Try an intense workout that is easy on the joints

HILIT, or high-intensity, low-impact interval training, swops out high-impact activities for gentler alternatives

NEW YORK - High-intensity workouts are designed to be hard. The whole point of repeatedly going all out for 30 seconds or a minute at a time is to get the maximum cardiovascular exercise in the least amount of time. But that does not mean these workouts need to be punishing for your joints.

The most well-known of these workouts, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), involves high-impact moves and has been adopted by serious athletes to become stronger, faster and more powerful, said Ms. Susane Pata, a Miami-based trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

HIIT workouts caught on at gyms in the early 2000s, and studies have shown their benefits, such as improved cholesterol and blood pressure profiles, heart health and fat loss.

However, since then, many trainers have adapted them to be accessible to a wider audience, said Ms. Pata. Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, a gentler version has emerged, known as HILIT, or high-intensity, low-impact interval training.

These workouts substitute high-impact activities such as sprinting, burpees, or jump lunges with joint-friendly alternatives. The goal is still the same - to keep your heart rate above 80 percent of the absolute maximum before letting it barely recover and then repeating the effort.

NOT JUST FOR BEGINNERS

Novice exercisers need to build a foundation of balance, core strength, and joint stability before attempting dynamic plyometrics exercises, such as burpees, that are usually included in HIIT routines, said Ms. Pata.

HILIT, which removes those high-impact moves, is useful for beginners. It can also help people with joint pain, as well as those who are recovering from an injury and pregnant women, keep up a fitness regimen.