by: Sarah
Are you ready to take control of your life, to get back on track and become the person you always wanted to be? If so then there are some basic types of exercises you need to know about before you do anything. Remember that making a change is about consistency and motivation. Don’t just start out with a lot of exercise, a lot of weight and expect to get very far. Put the correct goals in place and then take the steps to get to your goals.
There are three main types of exercise to include in your basic exercise program, range of motion, strengthening and endurance. Depending upon what your goals are will determine in which order to develop your routine.
Range of motion: Range of motion exercises are designed to increase the flexibility of joints. They reduce stiffness allowing the joint to move freely throughout its full range of motion. Depending upon your body type, your muscle strength and your previous activity will determine where your starting range of motion is. Remember to never push past your set range of motion, because you may end up injuring yourself, which causes a set back (most people have trouble returning to physical activity after an injury or set back). Range of motion exercises can be a simple as stretching after you get up in the morning or as difficult as running a mile. Range of motion exercises can be preformed everyday or every other day at a minimum.
Strengthen: Strengthening exercises are designed to increase muscle function. Unfortunately most people only strengthen one set of muscles but forget to strength the muscles contra laterally. For example, people work on their abdominals to get a 6 pack but completely forget to strengthen their lower back. This can lead to lower back problems down the road because the back muscles are weaker than the abdominals so they are more susceptible to injury. It is important to strengthen all muscles and not just one or two sets of muscles.
There are two types of strengthening exercises: isometric and isotonic. Isometric exercises tighten the muscles without moving the joints. Isometric exercises are done in static positions, meaning staying in one position. On the other hand isotonic exercises require moving of the joints to strengthen muscle movements. As you contract one muscle you use another muscle to do the exercise, this is how the muscle becomes strengthened. It is recommended to do strengthening exercises every other day.
Endurance: Endurance exercises are done to improve stamina, the ability to exert oneself for long periods of time. Endurance exercises are normally done through aerobic or anaerobic exercise. This improves the cardiovascular system and is good for weight control. Endurance exercise can be done on a daily basis for 20-30 minutes. For longer periods of endurance exercising, limit to every other day.
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