When you exercise, you want to feel results. But there’s a big misconception that the only way to get those results is by taking lots of high-intensity, cardio-based classes like HIIT. 

Those classes certainly have their place in a training routine, but no matter what your fitness level is, low-impact exercise should also be a staple in your weekly exercise plan. And spoiler alert: High-intensity, low-impact training (HILIT) can give you the best of both worlds. 

“High-impact exercise is good for promoting bone density, but too much can lead to arthritis and/or injury over time,” says Aimee Layton, Ph.D., a member of the Peloton Health and Wellness Advisory Council. “For people who do a lot of high-impact exercise, low-impact cross-training increases strength and cardiovascular fitness with less stress on your joints.”

Read on for everything you need to know about HILIT—including what counts as low impact, and why it’s so good for you.

What Is High-Intensity, Low-Impact Training (HILIT)? 

High-intensity, low-impact training (HILIT) is the perfect mix of power and grace. Unlike HIIT, which tends to focus on high-impact, high-intensity movements, HILIT gives you all the intensity without the risk of injury.

Think of HILIT as the perfect balance of cardio and strength training. You get to challenge your muscles and your heart, all while keeping your joints happy. Some of our favorite high-intensity, low-impact forms of exercise include cycling, swimming, and rowing.

Rowing, for example, offers a full-body workout that targets multiple muscle groups, including the arms, shoulders, back, legs, and core. (Psst: That’s why we created the Peloton Row.) The smooth, low-impact motion of rowing makes it an excellent low-impact alternative to high-impact exercises like running, dance cardio, and HIIT cardio. And, with adjustable resistance levels, you can create a workout with an intensity to challenge you both physically and mentally.

No matter how you do it, high-intensity, low-impact training can protect your joints and build strong, lean muscles.

Benefits of HILIT

HILIT is a versatile, effective, and safe workout option that provides many benefits, making it a great choice for people of all fitness levels and abilities. These benefits include:

Low Impact Doesn’t Mean Low Effort

Many people assume a low-impact workout is “easy.” But what low impact refers to is the stress you’re putting on your joints, says Dr. Layton. “Low impact means you’re not putting a lot of force on your joints,” she says. “Running, for instance, is a high-impact sport because with each step, there’s the force of your body weight multiplied by gravity going through your ankles, knees and hips. Swimming, cycling, and rowing are all considered low impact. With these exercises, the amount of force hitting the joint each revolution or stroke is not as high when practicing proper form.”

One thing that’s important for any low-impact exercise is your form. Because these exercises often use high repetition for one or two movements, it’s important that you’re doing them correctly. If not, your joints may have more stress put on them than required, which could lead to injury. That’s why many low-impact exercises are done slower, to ensure form and technique are correct.

HILIT vs. HIIT: What’s The Difference?

High-intensity, low-impact training combines the vigor of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with low-impact moves. HIIT is all about repeated sets of challenging exercises using high-powered max effort. You'll find high-impact moves like squat jumps, jumping jacks, and mountain climbers in a HIIT circuit. Low-impact exercises—like planks, squats, and lunges—put less force on your joints. “You will still receive many of the same benefits that you would achieve in a HIIT workout with a HILIT workout while still being gentler on the body,” explains Peloton instructor Katie Wang. 

That's why HILIT is a great option if you're looking for a workout that's easier on the joints. “I always like to say the happier your body feels doing an exercise, the longer you'll be able to sustain that workout routine, so incorporate HILIT into your life now and it will become a staple for years to come!” says Katie. 

Who Should Try HILIT? 

HILIT is suitable for just about anyone looking to get in a heart-pumping workout. Aside from keeping your muscles and joints protected, stacking your workouts to include low-impact exercises can further your fitness, building muscle and improving cardiovascular health. “For runners to basketball and football players, low-impact workouts are still working those large muscle groups such as the glutes, quads, and back muscles (latissimus dorsi, or lats) to improve stamina and strength. They are just doing it without the force of landing or sprinting on pavement or turf,” says Dr. Layton.

Athletes who participate in high-contact sports, such as football, can particularly benefit from low-impact exercise in the off-season. “I cringe when I hear about a linebacker running to lose weight in preseason,” says Dr. Layton. “The last thing an athlete’s knees and hips need is the force of 300 pounds hitting their joints with every stride before their season has even started. Low-impact exercise would be a more effective way to maintain muscle and/or lose weight, without exposing the joints to unwanted stress.”

What Exercises Count As HILIT? 

There are a variety of high-intensity, low-impact workouts that you can incorporate into your exercise routine. Cycling, rowing (Katie’s favorite!), and swimming are a good place to start. You can also incorporate circuits of moves like squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks. “If you’re looking for a different way to hit that high intensity without running or jumping, check out our dance cardio offering!” suggests Katie. Whatever you choose, you’ll want to push yourself to a high intensity and get your heart rate up during work phases. Don’t know where to start? The Peloton App has a variety of HILIT classes you can try.

Can You Do HIIT (or HILIT) Every Day?

High-intensity workouts can be taxing on the body. You may want to do a HIIT (or HILIT) every day, but 2 or 3 times a week is often enough to hit most fitness goals. Katie notes that she does HILIT work outs at least twice a week. “Because HILIT has a lower impact on the body, I find my recovery time post workout to be a bit shorter, allowing me to take on more HILIT style workouts within a week's worth of training as opposed to HIIT style,” she shares. And, as is the case with all new routines, let your body be your guide and make sure you include adequate rest between workouts. You can also be guided by the Peloton App, where you can build your workout plan, making sure to include the right amount of low-impact HIIT workouts for you.

Aimee Layton, Ph.D. is a Peloton Member and former paid consultant member of the Peloton Health & Wellness Advisory Council. Dr. Layton is an assistant professor of Applied Physiology in Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and the Director of the Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Exercise Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, where she plays an important role as one of the lead exercise physiologists in testing, exercise counseling, and research.