HILIT: Why You Should Add Low-Impact Workouts to Your Routine

Here’s everything you need to know about HILIT, the new fitness crave!

From metabolic flexibility to bouji home gyms, the fitness industry is always buzzing with new wellness trends, and 2022 is no exception.

One of the latest trends to emerge from the fitness world is high-intensity low-impact training (HILIT) — a routine for those of you seeking something a bit kinder to your body.

This trend is sparked by the growing need for feel-good workouts with a focus on injury prevention and mobility. HILIT rejects the notion of quantity over quality or the “no pain, no gain” mentality.

But what do HILIT workouts look like and should you be doing them? Here’s everything you need to know about the new workout craze, HILIT.

What Is a HILIT Workout?

HILIT is a high-intensity full-body workout, but is easy on your joints. For example, replacing squat jumps with air squats or burpees with push-ups is still highly intense, it’s just low impact on your joints. In a HILIT workout, the abrupt forces that accompany plyometrics — jumping, bouncing, sprinting — are supplemented with low-impact exercises that strengthen and stabalize the surrounding joints.

Here’s an example of a bodyweight HILIT workout that you can do right from home. Complete 1 round of the following exercises with a 15- to 20-second break between movements. Depending on your fitness level, do each exercise for 20 to 30 seconds. If that’s too easy, add on time — opt for 45 to 60 seconds per move.

HILIT vs. HIIT

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) mixes short bursts of intense exercise combined with periods of rest or low-impact activity. And while both HIIT and HILIT operate on the same level of intensity, HIIT incorporates far more high-impact movements and delivers abrupt force to the joints — think squat jumps, burpees, plyo lunges.

While HIIT is great for weight loss, you’ll fatigue much quicker, which may lead to the increased risk of injury. In fact, studies have shown a 144% increase in injuries associated with HIIT!

On the other hand, HILIT reduces the load and force on the body, so you can keep the same intensity throughout your workout while reducing your risk of injury. HILIT exercises tend to focus on toning, mobility and strengthening work without placing added pressure on the joints.

A common misconception regarding HILIT is that low-impact equates to no impact. But by no means does the word “low-impact” mean the workout is going to be easy. It’s anything but! Try a HILIT class for yourself — the burn is real!

HILIT Benefits

Low-impact is the keyword here. Each HILIT exercise keeps the impact on your joints to a minimum, which is great if you suffer from knee problems or back pain.

HILIT is also more effective in a shorter amount of time than all other workout styles combined. Studies have compared 10-minute high-intensity workouts with 50-minute steady-state cardio training (jogging or cycling) and found that both were equally effective at improving overall fitness. What’s this mean? You can get fit in ⅕ of the time.

Anyone at any age can do it! You don’t need fancy gym equipment to get in a great HILIT workout — you can literally trian from anywhere using your own body weight. No jumping means HILIT workouts are apartment-friendly and won’t disturb your neighbors.

Improve your cardiovascular fitness. You don’t need to jump to increase your heart rate. Longer sets with shorter rest breaks will build your cardio fitness, increase your endurance and burn fat without wreaking havoc on your joints. And you can always turn your breaks into active rest, so you’re constantly in motion.

Work your entire body. Burn through your legs, glutes, arms and core in one go. Because HILIT workouts typically use your own body weight, you’ll get nice and toned from head to toe.

HILIT workouts are time and energy efficient — there’s no need to spend hours in the gym to see results. And when you consider that consistency is key when it comes to sticking to a workout routine, it’s far more likely you’ll make exercise a habit by keeping things low impact.

Start your free 7-day trial with Gymondo today and explore a huge selection of HILIT workouts that are easy on your joints.

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