The word exercise means different things to each one of us, but according to the American heart association and other health organizations exercising falls into four main types and these types of exercises are:
1- Endurance Exercise (Aerobic Exercise)
2- Strength Exercise (Resistance Training)
3- Balance Exercise
4- Flexibility Exercise
Photo by Nicole De Khors from Burst
people always tend to stick to one type of the four types of exercises, and we think that’s enough. The truth is doing all four types of exercises will benefit you more, whereas mixing it up will make working out routine more exciting; which will reduce the chances of getting bored and injured.
“They don’t all need to be done every day, but variety helps keep the body fit and healthy, and makes exercise interesting. You can do a variety of exercises to keep the body fit and healthy and to keep your physical activity routine exciting” (the American Heart Association)
In this post, we will talk about each type briefly with examples of the exercises that each one of them has.
Endurance Exercise (Aerobic Exercise):
This type of exercise increases your breathing and heart rate, which keeps your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy. Aerobic exercise improves the overall fitness of the person so, if you do this type of exercise regularly, you will reduce the risk of getting diseases such as heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Not only that, but it will also make it easier for you to carry out your daily activities.
Here are some exercises that you can do to build your endurance:
• Swimming
• Biking
• Climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator
• Dancing
• Running/Jogging
• Playing Tennis
• Playing Soccer
• Playing Basketball
Strength Exercise (Resistance Training):
Strength exercise targets your muscles, and the main goal of this type of exercise is to develop your muscles. Resistance training increases lean muscle mass which will lead to reducing body fat. The reason is that lean muscle burns more fat and calories than any other tissue.
Most people go to the gym and their sole game is losing weight which is great but you should know that just doing cardio will not only burn body fat but also reduces your muscle mass. So, you must do some resistance training to keep your muscle mass and gain more.
Strength training can benefit you in many ways such as increasing your muscle mass, increasing your muscle strength which will make your daily activity easier, is great for your bone health, and lower the risk of injuries in the future because having muscle mass is great support for your joints.
Here are some exercises that you can do to build your Strength:
• Using weight machines at the gym
• Weight Lifting
• Using Resistance bands
Balance Exercise:
Having balance is an important thing, especially for older adults, where it can prevent falls. Also, this type of exercise can benefit those people who are obese because weight is not distributed evenly throughout the body.
Here are some exercises that you can do to build your Balance:
• Yoga
• Tai Chi
• Lower body strength exercises can help you improve your balance
Flexibility Exercise:
The majority of us overlook flexibility whenever we think about exercise; though being flexible is important because it improves your quality of life. This type of exercise stretches your muscles which will help your body stay flexible. As a result, you will gain more freedom of movement for other exercises or your daily activities.
Here are some exercises that you can do to improve your flexibility:
• Yoga
• Pilates
• Stretches
Leading a Healthy Life:
Exercising and physical activity is the only way to go if you want to improve the quality of your life and lead a healthy one. As you age many changes happen to your bones, muscles, and joints; where they become weaker than ever.
Exercising is the only way to reduce the effect of aging on your body, so we can lead a healthy life till the end. The four types of exercises that we listed above are there for you to choose from, and do the kind of exercise that makes you happy and healthy.
I would love to hear your opinion on today’s topic, and if you have anything to add please do comment below
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