What are the 3 basics of an exercise program?

Three key phases to exercise are the warmup, training, and the cool down.

During the warmup you ready the body for what’s to come. In the middle phase, you perform the strenuous work. And in the cool down period, you bring your body back to a resting state.

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

To be healthy we all know that we need to do some form of exercise on a regular basis. But choosing what type of exercise we should be doing, how long should we be doing it for and how hard should we be working while we are doing it can be a little confusing? A complete fitness and exercise program should incorporate three basic components: Endurance (Aerobic), Flexibility, and Strength. Each of these components has specific guidelines, which govern their effectiveness.

Endurance, specifically Aerobic Endurance, is probably the most frequently participated in aspect of fitness due to its wide-ranging benefits. To be effective aerobic exercise should be optimally performed four times a week for 30 minutes or more at a training heart rate of 50-90%. People who are just beginning may need to start at 5 minutes and then gradually add time on until they reach 30 minutes or more. Exercise should be one that elevates your heart rate into your target range, is continuous in nature, and uses large muscle groups. Some examples of aerobic type exercise are Walking, Jogging, Running, Swimming, Bicycling, Stair Climbing, Rowing, Jumping Rope, Aerobics class, and Dancing.

For whatever reason Flexibility is one of the most often neglected aspects of a fitness program. We need to remember that muscles that lack flexibility do not move as well, which can restrict the movement of our joints and increase the risk of injury. Flexibility type exercise is best done when the muscle is warm. Warm muscles perform better. Active short duration flexibility exercises of 5-10 seconds, can be performed as part of a warm-up. Static flexibility exercises, where the exercise is held for longer duration’s, 30-60 seconds , should be performed at the conclusion of the exercise session.

Resistance training allows the body to retain and increase muscle mass. When we lose muscle mass we not only lose strength but decrease our metabolism. Increases in strength allow us to perform our everyday activities a little easier. Resistance training sessions can be performed two or more times a week and should incorporate all the major muscle groups. The amount of resistance and repetitions are dependent on what your over all goals are. The same muscle groups should not be exercised on successive days. Forty-eight hours rest should be given between strength sessions of the same muscle groups.

Each of these components is inter-dependent on the other and are necessary for a complete fitness program. They all can be incorporated into one exercise session. Contact your local fitness professional if you need additional assistance in organizing your program.

If you’re fairly active and plan your workout routines ahead of time, we applaud you! Knowing what you are doing ahead of time is being mindful of your body, keeping yourself accountable, and understanding how to rest properly.

However, if you’re looking to create a smarter schedule, we recommend including three essential components: breathing, strength, and flexibility.

By incorporating these elements, you can create an effective workout plan that will increase stamina, endurance, and overall body wellness.

Breathing

Breathing doesn’t always get the attention it deserves when we workout, which is normal because we often don’t need to think about it. However, when we do pay attention to our breathing, there are tremendous benefits to any physical fitness routine.

Training your breathing muscles will help increase lung capacity, leading to better performance during aerobic activities. It also works the diaphragm, which is part of the body’s ‘core’ and provides the necessary stability for moving and lifting as well.

Aerobic exercises allow us to breathe faster and more deeply, thus maximizing oxygen levels in the blood. The better we are at aerobic fitness, the more efficient the heart, lungs, and blood vessels are at transporting oxygen around the body – making routine physical tasks much easier to handle.

Click here for a cardio routine using only toilet paper!

Strength

Building up strength and endurance is another crucial part of a proper workout plan. The benefits of properly executed strength training include increased bone density, muscle strength, improved cardiac function, and higher metabolism.

More obvious benefits include enhanced muscle tone, so strength training is excellent when used alongside aerobic exercises as part of a weight-loss routine.

One thing we do want to emphasize is building your core strength. Made up of the abdominal wall, pelvis, lower back, and diaphragm, strengthening your core is essential to stabilizing your body during movement so you can prevent injury!

Other benefits include improved posture, provide better strength for joints, and assist in other physical activities such as holding your child, carrying heavy bags, or lifting a bike onto a bike rack.

Click here for a strength training routine using only a chair!

Flexibility

Staying limber means including flexibility training in your routine as it can really help to increase mobility while boosting athletic performance.

Flexibility can be improved through dynamic or static stretches. Before a workout, dynamic stretching (warm-up) will prepare your muscles for a hearty workout. After your workout, static stretching (cool-down) is necessary while the muscles are still warm and pliable.

While you’re stretching, check-in with your breath as it can help relax your mind and allow you to focus on getting your movement right. Take it a step further and plan a workout focused on flexibility, such as yoga.

Finally, stretching should never hurt. Instead, treat each stretch like a question and ask yourself: Does it hurt? Am I limbering up after 15 seconds? Can I stretch a little further without pain?

Flexibility is different for everyone, where some people may have tight hamstrings, while others will find shoulder movement more difficult. So again, find stretching exercises tailored to your body that doesn’t hurt you.

‘Bouncing’ stretches are not recommended as they can cause injury.

Start planning!

Balancing these three components into your workout plan is the best way to maximize your exercises so you can decrease the risk of picking up injuries from everyday activities.