If you want to make sure your workout routine is as close to perfect as possible, one of the things to focus on is what kind of exercises and workouts you are including, and whether there is a good variety or mix of styles. This kind of cross-training approach can be extremely good for you, allowing you to train your body in a variety of ways while also improving your overall stamina too. But what should you be sure to include in your regime?
In this post, we are going to show you some of the essential types of workouts that really should have a place, however small, in your workout routines. As long as you are doing some of each of these, you are going to see many more benefits.
Aerobic
Arguably the most important type of all, aerobic exercises are those which use and utilize your cardiovascular system, thereby helping to train and strengthen that system, so it improves in the future. This is the core of most physical exercise, so it is unlikely that you don’t have any of this in your workout routine – if you already have a routine. With aerobic activity, you are learning to breathe more quickly while working out, increasing how much oxygen your body has at any one time.
There are so many basic aerobic exercises to include in your workout, from simply running or jogging to swimming and HIIT. Even if all you have the time and room for is some simple stair exercises, you should endeavor to do those regularly, so you can make sure you are getting some aerobic exercise at least every day.
Muscle-Building
You don’t need to have a desire for big muscles in order to include some muscular workouts in your regime. There are many health benefits to working out your muscles, from increased blood flow to lower blood pressure and reduced risk of contracting diseases. You will also have a lot more energy, increased confidence, and you’ll find it easier to work out for longer without getting tired, as a result of developing your stamina.
Muscle exercises can be simple: such as using urethane plates and barbells to lift or simply using a homemade dumbbell to do the same. You can even build your muscle just by running while holding small weights. And again, if you engage in a regular HIIT regime, that is going to give you an opportunity to develop some muscle while also providing you with a chance to do aerobic activities.
Core
Your core is important for stability, safety, and overall wellbeing, especially if you plan to do a lot of exercise in other ways. Having a strong core will make pretty much everything easier. Your core relates to your stomach muscles, your pelvis, and your lower back – all of which are clearly important for daily living and a range of exercises. Therefore, ignore these muscle groups at your peril.
To improve your core, work on anything that builds those muscles. That includes pushups, bridges, planks and so on.
Balance
Without decent balance, you will probably find it a lot harder to be able to do anything that we have listed above. Good balance can actually be learned, and in order to do that, you need to ensure that you are following along with the right kinds of exercises. There are, as it happens, a lot of exercises which are especially good for improving your balance, such as stability drills and even something like tai chi. With better balance, you will also have more confidence to approach some of the more advanced exercise techniques.
Stretching
You need to stretch at a few different times in a workout. Most important are the warm-up and cool-down sessions at the beginning and end of the session. The warm-up should ideally consist of some simple but well-performed stretches over many parts of the body and should last around five minutes. The cool-down can be shorter, but is generally the same, with more of a focus on relaxing and loosening the muscles rather than getting them ready.
You can also incorporate stretching into the exercise itself, and something like yoga will of course be particularly beneficial for doing that. With enough stretching in your routine, you will be taking much better care of your bones, muscles, and skin, and you’ll find it easier to do whatever workout you need to do.
If you include all of those elements, your workouts will be a lot more effective on the whole.
