don’t require your feet to leave the floor. Short, intense training circuits are a great option. You’ll still get your heart rate up for a cardiovascular workout while building strength. Take short rests in between to keep the intensity up.

Low Impact Exercises

Cardio workouts that are low impact can seem contradictory, but there are many exercises that won’t put pressure on your joints and body. Low impact exercises are a safe way to get a cardio workout in for those who need to protect their joints.
For a cardio workout that is low impact, slam ball slams, medicine ball clean and press, and rubber band punches or squats with rotation are great options. Remember, though, that with high-intensity training, the goal is to build muscle and burn fat, so don’t fall into a routine of long-winded cardio sessions.
When using low impact exercises, use speed and resistance to increase the intensity of your workout. Switch off between light, medium, and high resistance, while switching up your speed to match to create the intensity.

Modify Group Fitness Classes

A group fitness class can always be modified when necessary. If some of the exercises involving jumping, like burpees, know that you can skip that part of the exercise. Talk to your instructor before you take the class and let them know you’re focusing on low-impact, high-intensity training. Your instructor is there to provide a safe environment, so they’ll be more than willing to provide modification options during class.

Create a custom fitness plan with Fit Fx!

Remember, low-impact does not mean low effort. At Fit Fx, you’ll sit down with one of our certified personal trainers to create a custom fitness plan that fits your goals. If you’re looking to burn fat and build muscle, we will talk about what it’s going to take to get you there. We will figure out specifically what it’s going to take to ensure YOUR results which involves diet and exercise. To ensure your success, we’ll meet with you regularly to check your progress.
Ready to start your muscle-building journey? Try us out for an entire 6 weeks for only $75! Check out our workout schedule to see what fits best in your schedule. You can also follow us on Facebook for more helpful tips. Or sign up for a workout online for free!