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Faizan
Fitness center staff members often tell novice exercisers to start with low-impact aerobic workouts until their muscles gain enough strength for high-impact activity shock absorption. The term low-impact refers to the amount of impact on your body during an exercise and varies between exercises, cardio equipment and choreographed group-exercise classes. Since classes often have their own lingo, you'll get more out of them if you learn some of the terms before you join the group.
Low Impact Defined
The term "low-impact aerobics" describes exercise sessions that keep one foot on the floor and do not involve jumping movements. People often use this term to classify a certain type of non-equipment choreography, but it also encompasses step aerobics, spinning, aqua aerobics, dance-based exercise, elliptical trainers, stair-stepping machines, walking and cross-country skiing. Despite their interchangeable use, low impact is not synonymous with low intensity. Rhythmic, continuous exercise forms that engage a variety of large muscle groups simultaneously can produce significant aerobic responses, without stressing your musculoskeletal system.
Warm-Up
Low-impact aerobic sessions begin with a warm-up, which serves as a dress rehearsal for the planned activity, while raising your body temperature and slowly elevating your heart rate. The slower pace of the movements can helps low-impact aerobic novices learn some of the basic choreographic terminology as well. The low-impact aerobic warm-up also includes dynamic flexibility exercises, which use large, rhythmic movements that take your muscles through their range of motion.
Warm-Up Moves
A lower-leg warm-up might include toe and heel walks, which involve walking forward and backward, first on your toes, then on your heels. The lunge warms up your hip flexors. Pull one knee toward your chest, then step forward on the same leg, bending both knees into a lunge. Repeat on the other leg. The step touch also appears in low-impact aerobic warm-ups. Step to the side with one foot, then tap your other foot right next to it and repeat on the other side. These moves, along with forward and backward marching, are also part of the low-impact aerobic choreography.
Cooldown
Stopping abruptly during aerobic exercises might cause dizziness. The 5-minute cooldown bridges your aerobic activity and your stretching and muscle-toning exercises. During this phase of the workout, your movements gradually slow down, allowing you to gradually lower your heart rate. Begin your post-cardio static stretches after your heart rate drops to no more than 10 to 15 beats above your resting heart rate. The remaining warmth in your muscles during this period optimizes your ability to stretch.
Choreographic Terminology
During the mambo, a common low-impact move, you step forward with one foot while the other taps in place. To switch lead legs, add a quick "cha, cha, cha" or right-left-right. The folk dance evolved grapevine involves stepping sideways and crossing your opposite leg in front of your lead. Step out again and cross your opposite leg behind. During the "V-step," often cued as "out-out-in-in," your lead foot steps forward. Then your other foot steps forward and forms the "V." Your lead leg then steps back, and your other leg steps next to it. A cha-cha-cha or a tap of the trailing foot transfers your weight and lets you switch lead legs.
Low Impact Defined
The term "low-impact aerobics" describes exercise sessions that keep one foot on the floor and do not involve jumping movements. People often use this term to classify a certain type of non-equipment choreography, but it also encompasses step aerobics, spinning, aqua aerobics, dance-based exercise, elliptical trainers, stair-stepping machines, walking and cross-country skiing. Despite their interchangeable use, low impact is not synonymous with low intensity. Rhythmic, continuous exercise forms that engage a variety of large muscle groups simultaneously can produce significant aerobic responses, without stressing your musculoskeletal system.
Low-impact aerobic sessions begin with a warm-up, which serves as a dress rehearsal for the planned activity, while raising your body temperature and slowly elevating your heart rate. The slower pace of the movements can helps low-impact aerobic novices learn some of the basic choreographic terminology as well. The low-impact aerobic warm-up also includes dynamic flexibility exercises, which use large, rhythmic movements that take your muscles through their range of motion.
Warm-Up Moves
A lower-leg warm-up might include toe and heel walks, which involve walking forward and backward, first on your toes, then on your heels. The lunge warms up your hip flexors. Pull one knee toward your chest, then step forward on the same leg, bending both knees into a lunge. Repeat on the other leg. The step touch also appears in low-impact aerobic warm-ups. Step to the side with one foot, then tap your other foot right next to it and repeat on the other side. These moves, along with forward and backward marching, are also part of the low-impact aerobic choreography.
Cooldown
Stopping abruptly during aerobic exercises might cause dizziness. The 5-minute cooldown bridges your aerobic activity and your stretching and muscle-toning exercises. During this phase of the workout, your movements gradually slow down, allowing you to gradually lower your heart rate. Begin your post-cardio static stretches after your heart rate drops to no more than 10 to 15 beats above your resting heart rate. The remaining warmth in your muscles during this period optimizes your ability to stretch.
Choreographic Terminology
During the mambo, a common low-impact move, you step forward with one foot while the other taps in place. To switch lead legs, add a quick "cha, cha, cha" or right-left-right. The folk dance evolved grapevine involves stepping sideways and crossing your opposite leg in front of your lead. Step out again and cross your opposite leg behind. During the "V-step," often cued as "out-out-in-in," your lead foot steps forward. Then your other foot steps forward and forms the "V." Your lead leg then steps back, and your other leg steps next to it. A cha-cha-cha or a tap of the trailing foot transfers your weight and lets you switch lead legs.
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