Comprehensive fitness training contains five elements for good health and improving physical fitness. Make sure your fitness routine includes aerobics, strength training, core exercises, balance exercises, and mobility and stretching.
Whether you’re a beginner taking your first steps toward improving your fitness or a fitness enthusiast looking to improve your results, you need a well-rounded fitness training program. Create a balanced fitness routine and incorporate the 5 elements of a comprehensive fitness workout.
1. Aerobic training
Aerobic activity, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the foundation of most fitness programs. Aerobic exercise causes you to breathe faster and deeper, which increases the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your heart beats faster, which increases blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs. The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels carry oxygen throughout your body.
Aerobic activity includes any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, running, cycling, swimming, dancing, water aerobics – even raking leaves and vacuuming.
For most healthy adults, it is recommended that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines recommend that you spread your exercises over all days of the week. Break up your activities into shorter intervals and aim to move more each day. Any activity, no matter how short, is better than nothing!
If you’re more physically fit, you can try intense interval training, which involves alternating short intervals of intense activity (about 30 seconds) followed by active rest intervals of lighter activity (about three to four minutes). For example, intervals of brisk walking are followed by intervals of normal moderate walking.
2. Strength training
Strength is at the top of the motor skill hierarchy because it has the potential to develop other skills. Strength training is a key element of a well-planned fitness routine. It improves our performance and at the same time acts as a prevention against the occurrence of injuries. It builds and strengthens muscle condition, improves the density of bone tissues, helps in managing and overcoming daily activities and plays an important role in the weight loss process. Do muscle-strengthening activities two days a week .
Most fitness centers offer a variety of dedicated and multi-purpose machines for muscle strengthening, free weights, and other strength training equipment. The personal trainer in the fitness center is consulted about the use and correct execution of the exercises.
When you’re not at the fitness center, you can easily find yourself alone. Homemade dumbbells can be made from soft drink bottles filled with water or sand. Your weight also counts.
3. Exercises for the trunk
Most people think that the abdominal muscles are only the “six pack” or the muscles that can be seen on the front of the torso, but this is not the case.
The trunk muscles, or stabilizers, are a group of abdominal muscles, lower back muscles, and pelvic girdle muscles that functionally connect the upper and lower parts of the body. They strengthen the torso, ensure body stability, body control, protect and relieve the spine and prevent pain in the lower back.
Trunk muscles are the core of our body and represent the foundation of stability and strength. Strengthening the trunk muscles has a very important goal – to relieve pressure on the lumbar spine. By strengthening the abdominal, back and pelvic muscles, you will stabilize the torso and relieve the spine.
Perform core exercises slowly, correctly and in a controlled manner. Consult a personal trainer for proper execution. Do core exercises at least three times a week. The number of repetitions should be as many as you can handle, when you feel that the technique is getting worse, stop. Rest for a few seconds and continue only with the correct execution.
4. Balance and mobility exercises
Balance exercises help you maintain balance and mobility at all stages of life. They help stabilize the muscles of the trunk and are generally beneficial for everyone.
It is additionally recommended for older adults to incorporate exercises to maintain and improve balance into their physical activity. With age, balance and mobility deteriorate, which can lead to falls and fractures. Balance exercises can help seniors prevent falls and maintain independence.
Try standing on one leg and lengthen the hold interval to improve overall stability.
5. Stretching
Stretching is an extremely important part of any workout. Stretching exercises reduce the likelihood of further injuries, maintain muscle flexibility and help improve your body’s mobility in the long term. The important thing is to put in the effort, perform them correctly to acceptable limits, and never skip this part of the workout.
Comprehensive fitness training
Whether you’re running your own exercise program or enlisting the help of a personal trainer, a comprehensive exercise plan should include all 5 elements to progress and improve your fitness when executed correctly.