Non-Impact Aerobics
Posted by terrepruitt on November 16, 2010
Nia is a non-impact aerobic exercise. I often get a quizzical look when I explain that to people. It is done to music so maybe that might make it a challenge for people to understand. It’s almost as if it is difficult to imagine a dance exercise class that is non-impact. Or maybe it is the idea that we have been programmed with–you have to jump to get a good cardio workout. But that’s when I need to remind them about:
—bicycling
—walking up hill
—elipical
—roller skating
—ice skating
—cross country skiing
—swimming
—rowing machine
—punching bag
All of these things can get your heart rate going without impact on the body. It is a matter of intensity. That’s what non-impact cardio is; getting your heart rate up with the level of intensity. With the aforementioned exercises eight of them involve your legs, four of them involve your arms AND legs. One of them doesn’t involve legs at all. intensity–enough to bring the heart rate up–can be done by moving your arms only. So, this is just a reminder, using exercises that most of us are familiar with, that you CAN have a cardio workout without the impact. So if you have knees that prefer not to jump, tender feet, or delicate ankles you can still find something to do that is a cardiovascular workout.
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John Pruitt said
Is light dancing or social dancing non-impact most of the time or is it of a higher caliber rating?
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terrepruitt said
🙂
Think of impact as “jump”. So I would think that “light” dancing would not included jumping. But some social dancing IS jumping. Ya know the little hoppy jump people do when dancing? That would be impact. The height of the jump would determine the impact. Social dancing is often considered a cardio workout, but not so much with the impact. But those that jump while social dancing would make it an aerobic workout with impact.
Thanks for asking and letting me bring that to the discussion.
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Three of Nia’s Nine Movement Forms « Terre Pruitt's Blog said
[…] does not mean it is not intense. We can still move our bodies to get a great strength and/or cardio workout when playing with the healing arts, but it is with greater […]
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