Move more, feel better!
Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your health. However, working it into your routine and sticking with it can take some determination and discipline. Certain strategies can help you keep it up.
If you exercise regularly, you’ll begin to see and feel the benefits it can have on your body and well-being quickly. If you are just beginning your athletic journey, consider starting your exercise routine with some of these various types of exercise:
Aerobic. The core of any fitness program should include some form of continuous movement. Examples include swimming, running, and dancing.
Strength. These exercises help increase muscle power and strength. Examples include resistance training, weightlifting, and sprinting.
Calisthenics. These moves are usually performed without gym equipment using large muscle groups. They’re done at a medium aerobic pace. Examples include lunges, sit-ups, pushups, and pullups.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT). This type of exercise includes repetitions of short bursts of high-intensity exercise followed by low-intensity exercises or rest periods.
Boot camps. These are timed-based, high-intensity circuits that combine aerobic and resistance exercises.
Balance or stability. These exercises are designed to strengthen muscles and improves body coordination. Examples include Pilates, tai chi poses, and core-strengthening exercises.
Flexibility. These types of exercises help muscle recovery, maintain range of motion, and prevent injuries. Examples include yoga or individual muscle-stretch movements.
The activities above can be done individually or combined. The important thing is to do what works best for you and to have fun with it.
When planning a health routine as an athlete, you should consider your fitness goals. Are you starting a fitness program to help lose weight or are you preparing to start a sport?
The key is to start slowly and build your activity into your daily life. Make sure it is balanced across the various types of exercises available.
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