Most strength training is low impact. The defining feature of low-impact exercise is that at least one foot stays on the ground at all times, avoiding the jarring forces that come with running or jumping. A standard strength training session built around squats, presses, rows, and deadlifts fits that definition. The exception is when explosive, plyometric movements like box jumps or burpees get mixed in, which crosses into high-impact territory.
What “Low Impact” Actually Means
Low-impact exercise is generally defined as low load or low weight-bearing activity that excludes running and jumping, which place additional pressure on joints during motion. That definition comes from how much force your joints absorb on each repetition or step, not how hard the workout feels. A slow, heavy squat can leave your muscles shaking without ever sending a shock wave through your knees the way a jump landing does.
This is an important distinction: low impact does not mean low intensity. You can train at a very high intensity with heavy loads, short rest periods, or high volume and still keep both feet planted. The “impact” refers specifically to collision forces between your body and the ground or equipment.
Why Most Lifts Are Joint-Friendly
Traditional strength exercises like squats, leg presses, lunges, and push-ups are closed-chain movements, meaning your hands or feet stay fixed while the rest of your body moves. This type of exercise distributes force across a larger joint surface area, which reduces stress at any single point. During a leg press, for example, the force on the kneecap is spread over a wider contact area compared to an open-chain movement like a leg extension machine, where the joint surfaces experience more traction and concentrated stress.
The muscle action in these exercises is also primarily eccentric, meaning your muscles are controlling and decelerating the weight rather than absorbing a sudden collision. That protective, controlled quality is exactly what makes strength training a staple in physical therapy and rehabilitation programs.
Strength Training and Bone Health
One reason people ask whether strength training is low impact is concern about bone density. High-impact activities like running and jumping are well known for building bone, and it’s natural to wonder whether lifting weights can do the same without the pounding. It can. The tugging and pushing on bone that occur during strength and power training stimulate extra deposits of calcium and nudge bone-forming cells into action, producing stronger, denser bones over time. A well-rounded program that works all the major muscle groups benefits practically all of your bones, not just the ones in your legs.
This makes strength training especially valuable for people who can’t tolerate high-impact exercise due to joint problems, injury history, or age. You get the osteogenic stimulus, the bone-building signal, without repeatedly slamming your feet into the ground.
Injury Rates Compared to Other Activities
Recreational strength training carries a relatively low injury rate. For context, a Mayo Clinic study on high-intensity functional training (a more aggressive style that often includes plyometrics and fast-paced circuits) reported about 9 injuries per 1,000 training hours. Traditional, controlled strength training typically falls below that. Running injury rates, by comparison, are often cited in the range of 7 to 18 injuries per 1,000 hours depending on the population, with many of those injuries tied directly to repetitive ground-impact forces on the knees, shins, and feet.
The injuries that do occur in strength training tend to be muscle strains and overuse issues rather than the stress fractures and joint damage common in high-impact sports. Proper form and progressive loading reduce the risk further.
When Strength Training Becomes High Impact
Not every exercise you’d find in a strength training program qualifies as low impact. Plyometric and power-focused movements cross the line. Box jumps, squat jumps, burpees with a jump at the top, and clap push-ups all involve leaving the ground and landing, which generates significant impact forces through your joints. These movements are common in CrossFit-style workouts, boot camps, and some athletic training programs.
If you want to keep your training strictly low impact, simple swaps exist for every high-impact move:
- Box jumps: Replace with step-ups. You activate the same glute and leg muscles, but one foot is always on the box or the ground.
- Squat jumps: Replace with squat-to-calf raises. You power up from the squat into a tip-toe position, getting a similar muscular demand without the hard landing.
- Burpees: Use a box for modified box burpees, stepping back into a plank and stepping forward to stand, rather than jumping.
- Mountain climbers: Replace with dead bugs, which train the same core stability from a lying position.
- Jumping jacks: Replace with side steps using the same arm motion.
You Won’t Sacrifice Results
A common worry is that avoiding explosive, high-impact movements means slower progress. Research suggests otherwise, at least for muscle growth. Studies comparing high-load training with lower-load, higher-volume training have found that both approaches produce similar increases in muscle size. One study published in Frontiers in Physiology found that higher-volume training actually produced a 3.2% increase in thigh muscle cross-sectional area over six weeks, while the heavier-load group saw essentially no change in that same measurement.
Heavier loads do appear to have an edge for building maximal strength, the ability to lift the heaviest possible weight for one rep. But for overall muscle development and general fitness, controlled, low-impact resistance training is equally effective. The stimulus that drives muscle growth is mechanical tension and fatigue in the muscle, not how hard you hit the ground.
Strength Training With Arthritis or Joint Issues
Strength training’s low-impact nature makes it one of the most recommended forms of exercise for people with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. The key is timing and modification. Schedule workouts for times of day when stiffness and inflammation are at their lowest. Warm up with a few minutes of walking while gently moving your arms and joints through different positions. Work within a comfortable range of motion, and if a particular movement causes significant pain, stop.
For rheumatoid arthritis specifically, balancing rest and exercise matters. Avoid training joints that are actively inflamed, and wait until the flare subsides before loading them again. In some cases, water-based exercise may be a better short-term option than land-based lifting, since buoyancy reduces joint stress even further. But once inflammation is controlled, progressive strength training remains one of the best tools for protecting joint health long-term, building the surrounding muscle that stabilizes and cushions those joints during daily life.