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Low-Intensity Exercises Still Good Workout

Posted on: Wednesday, 1 February 2006, 18:00 CST

By MILO BRYANT Fitness columnist

Exercise intensity is often a tricky thing to figure out because "intensity" has several meanings.

"The Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning," by Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle, defines it as "a level of muscular activity that can be quantified in terms of power (work performed per unit of time) output."

Another way of defining intensity is the amount of pounding or jarring the muscles, bones and joints take during an exercise session. It's that definition I'll use today. Some people may know this as "low-impact," but I don't like that term because it means different things to different people.

At some point in our fitness lives, we'll need low-intensity exercise. Injuries could be and usually are the cause when we're younger.

As we get older, we can't do as much as we used to.

Remember when Michael Jordan returned to basketball the second time? With the Washington Wizards? I like to call that Jordan the low-intensity version. He could still play well; he just couldn't play at the level he did 10 years earlier.

Eventually all of us will become our low-intensity selves. There are great low-intensity exercises that bring about great fitness output.

Swimming or water exercises have always been great low-intensity workouts.

And it's not just about swimming laps. Get in waist-high water and power walk across the pool. Get in chest-high water and repeatedly jump as high as you can. Take a water aerobics class.

Check out the United States Water Fitness Association Web site at www.uswfa.com for more ideas.

Exercising in water works well because the movements closely replicate what's done on land, but because water has more resistance than air, the body doesn't receive the same jarring effects as when running on land.

Cycling, especially on a recumbent (or sitting) bike, also eliminates the pounding effect caused by running. The recumbent bike also is less intensive than the upright bike because it does away with the need for using core body muscles to help us remain, well, upright.

Elliptical machines have come a long way since first introduced, and they were great then. They're another way of taking away the pounding from jogging or walking up hills. Today's machines can be set to various resistance levels to make the exercise easier or tougher. The machines also have adjustable ramps, allowing the targeting of different areas of the lower body.

Next to swimming, rowing is one of the best low-intensity exercises available because it employs the body's core, arms, back and legs.

It's also an exercise that can go from an aerobic activity one session to anaerobic the next, depending on how vigorously we use the machine.

One issue with rowing, however, is low-back injury. Beginners tend to bend over a lot, using their lower backs instead of pushing with the legs and pulling with the arms.

Don't be stubborn. Ask for help from an expert in the gym so you can use proper form.

Milo F. Bryant's fitness column appears in Monday's Life section. Bryant has two National Strength and Conditioning Association certifications. He also writes Gazette sports columns. Contact him at mbryant@gazette.com.

Source: Gazette, The; Colorado Springs, Colo.

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