Perhaps the question I get asked most frequently-but the one that also requires the most complicated answer-is: "What type of exercise should I be doing?" And while it is a completely reasonable and valid thing to ask, the answer is hardly simple.
To start off, the most important thing to do is identify your goals. From there, specific exercise selection becomes (at least somewhat) simpler.
Though the range of people's goals is practically infinite, my experience has led me to identify some common and reoccurring ones. So for simplicity's sake, I have narrowed it down to four categories: performance (strength and power), weight control, healthy heart, and flexibility/mobility.
The next task is to choose which type of exercise(s) fits your needs best. There are, of course, many more exercises than the ones I have listed, but the most general types of exercise I tend to see are: weight training, cardiovascular exercise (jogging, swimming, biking), interval training, and yoga.
Below is a table I created to help you determine what type of exercise is best suited to your goals (on a scale of one to three).
This is by no means a comprehensive analysis, nor is it set in stone; some simple tweaks can absolutely change the effects some of these types of exercises have. What I've done is give you a basic overview so that you can start to understand what effects different exercises have on our bodies.
Relating to topics from the chart, here are some important facts to take note of: Â By far the most important component of weight control is your diet. As the saying goes, "you can not out-train a lousy diet."
When done correctly, interval training (see HIIT training for more information) has fantastic training effects. However, it is extremely strenuous, and due to the amount of recovery time needed, it should be limited to 1-2x per week-and only for those who already have a solid exercise foundation.
Although you burn more calories during cardio exercise then you do during weight training, increasing muscle mass (weight training) increases your metabolism tremendously, resulting in more effective weight control.
Weight training should not, in any capacity, be limited to males. It has incredible advantages for both males and females alike (more on this topic coming soon).
Aside from general endurance, basic cardio exercise has little impact on performance.
Yoga has a positive effect on performance because it teaches you how to control movement and gain mobility through the important regions of your body (hips, t-spine, and shoulders). When you start to move more effectively, optimal technique and muscle recruitment follows.
For about 98 percent of the population, all exercise should be supplemented with mobility exercises. So back to my original question: What are your goals? For the majority of the population, your goals will likely be a combination of two or more of the aforementioned training types.
For example: If your intent is to make the Grade 12 basketball team this year, try some combination of interval training, weight training, and yoga. If you are getting older and want to improve your heart and general mobility and movement, try doing some yoga, cardio, and weights.
Get FitwithJosh And despite everything I have said, the absolute most important thing is that you just do something - exercise is not meant to be a stressful event. Remember, anything is better then nothing.
