Ever wonder if your workout routine is well-rounded? Maximize the benefits of your workout by incorporating a combination of strength training, cardiovascular fitness, and flexibility training. By balancing these three components, you can improve your health and fitness levels while minimizing your risk of injury. Let’s explore how you can seamlessly incorporate these types of exercises into your routine.
Why do I need to incorporate different forms of exercise into my workout?
We all have particular types of exercise we favor more than others. Some of us enjoy running on the treadmill or biking around the neighborhood, while others have a passion for weight training or group classes. Your workout will certainly look different depending on your goals and your comfort level. Whether you aim to lose weight, build muscle, or enhance mobility, diversifying your exercises can be essential to achieve your intended goals. Varying your workout routine not only will decrease boredom and monotony, but also lowers your risk of injury and imbalances that occur when you focus on one form of exercise.
Adding Strength Training
Strength training refers to any form of exercise that uses resistance to build muscles. Common forms of strength training include lifting weights, bodyweight exercises like pushups or sit-ups, and resistance band work. Strength training will improve your bone density (leading to fewer fractures and decreased risk of osteoporosis), endurance, metabolism, and help with weight management.
Those new to strength training have tons of options on where to start. Start small and light with less weight, decreased sets, and solid rest times in between sets. Increase your weight slowly and remember to listen to your body. Remember that it’s sometimes easier to do more sets at a lower weight than a few sets at your highest weight.
Adding Cardiovascular Fitness
Cardiovascular fitness involves any type of exercise that gets your heart pumping. Swimming, walking, running, biking, and hiking are all great forms of cardio. Cardiovascular fitness will improve your heart health, blood sugar, and blood pressure while also increasing your lung capacity and endurance.
If you are new to cardiovascular fitness, a great way to start is as simple as a brisk walk or even a simple bike ride around your neighborhood! If you’re used to strength training, consider doing some jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees, or high knees for a couple of minutes in between sets.
Adding Flexibility Training
Flexibility training involves activities that aim to stretch your muscles until they are loosened or warmed up. Furthermore doing flexibility exercises regularly will provide you with more freedom of movement. Common forms of flexibility training include stretching, yoga, and more. Incorporating flexibility training into your regular routine can improve your range of mobility, reduce muscle tension or stiffness, and decrease your risk for injury.
Adding flexibility training to your workout can be as simple as taking time to stretch before and after your routine. If you experience tightness or discomfort in certain areas like your hips or shoulders, try stretches that target those specific muscle groups. Before any workout, it’s important to have a dynamic warmup that will prepare the body for exertion.
Finding The Right Workout for You
The best way to build your workout is to find a balance of things you enjoy. When you dislike your exercise regimen, it becomes that much harder to stick with it. If you’re not fond of the treadmill or cardio machines, consider a walk around the neighborhood instead. If lifting weights isn’t your thing, try using your own body weight to build your strength through pushups or squats.
“Don’t get discouraged if nothing changes in a week,” said Mary Kate Cogan, CPT of TPMG Strive Fitness and Sports Performance. Consistency is key when it comes to balancing your workout. Build a sustainable routine and remember to be patient.
If you’re looking for a place to start, taking a class with a qualified fitness instructor or personal trainer is a great option. They can help you discover different forms of exercise you’ve never tried before and show you ways to incorporate these new exercises into a sustainable and fun routine that fits your unique needs and fitness goals.
Get started on balancing your workout today with help from the personal trainers at TPMG Strive Fitness and Sports Performance. Our certified personal trainers and fitness educators will help you find ways to incorporate strength, cardio, and flexibility into your workout in sustainable ways.
About Mary Kate Cogan, CPT
Mary Kate Cogan, CPT is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the Athletics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). Mary Kate earned her degree from Averett University in Danville, Virginia, where she received her Bachelor of Science in Personal Training. Mary Kate will always enjoy working with athletes, but she loves working with older, everyday individuals the most. Helping someone grow the confidence to perform routine tasks without the worry of falling or injuring themselves, with a simple smile in return, makes her job worthwhile. Mary Kate emphasizes that you may not be able to control all of the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.
Mary Kate works at Strive Fitness and Sports Performance in Williamsburg, Virginia.
