We often associate exercise with pushing yourself to the maximum, running miles and miles, or doing a session of intense powerlifting. But there are also many benefits to lower-intensity workouts, like walking, hiking, swimming, yoga, resistance training, riding a bike or hopping on the elliptical.

Low-intensity training is when you are training between 57 to 63% of your maximum heart rate for a sustained period of 30 minutes or more, said Brian Nunez , a performance coach and master trainer for Nike.

This type of exercise is typically performed at a steady and consistent pace, in contrast to high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, which mixes periods of maximum effort and rest.

Low-intensity workouts can give you the cardiovascular benefits of higher-intensity fitness without the impact or stress on your joints, Nunez said. They can also be done after another workout as a cooldown or as a recovery day exercise to keep the body active in between harder sessions.

Low-intensity training is also great for people starting out or those coming back from a long break of working out, Nunez said. Low-intensity workouts, like walking, can be easier to commit to than a daily HIIT class, too. And consistency, Nunez stressed, will always trump intensity in terms of the health and sustainability of any worthy goal.

If all that doesnt convince you, here are nine reasons to give a low-intensity workout a try:

Youll Experience Increased Brain Activity

Low-intensity exercise is showing positive side effects in improving all sorts of mental illnesses and cognitive dysfunctions, said Dylan Knight, a Los Angeles-based personal trainer and the CEO of Fitness From Within Personal Training .

A 2019 study conducted by Germanys University Hospital Bonn measured the effects of both high-intensity and low-intensity exercises on the brain. A group of athletes performed the two separate intensities on different days, with MRIs measuring brain activity in response to both types of training levels.

Interestingly, the findings ... revealed a major difference between them. The high-intensity exercise showed a greater effect in emotional intelligence, whereas the low-intensity exercise had shown a greater improvement in cognition and attentional response levels, Knight said.

So not only does exercise in general make you more emotionally regulated as a person, but low-intensity exercise specifically plays a positive effect on a persons neuroplasticity levels in the long term as well.

Its Easier On Your Body

While performing exercises at a less intense rate, you are applying less stress to your muscles and joints, said Jessica Domi, a certified personal trainer and the director of operations with Fredericksburg Fitness Studio in Virginia.

High-intensity exercises, on the other hand, can sometimes lead to overuse injuries. Low-intensity also means less time under heavy loads, which also creates a reduced risk for muscle strains and inflamed joints, said Katie Kollath, a co-owner of Colorados Barpath Fitness .