High-intensity exercise and joint health don’t usually go hand-in-hand.
In fact, high-intensity exercise is often blamed for joints feeling achy, sore, or painful.
But, there are three things you can do with your high-intensity workouts to actually help your joints be healthier.
The first is to use your symptom-free full range of motion.
Your joints need to move to be healthy, and doing exercises that involve your symptom-free full range of motion are an easy way to give your joints what they need.
The second is to be strategic with your speed.
A lot of high-intensity workouts just say, “Because this is HIIT, everything needs to be fast…” but that mindset is one of the most common ways to get injured.
Instead, only move faster with exercises that use less range of motion and are not causing you to move as close to your extremes of motion.
This means that you will need a variety of exercises that force you to use a lot of motion while moving slowly as well as less motion while moving faster.
Finally, keep your focus on the muscle squeeze while doing your strength training exercises.
In addition to needing motion, your joints also need force going through them to stay healthy. One of the easiest ways to have controlled forces going through them is to have your muscles squeezing a whole bunch, and an easy way to increase the squeeze is to focus on it while you do your exercises.
Another way of getting force through your joints is through impact, which is where moving fast can come into play with specific exercises. But, with your strength training, keep your focus on the squeeze and you will be setting yourself up for healthier joints.
As a bonus tip, getting your body regularly tuned up with Muscle Activation Techniques® will help your muscles stay functioning well, allowing your joints to stay protected and supported.
Many of our MAT® clients find that a couple sessions a month is all they need to consistently feel good while they do their HIIT workouts. By getting your muscles tuned up with MAT® on a regular basis, you can continue to do the high-intensity workouts you enjoy with less risk of joint injury or issues.
If you would like to get your muscles assessed for MAT®, you can schedule your initial consultation and assessment with us by clicking here.
HIIT workouts do not need to leave your joints feeling injured or achy. Your joints can actually leave your HIIT workouts healthier and functioning better.
By using your symptom-free full range of motion, being strategic with your speed, and focusing on squeezing your muscles while you do the workout, your joints can get exactly what they need to stay healthy and stronger.
And, by doing MAT® on a regular basis, you can ensure that your muscles will stay functioning well to support your joints and keep them healthy.
If you would like guidance on applying these strategies within your workouts, check out the Joint Health HIIT program in the Exercise For Life Membership. Right now, you can get access to that program for free for the next 30 days by clicking here.
In strength and health,
Julie & Charlie
