Injured? Here’s a Low Impact HIIT Workout To Get You Moving
Are you injured and unable to do your regular exercise routine? It’s important to stay active even when you’re injured, and we’ve got the perfect solution for you. This post will provide you with a low-impact HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout that you can do while recovering.
We’ve rounded up a selection of exercises that are designed to help you stay active without putting too much strain on your body. This workout can be tailored to meet your needs, no matter where you’re at in your recovery process. We’ll provide you with tips on how to modify the exercises to suit your body’s needs and make sure you stay safe.
What is HIIT?
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a type of exercise that alternates between periods of high-intensity effort and lower-intensity effort. HIIT is typically completed in relatively short intervals, with periods of intense activity that range from 10 to 60 seconds, followed by rest/recovery periods or lower-intensity activities such as walking or jogging. The positive effects of this type of exercise are numerous—it can help you burn calories and fat, build endurance and strength, and improve overall health.
Why Modify for Injury?
For those injured and looking to take part in HIIT, however, there are modifications that must be made to prevent further injury or aggravation of existing injuries. Modifying HIIT workouts for those with injuries can provide a safer option, prevent over-stress on the injured area, and still allow users to benefit from the effects of HIIT.
Might Be a Safer Option
Low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling, and using an elliptical machine can help reduce the amount of stress placed on any injured areas while still providing users with a challenging workout. Exercises that take place in standing positions can be replaced with sitting exercises (where appropriate) to reduce stress on the joints and make the exercises more comfortable. Resistance bands for arms can be used instead of free weights to add resistance without putting additional strain on an injured area.
Prevents Over-Stress in Injured Area
When modifying HIIT for an injury, it is important to focus on exercises that target other muscles not related to the injury so as not to over-stress the injured area or put too much strain on it. For example, if someone has suffered an injury to their knees or hips, then they should avoid running and jumping but may be able to complete exercises such as rowing or arm exercises using a resistance band for arms.
Benefits of HIIT Remain
Modifying HIIT workouts for those with injuries allow them to reap many of the same benefits as a regular HIIT program without risking further injury or aggravation of existing injuries. By taking a less intense approach, users can still benefit from improved cardiovascular fitness, increased strength and endurance, better muscle tone, improved body composition, and weight loss/maintenance.
How To Do a Low-Impact HIIT Workout
A good low-impact HIIT workout should include a warm-up period to get the muscles moving, a set of exercises that target different muscle groups, and a cool-down period to bring the body back to its pre-workout state.
Warm Up
Start by warming up for 10 minutes by doing a light aerobic activity such as walking or jogging at a low intensity. If possible, perform dynamic stretches such as leg swings or arm circles after the warm-up period before beginning the workout.
Exercises
Follow this up with 15 minutes of core exercises such as planks and crunches; 10 minutes of upper body exercises using weights or resistance bands for arms; 15 minutes of lower body exercises such as squats and lunges; 10 minutes of cardiovascular/aerobic exercise such as cycling or swimming; and 10 minutes of abdominal exercises like Russian twists and mountain climbers.
Cool Down
Take 5-10 minutes at the end of your workout for a cool-down period consisting of light jogging or walking plus static stretching if possible (this helps reduce any stiffness or soreness felt post-workout).
Modifications
When participating in HIIT workouts after an injury, there are certain modifications that must be made in order to prevent further harm or aggravation of existing injuries. Depending on what type of injury you have suffered, these could include reducing intensity levels, avoiding certain exercises entirely, modifying form when performing specific exercises, etc.
Types of Injuries and Modifications
If you have suffered an injury to your knee, ensure that all weight-bearing activities are performed without putting additional stress on it—for example, you may need to modify your squat form by only performing half squats instead of full squats until your knee has recovered enough for more strenuous exercise activities. This could involve using a resistance band for arms in order to add resistance while preventing any undue stress from being placed on your knee. If you have suffered an ankle injury, then you may need to avoid running altogether, but instead, use an elliptical machine or cycle when engaging in cardiovascular/aerobic exercise instead.
Rest and Recovery
Don’t forget that rest days are just as important after an injury. This is because allowing enough time for recovery between workouts helps prevent over-stressing any injured areas and allows them adequate time to heal before doing more strenuous exercise activity again—this applies whether modification occurs or not.
Adapting Intensity and Form
Those who have been injured should pay special attention to their form when performing certain activities—choose lighter weights if necessary (or even use resistance bands for arms) and focus on maintaining good posture throughout each exercise so as not to put extra pressure/strain onto any injured areas/muscles during their workout routine (remember: no pain no gain does NOT apply here!). Additionally, consider lowering the intensity level of your workout—working out at a lower intensity level than normal will help ensure you don’t overdo it while still providing some benefit from the exercise routine itself.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s important to stay active even when you’re injured and the best way to do that is through a modified HIIT workout. By using low-impact activities and modifying your form for any exercises targeting an injured area, you can still reap the benefits of HIIT without risking further injury. We’ve provided a sample low-impact HIIT workout tailored for those with injuries, with exercises that are designed to help you stay active without putting too much strain on your body. Don’t forget to allow for adequate rest and recovery time between workouts and to pay special attention to your form during exercises—this way, you can stay fit and healthy even with an injury!