Fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your routine includes aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core exercise and balance training.
Whether you're a novice taking the first steps toward fitness or an
exercise fanatic hoping to optimize your results, a well-rounded fitness
training program is essential. Include these five elements to create a
balanced routine.
Aerobic fitness
Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the
cornerstone of most fitness training programs. Aerobic exercise causes
you to breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of
oxygen in your blood. The better your aerobic fitness, the more
efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels transport oxygen
throughout your body — and the easier it is to complete routine physical
tasks and rise to unexpected challenges, such as running to your car in
the pouring rain.
Aerobic exercise includes any physical activity that uses large muscle
groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking,
swimming, dancing, water aerobics — even leaf raking, snow shoveling and
vacuuming. Aim for at least two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate
aerobic activity or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic
activity — preferably spread throughout the week.
Strength training
Muscular fitness is another key component of a fitness training program.
Strength training at least twice a week can help you increase bone
strength and muscular fitness. It can also help you maintain muscle mass
during a weight-loss program.
Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines, free weights and
other tools for strength training. But you don't need to invest in a
gym membership or expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength
training. Hand-held weights or homemade weights — such as plastic soft
drink bottles filled with water or sand — may work just as well.
Resistance bands are another inexpensive option. Your own body weight
counts, too. Try push-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats.
Core exercises
The muscles in your abdomen, lower back and pelvis — known as your core
muscles — help protect your back and connect upper and lower body
movements. Core strength is a key element of a well-rounded fitness
training program.
Core exercises help train your muscles to brace the spine and enable you
to use your upper and lower body muscles more effectively. So what
counts as a core exercise? Any exercise that uses the trunk of your body
without support, including abdominal crunches. You can also try various
core exercises with a fitness ball.
Balance training
Older adults in particular should include in their routine exercises to
maintain or improve balance. This is important because balance tends to
deteriorate with age, which can lead to falls and fractures. Try
standing on one leg for increasing periods of time to improve your
overall stability. Activities such as tai chi can promote balance, too.
Flexibility and stretching
Flexibility is an important part of physical fitness. Some types of
physical activity, such as dancing, require more flexibility than
others. Stretching exercises are effective in increasing flexibility,
and thereby can allow people to more easily do activities that require
greater flexibility. Stretching also improves the range of motion of
your joints and promotes better posture. Regular stretching can even
help relieve stress. For this reason, stretching and flexibility
activities are an appropriate part of a physical activity program.
Before you stretch, warm up by walking or doing a favorite exercise at
low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch after you
exercise — when your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching.
Ideally, you'll stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise
regularly, you might want to stretch at least three times a week after
warming up to maintain flexibility. Activities such as yoga promote
flexibility, too.
Cover all the bases
Whether you create your own fitness training program or enlist the help
of a personal trainer, aerobic fitness, strength training and core
exercises, balance training, and stretching and flexibility should be
part of your overall exercise plan. It isn't necessary to fit each of
these elements into every fitness session, but factoring them into your
regular routine can help you promote fitness for life.
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