Community centers serve as pivotal hubs, fostering health and wellness within communities. These facilities provide accessible fitness options for people of all ages and fitness levels. Integrating low-impact gym equipment can significantly enhance the inclusivity and functionality of these places, ensuring everyone benefits from their offerings. Get expert advice on why community centers need low-impact gym equipment.
What Is Low-Impact Exercise?
Low-impact physical activity includes resistance training and certain forms of cardio such as biking, walking, or rowing. The primary difference between this and high-impact workouts is that the latter exerts more force on joints and muscles.
For instance, think about how your body feels when you run versus bike. During a run, every step significantly impacts your joints; on the other hand, when you work out on a stationary bike, you put less pressure on your joints and primarily work your leg muscles.
Benefits of Having Low-Impact Equipment
Ideally, your workout center should have a range of equipment that appeals to all fitness levels. High-impact exercises such as sprints and jumping jacks are unsuitable for everyone, especially those with joint or bone problems. Some of the benefits of having low-impact equipment include:
- Accessible to everyone
- Reduces the risk of injury
- Encourages long-term fitness habits
- Fosters a welcoming gym environment
These benefits are particularly crucial for community centers, as they provide inclusive fitness options for all individuals.
Accessible to Everyone
People of varying ages and abilities make up a community, so your gym should accommodate their diverse needs. Low-impact workouts reduce the stress that exercise can exert on joints, which makes them suitable for older adults, people with injuries, and those new to fitness.
Beneficial to All Age Groups
Older adults can benefit from the gentle nature of low-impact equipment, which minimizes joint stress and reduces the risk of injury. Similarly, younger individuals can also use this equipment safely, developing healthy exercise habits early on.
Beneficial to Injured Athletes
Athletes or regular gym-goers who often do high-impact exercises like running can suffer from overuse injuries. After the needed rest period, their body may be healed enough to resume some physical activity, but they may not be ready for high-impact exercises. Rather than jog on the treadmill, a runner may use the elliptical machine for similar cardiovascular benefits without straining their joints.
Beneficial to All Fitness Levels
Beginners can start their fitness journeys without the intimidation or risk associated with high-impact machines. Conversely, advanced fitness enthusiasts can use the same equipment for warm-ups, cool-downs, or active recovery.
Reduces Risk of Injury
Another vital reason community centers need low-impact gym equipment is because it can reduce the risk of gym-goers becoming injured. Constantly performing high-impact exercises can strain muscles, ligaments, and joints, especially if individuals don’t do a proper warm-up or cool-down. Over time, this can mean developing injuries that may deter fitness routines.
Likewise, someone new to working out could become discouraged from exercising if they experience an injury early on. Low-impact equipment provides them with a safe and gentle way to build strength, increase endurance, and improve cardiovascular health without the risk of injury.
Encourages Long-Term Fitness Habits
For many workout enthusiasts, fitness is a key aspect of lifestyle, and adopting a workout routine becomes easier when you start with low-impact options. While high-impact exercises can be exhilarating and produce quicker results, they may not be sustainable for the long term if not done correctly. Regularly pushing the body to its limits can lead to burnout or injuries, causing people to abandon their fitness journey.
Alternatively, adding low-impact workouts to an exercise routine makes physical activity more achievable for longer. It allows individuals to build strength and endurance gradually, creating sustainable fitness habits.
Fosters a Welcoming Gym Environment
Inclusivity is essential in creating a welcoming gym environment, and low-impact gym equipment is crucial toward this end. Community members feel more comfortable and included when they see equipment that caters to different needs and fitness levels.
Creating a sense of inclusion can foster a positive atmosphere, encouraging more people to participate in fitness activities. Community centers that invest in low-impact gym equipment demonstrate a commitment to serving all members, enhancing the overall atmosphere and attractiveness of the facility.
Low-Impact Machines To Purchase
Offering low-impact gym equipment in your workout center is essential, but deciding which machines to purchase can also be overwhelming. Some popular low-impact gym equipment options for community centers include the following.
Ellipticals
An elliptical machine is a low-impact cardio machine that mimics the movement of running without impacting joints. It’s an excellent option for individuals recovering from injuries or looking for a low-stress form of cardio. Plus, if users hold on to the handles, the elliptical engages muscles in the legs and arms, providing a full-body workout.
Stationary Bikes
Stationary bikes are an ideal low-impact option for knee or hip pain individuals. They provide an excellent cardiovascular workout while minimizing the impact on joints. Stationary bikes also come in various forms, such as upright, recumbent, and spin bikes, allowing users to choose the style that best suits their needs.
Pro Tip
Gyms often have multiple stationary bikes to cater to different preferences and fitness levels.
Resistance Machines
Strength training is an incredibly beneficial form of low-impact exercise, helping maintain bone density and muscle mass. Shop for resistance machines such as the leg press, chest press, or lat pulldown equipment. It’s best to have enough weight-lifting equipment to target all the main muscle groups: arms, legs, core, chest, and back.
Stair Climber
A commercial stair climber machine is an alternative to the traditional treadmill and provides a low-impact cardio workout. It mimics the movement of climbing stairs, engaging the muscles in the legs and glutes while putting minimal pressure on joints.
Rowing Machines
Rowing machines offer a full-body workout that engages the muscles and cardiovascular system. Similar to stationary bikes, rowing machines also come in different styles, such as air, water, and weight resistance. Each type of rower caters to varying preferences and fitness levels.
Bonus: Treadmills
Although the treadmill is often a top choice for running—a high-impact activity—you can also use it for less rigorous workouts. Rather than jog or run on the treadmill, gym-goers can alter the incline and speed for a brisk walk while enjoying all the other benefits.
Contact TRUE Fitness
TRUE Fitness offers a wide range of low-impact exercise equipment ideal for community centers. We have everything you need to create an inclusive and effective fitness center, from ellipticals and stationary bikes to rowing machines and resistance training equipment. Contact our team to discuss your needs and find the perfect equipment for your workout center.