4 Common Types of Exercise

According to the CDC, only about 23% of Americans get enough exercise.

If you’re looking to get in shape, the best way to do it is to start exercising. Building great exercise habits will help you lose weight and improve your health in almost every important area. These workout habits aren’t easy to build, but with hard work and determination, you can make it part of your daily routine.

It all starts with knowing the different types of exercise and how they can help you. In this post, we’re going to go over 4 of the most common types of exercise. Keep reading, and you’ll have a thorough fitness guide that’ll help you get started on your fitness journey.

1. Cardio Exercise

Cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise has to do with the sustained movement of large muscle groups. It raises your heart rate and breathing to a moderate – or higher – level of intensity for at least 10 minutes.

The end result of this type of exercise is the relaxation of blood vessels, as well as the more efficient transport of oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. It also lowers your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and boosts your good cholesterol (HDL) levels.

So, what does cardio exercise entail? 

Cardio involves activities where you’re moving your body. Things like running, jogging, cycling, and playing most types of sports. As you start your cardio exercises, gradually increase the intensity of the activity over time, and you’ll experience the following benefits:

• Better heart and brain health
• Increased metabolism
• Weight loss
• Better immune function
• Better flexibility and less joint stiffness

Try to put in at least 3 days per week of cardio exercise, but the more you can do the better. Whether you’re running on a treadmill or playing sports outside, you’ll feel the physical and mental benefits of cardio almost immediately.

2. Anaerobic Exercise

Anaerobic fitness involves short bursts of energy that help to form lactate by breaking down sugar, which gives you energy without the need for oxygen. Anaerobic exercise boosts power, speed, and strength and includes things like sprinting, powerlifting, isometrics, plyometrics, and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Weight or strength training is a huge component of this type of exercise. The goal is to use your body weight or external resistance, such as free weights or machines, to build muscle tissue in the body. The major muscle groups include the chest, shoulders, arms, legs, abdomen, glutes, and back.

To ensure that you’re optimizing your anaerobic workout, WebMD recommends that you spend at least 5 minutes warming up. After that, focus on your larger muscle groups, then move on to the smaller ones. Typically, you’d do 3 sets of 8-15 repetitions of each exercise and do around 10 exercises per routine.

Anaerobic exercise can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s helpful to consult with a physician, especially if you’ve got any joint or muscle pains. To learn how to do each exercise properly, consider doing a session with a personal trainer first.

3. Balance Exercise

When you’re exercising for stability, you’re going to do more controlled movements at a much slower pace. The goal is to engage your core muscles, like the back, abs, and pelvis. With a good routine, you can improve coordination and equilibrium, which improves posture and stability.

It’s really important for everyone to engage these muscle groups, but even more important as you get older. If you’re having trouble with things like lifting objects, using stairs, or getting out of a seated position, perform balance exercises.

The weaker your core muscles are, the more difficult it is to perform basic daily activities. Some examples of exercises that you can do to improve your stability include planks, push-ups, glute bridges, as well as pilates, tai chi, or some forms of yoga.

Start with a light workload and gradually increase the number of repetitions and the difficulty of the exercise. Balance exercises can also help with your overall focus and clear your mind in a very meditative way.

4. Joint Flexibility Exercise

Consistent flexibility exercise will help to strengthen your joints and muscle tissue. They’re extremely important for both mobility and avoiding deterioration due to age, overexertion, and injury. The goal of any flexibility workout is to increase the length and elasticity of your muscles, which gives you a better range of motion and prevents injury. 

Easily the most popular flexibility exercise right now is yoga. Yoga is proven to reduce chronic pain and arthritis while building core strength and boosting mental health. It also lowers blood pressure and improves cardio health.

The importance of stretching before any type of exercise can’t be understated. Whether you’re doing strength training or going for a run, you need to stretch to prepare your joints for what’s to come. 

Simple stretching is also important. These are things you can do as soon as you wake up to get your body ready for the day. A few simple stretches might include:

• Lay flat on your stomach and gently raise your head and chest
• Lay on your back and gently bring each knee up to your chest, holding it in place with your hands
• Lay on your back with one knee raised, then roll it over to the opposite side while keeping your shoulders on the ground
• Sit on the edge of your seat with your feet flat, then lock your fingers and reach forward, bending from the middle of the back
• Stand up with your feet hip-width apart, then reach back and grab your left foot with your left hand and hold it and do the same with the right

All Types of Exercise Are Beneficial

All of these types of exercise are beneficial and crucial to your overall health moving forward. Whether you’re a seasoned gym rat or just starting out, a balanced exercise routine can keep you feeling better for longer. 

We know that it can be difficult to stay motivated, but it helps to have a comfortable place to go to exercise. At Fitness CF Gyms, our central Florida health clubs are perfect for every level of fitness. 

We’ve got all of the equipment and personnel you’ll need to do cardio, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises. Check out our website today to learn more about memberships, and don’t hesitate to pop in for a visit ASAP.