Low Impact, Low Intensity Exercise

Many guys, including myself, prefer to exercise with high intensity sports or gym work.  There is a lot to be said for Intensity, after all.  For example, it pumps out Growth Hormone, increases aerobic capacity and so on. However, the truth is that, for the most part, I don't really know why I tend to exercise pedal to the metal.

Looking around the globe and examing the Super Healthy Cultures quickly leads one down a different path.  These cultures basically exercise for extended periods of time with low impact, low intensity exercise of which walking dominates. In fact, exercise really isn't exercise in our definition of the word:  it is simple the basic activities involved in a rural, third world lifestyle. The Kuna, the Pukapuka, the Tokelaua and the Tarahumara all live relatively quiet, rustic existences by Western standards that require low levels of physical activity throughout their day.  And they all enjoy superlative health, unimaginable by our standards, because of it.

One of the beauties of this is that they also enjoy largely injury free living.  In contrast, I can't tell you the number of guys that I know with serious sports and weight lifting injuries.  (See my link on Volume  for how to help keep from  hurting yourself in the gym.)  Runners are not much different.  It is possible to do a lifetime of running injury free, of course, but many people do not change out their shoes enough, run incorrectly, run through their pain and so on.  Any of these mistakes can lead to damaged cartilage, knee osteoathritis and so on.

Jogging can also lead to many annoying conditions that are not crippling but can keep you from exercising for a period of time: [1]

1) Blisters. 39% of runners.

2) Athlete's Foot. 56% of runners.

3) Jogger's Nipples. 16% of runners.

4) Jogger's Toe. 2% of runners.

Low impact exercise avoids all of that and just quietly and carefully leads you to better health. The Tarahumara are famed, for example, for their ultramarathon races and hunt game such as deer or rabbits by simply running after it until the animal collapses from exhaustion.  The key is that the Tarahumara are very careful and run very slowly by typical cross country or even marathon/triathlon standards to maximize endurance and minimize injury.

There is another reason to do low impact exercise such as walking as well:  achievement and performance.  For example, I taught myself a new language while at the gym.  I would bring a book, my Blackberry (with internet access to foreign language web sites) or vocabulary words into the gym and read and study these while on the stair stepper, stationary bike or treadmill.  So, while I was steadily exerting myself on one of these machines, I was not only burning calories but also getting something done.

That is one of the things I hate about jogging, for example.  The entire time you are running pulls away from the time that you have to get anything done and you may feel the same way. Plus, all you have to think about is the discomfort that you body is experiencing Low impact exercise can be a decent solution for this problem.

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NOTE:  If this kind of exercise sounds good to you, then I would comment that many practitioners recommend getting a pedometer.  It's a great way to "log" how many steps you've been doing and holds you accountable each day. The #1 rated pedometer by Consumer Reports was the Omron HJ-112 Digital Pocket Pedometer.  It has a 7-day memory and works even while in your pocket.

Here are a few other big advantages that probably make low impact, low intensity exercise the best overall form of exercise:

1) It is much, much harder to injure yourself and injuries can keep you from exercising and even increase stress levels.

2) It is a much less painful form of exercise.  Jogging, for example, is (for many people) a time wasting experience that is generally unpleasant.  If done on pavement in the wrong way can lead to joint and muscle damage over time.  Many people do not keep up with jogging because of all these reasons.  Walking, on the other hand, is easy, require no special conditioning and can be done by almost anyone for extended periods of time.

 3) Because of #2, walking and low impact exercise is the best way to burn calories.  With minimal conditioning one can walk for hours and burn a great amount of calories.  Walking at a moderate or brisk pace will burn about 300 or 400 calories per hour, respectively. Jogging at 5 or 6 mph will burn about 700 or 800 calories per hour, respectively, but most people will only do it for 20 to 30 minutes and then give up. With walking (or being on a treadmill or stationary bike), you can just keep going and going.

4) You are not half dead after low intensity, low impact exercise and can easily resume your day.  Furthermore, you will not be so sore that you cannot exercise the next day.  Again, this is idea for fat burning and weight loss.

5) You can listen to music, your iPod or a book.  This is not true with even moderate intensity exercise which dominates your attention and concentration.

6)  You can use your brain and read, handle email (with a cell phone of course), study and so on. 

7)  The most healthy cultures in the world all do extensive walking unlike many of us that will drive from one side of the strip mall to the other if we have to go to two stores!

8) For those of you who are social, you can walk while you talk.

9) If you build a home gym or walk in your neighborhood, you do not have to drive to a gym and can get started immediately.

REFERENCES:

1) Men's Health, Sep 2009, p. 40.