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Did you know that low-impact exercise can be just as good for our health as more intense physical activities?
If you’re a student of medicine who is studying to attain a relevant qualification in the field – such as an online PhD nursing, for example – you would likely already be aware of the many advantages of gentle movement for our overall well-being.
Did you know that low-impact exercise can be just as good for our health as more intense physical activities?
If you’re a student of medicine who is studying to attain a relevant qualification in the field – such as an online PhD nursing, for example – you would likely already be aware of the many advantages of gentle movement for our overall well-being.
Let’s discuss the many health benefits of slow, low-impact exercises in further detail.
Slower-Paced Physical Activities: Examples of Low-Impact Exercises
Before we dive into the health benefits of participating in slower-paced physical activities, let’s explore some examples of low-impact exercises.
Yoga
With origins in ancient India, the modern-day practice of yoga has risen in popularity over the years. There are many different types of yoga to try, including:
- Hatha yoga – a slower and more gentle form of yoga characterized by deep breathing while holding static poses. This practice can be an excellent starting point for beginners.
- Vinyasa yoga – incorporating fluid, dynamic, and relatively upbeat movements, this style can be more of an intense workout than other yoga practices. As such, it is best for more advanced or experienced yogis.
- Bikram yoga – involves practicing yoga in a heated room, allowing yogis to quite literally sweat out bodily toxins while performing gentle, flowing motions.
- Yin yoga – not for the faint of heart, yin yoga requires a yogi to hold static poses for extended periods of time. For this reason, it is particularly beneficial for restoring connective tissues and strengthening muscles.
Pilates
If you’re interested in taking up pilates, you’ll need to decide which type. For example, you can choose to partake in floor or mat pilates, which can be practiced in virtually any space – even in the comfort of your own home. Alternatively, reformer pilates requires the use of purpose-built equipment – such as reformer beds, which are box-like apparatus strung up with various ropes, weights, and pulleys. Reformer pilates is most often performed in a dedicated pilates studio.
Tai Chi
Originating in ancient China, tai chi focuses on performing slow, flowing continuous movements in line with the breath. Are you keen to try tai chi for yourself? The ‘Body Balance’ group fitness classes often held at local gyms will usually incorporate elements of traditional tai chi, making them a great way to try it out for the first time.
Gentle Walking
Finally, let’s not discount the many health benefits of a slow, low-impact walk. The best part? A walk around the block or a local park is almost always a free-of-charge activity – unless you stop to pick up a takeaway coffee at the corner coffee store, that is. If you’re paying for a gym membership, you can enjoy many of the same health benefits as walking around the block with a gentle indoor stroll on a treadmill or cross trainer instead.
The Benefits: Reasons Why Slow, Low-Impact Exercises Are Good for Us
So, what are some of the health benefits associated with slow, low-impact exercises? Some of the advantages include:
Enhanced Heart Health
Slow, low-impact exercise improves the health of our internal organs, in particular, our heart. How? Aerobic activity – even at low to moderate paces – aerates the levels of oxygen flowing through the blood, which has benefits both for the respiratory system and for the heart.
Better Brain Health
As well as being good for our mental well-being by aiding us to release stress and increase our serotonin and dopamine production, low-impact exercise is also beneficial for the health of our brains. For older adults in particular, engaging in gentle movement can even ward off the likelihood of developing dementia.
Reduced Risk of Developing Diabetes
The risk of developing diabetes can also be minimized through low-impact physical activities. Gentle walking has been found to be particularly effective, with diabetes studies demonstrating that combining gentle exercise like walking with changes in diet can reduce the risk of diabetes development by as much as 58%.
Possible Weight Loss
Another benefit of partaking in gentle exercise regularly? You could potentially lose weight. Decreasing our body’s storage of excess weight – especially, our visceral fat – has a multitude of benefits for our health, and can see us enjoying a better quality of life.
