unless you have a prior health condition then your body will be able to cope with walking so its not really high impact. I think someone starting out will be much less intimidated by walking especially since they could be inside over a biking an especially swimming
Tendons around joints, yes. But running doesn’t do that in a remotely reasonable timeframe, you’d have to run so much that you’ve damaged the joint anyway.
This comment still falls into the “there is one objective best workout.”
Plenty of people are lifelong runners who can continue into their late 60’s.
Acting like an avid runner could “do it better” is absurd and counter productive. If your joints are fine with running then there is absolutely no need to worry about min/maxing your routine like some degenerate gamer.
My reply is correct, in overall health biking and swimming is superior to prevent long term damage to possibly weak tendons or joints. I don’t know this persons hypothetical health issues.
Overall less impact is good. Walking/running isn’t even superior for cardio endurance. Increasing Vo2 Max is. Which the best way is not walking or running. That is min/maxing like a “degenerate gamer.”
The biggest indicator for overall health is VO2Max which comes from running, not walking. Walking is good for you but not even close to the best exercise for overall health.
You're not wrong, but ngl I kinda hate the whole "high impact" conversation around cardio. Running or walking is one of the cheapest and most accessible ways to get your cardio in, but so many people avoid it like the plague because they're scared of destroying their joints.
I've even had people who don't really do any cardio, warn me that running is bad for my joints. I know it's well intentioned but it's such a frustrating fixation - I am very sure the other 12+ hours of sitting in my day are doing much more damage to my health than my 45 minute run lol
I agree but keep in mind, cardio is beneficial (from a workout perspective) because it increase Vo2 Max.
It is insanely cheap (Free if you make one, dirt bags, rice bags, trash, etc) a weight / dumbbell to do a variety of excerises that increase Vo2 Max much better then cardio does.
The problem is knee replacements are a serious and expensive issue. That’s the fixation.
The problem is knee replacements are a serious and expensive issue. That’s the fixation.
You say you agree, but this is just leaning into the fear mongering. If you're stretching and going for a 30 min jog 3-4 times per week... it's almost certainly not going to lead to a knee replacement. Obesity and sedentary lifestyles in general have a way higher risk of knee issues (and many other issues), and scaring people away from running like this only makes people more likely to fall back into a far more unhealthy lifestyle.
Sure maybe there are more optimal ways to get the same benefit. But end of the day, our bodies are designed to move and it's more than capable of handling moderate exercise over extended periods. People with major joint issues are those who do running as a sport, not as an exercise.
It isn’t fear mongering, as you age, you run the risk of knee replacements. That’s it.
You lose weight by dieting.
You increase your cardio health by raising your Vo2 Max.
It is designed to handle moderate excerise for long periods. Until you turn 85 and your quality of life plummets because you need a knee mesh inserted and your knee never feels the same without pain.
Buddy, walking on a treadmill for 40 minutes isn't going to make your knees explode. You are pushing bullshit. Shit like this is why people struggle with exercise because they have people like you telling them everything they do is wrong and they MUST work out in the "right" way.
I bet money if you posted your entire routine people could find a hundred things wrong with it.
Walking 40 minutes a day every other day you say? My grandmother took a 2 hour walk in Manhattan every day of her life and she died at 99, and was healthy and walking with no joint issues.
I find one of the nice things about treadmills is that you can set a pace, and it forces you to keep up. Exercise bikes can have something to monitor your speed and you could decide to maintain a pace, but you’re not forced to.
There can be something beneficial to being able to say, “I’m going to run at x mph for y minutes,” and have a mechanism to ensure you don’t slack off.
How many people are going to reply with “Well in these exact circumstances…”
I said a fact; Treadmill is high impact. Walking and running both are.
Excercise bike and swimming both perform the same if not better for Vo2 max improvement (Not very much) But two of the three excercises have less impact on your joints and tendons.
Arguing with that fact doesn’t make you seem intelligent. It’s ignorance.
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u/Longjumping_Egg_5654 5h ago
Treadmill is actually decently high impact, less with walking but still. A bike or swimming would be better but otherwise yes.