Understanding the Basics of Exercise to Achieve Mindful Movement
Everyone has certain fitness goals that they’d like to achieve, whether that is build muscle or lose weight. There are 3 different categories of exercise that provide different results and purposes. Let’s see if you’re doing the right exercise for your goals!
Number 1: Cardio. Cardio stands for cardiovascular exercise; therefore, this certain exercise (surprisingly!) improves the function of your heart. How you might ask? By raising your heart and increasing your breathing, there is more blood flow in those small vessels where fatty acids can build and rest. Many different exercises are subcategories under cardio that could be catered towards your preferences. Walking, running, biking, boxing, and dancing are all considered cardio.
High Intensity Intervals is a subcategory of cardio that has specific movements and purposes that needs to be explained a bit more. This type of cardio exercise combines slow and fast paces with a rest period. This exercise tends to spike your heart rate more than a cardio exercise like a run. High intensity intervals tend to use muscle fibers like ATP. ATP, specifically, is known as the anaerobic system which provides a burst of energy without the use of oxygen causing the body to burn fat even after the exercise is done.
Another type of cardio with specific movements and purpose is long slow distance. When your heart is at a steady rate for over 30 minutes doing some time of cardio, this can be considered a long slow distance. What’s so particular about this exercise is that your heart rate is in the fat burning zone for a steady but long period of time. In addition, these slower cardio exercises help with body recovery!
Number 2: Strength Training. With no surprise here, strength training builds strength! Your body is resisting a weight that causes the muscles to break down and rebuild stronger. With that being said, those muscles can only become stronger with the proper training and recovery. This type of exercise could be really beneficial for your bones and muscles. The more the muscles, the better metabolism. Remember that muscles actually burn more calories than fat!
Number 3: Flexibility. This form of exercise often gets overlooked yet it is so important for your physical health. Flexibility improves your range of motion so in turn, your body tends to have less injuries. Any exercise from yoga to pilates to barre, target that flexibility.
A good takeaway from this is that it’s important to change up your exercise routine and take care of your body. Too much of one thing is not always good. Mental health is just as important as physical health. In which case, do workouts that make you feel good inside and out. Try incorporating all 3 types of exercises to have a well-balanced workout plan.