We're no longer in the heyday of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and CrossFit. Now, low-impact and functional fitness workouts are all the rage for American adults.
Why it matters: As longevity becomes a primary health focus, more adults are prioritizing workouts that help them in the long-term by being easier on the body and improving strength and flexibility, Axios' Carly Mallenbaum reports.
Context: About 15 years ago, we "went through an era [of] high-intensity interval training," from Insanity to CrossFit, says Nima Alamdari, honorary professor of sport and health sciences at the University of Exeter.
When done too quickly, those kinds of high-impact workouts can lead to back, knee or ankle injuries, Alamdari says.
Functional fitness exercises, on the other hand, typically work multiple muscle groups via different planes of movement, done at low or high intensity, and with or without equipment.
Low-impact exercisesare "particularly important" for people 40 and older because that's the age that muscle mass and function can start to decline, says Alamdari.
