Effective fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your routine includes aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core exercise and balance training.
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 you 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 your 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 and resistance bands are inexpensive options. Your own body weight counts, too.
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. As an aside, remember my personal mission in fitness is to demonstrate that core strength can happen without getting on the floor.
Balance training: Older adults in particular should include 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 t'ai 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. Before you stretch, warm up by walking or doing a favorite exercise at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch immediately after you exercise when your muscles are warm. Ideally, you will stretch whenever you exercise.
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 plan. It isn't necessary to fit each of these elements into every fitness session, but factoring them into your regular weekly routine can help promote fitness for life.
Find activities that are fun for you so that you are more likely to incorporate them into a sustainable routine. Think about group classes and activities to add both companionship and socialization to the mix.
In my own structure of classes, here are the types of fitness activity you can experience during each.
Zumba Fitness: cardio (moderate to high impact and intensity) and flexibility
Zumba Toning: strength, cardio, core, balance and flexibility
Zumba Sentao: strength, cardio, core and flexibility
Zumba Gold: cardio (low impact and moderate intensity), balance and flexibility
barbarajlaird.zumba.com
gettingfitwithbj@gmail.com
