Getting regular exercise improves your heart and lung function, helps you maintain a healthy weight and lowers the risk of many chronic diseases. But it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the multitude of workout routines and fitness plans available. There’s also the problem of misinformation – social media fitness instructors and influencers often tout quick fixes that can actually hurt your health.
When it comes to exercise, there are six essential components: endurance (cardiovascular and cardio-respiratory), strength, flexibility, agility, and power. You should aim to incorporate activities that target each of these areas into your workout.
Endurance exercises, or aerobic activity, get your blood pumping and deliver oxygen to your body’s cells. They help you move more easily during everyday tasks and reduce the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Examples of aerobic activity include walking, biking, swimming, dancing, and playing sports.
Strength or resistance training builds muscles by exercising them against external resistance. This can be done with free weights, exercise bands, your own bodyweight, or by doing yoga and tai chi. Incorporating resistance training into your exercise routine helps strengthen muscles and build lean muscle mass.
Balance or stability exercises, also called core strengthening, can strengthen your abdominal and back muscles. They can also help you stand on one leg for longer periods of time and improve your balance. Incorporating exercises like planks, seated forward bends, and tai chi poses into your workout can help you stay balanced and improve coordination.
Flexibility and mobility exercises are a great way to stretch and improve your range of motion, which can ease pain and stiffness in your joints. They can also help you move more easily and keep you more mobile as you age.
It’s important to start small and gradually increase the frequency
and duration of your workouts as you gain confidence and strength. It’s also a good idea to talk with your doctor or an exercise physiologist before starting any new fitness program, as certain exercises can put too much strain on certain body parts. For example, running isn’t a good fit for someone with arthritic knees, and lifting heavy weights should be avoided by people who have
discs or spinal surgery. But don’t be discouraged if you have a health condition – even small bouts of exercise can make a big difference. In fact, if you can find activities you enjoy, getting regular exercise will be easier.So be creative, and think about ways you can work physical activity into your daily healthandfitness.health life, such as hiking on the weekend with friends or incorporating ballroom dance classes into your evenings. You may find that once you start, you don’t want to stop