The more elusive question than what happens after death might be what kind of exercise works best. Unfortunately, it’s not a one size fits all cardigan you can just borrow from your friend. Finding what workout works best for you may take a little trial and error, but it should be a fun process. Remember working out is not a punishment.
Let’s be honest people don’t just wake up one day in pursuit of what kind of exercise works best just for fun. Well, some might, but the majority of the population doesn’t without some kind of goal in mind. And that goal can and should be totally self-serving. Workouts are meant to serve you in the best way. If your goal is to lose weight, pull off your new bikini with confidence, or just challenge your body, they all work. A goal should be measurable and attainable. Don’t make it vague like ‘I want to get healthy’ you have to make it specific like I want to lose 15 pounds in 5 months.
Once you have a solid goal in mind, you can start researching and exploring what kind of exercise works best to help you achieve that goal. Don’t make your goal unrealistic because you’ll lose motivation and be less likely to stick to your routine.
Don’t let it be surface level with what is motivating you to find out what exercise works best to achieve your goal. Remember your goal is your ideal end, but some days that just isn’t enough to keep you doing burpees or running on the treadmill. Looking good in a bikini won’t push you as hard as the motivation to lose weight so you can correct your pre-diabetic condition. It’s okay for your goal and your motivation to be different they will both play huge roles in finding what kind of exercise works best for you. You’ll want it to be something you enjoy doing so you crush that goal and have something that helps your motivation.
Now it’s time to get practical in your pursuit of which exercise works best for you. Look at your current schedule, including your downtime at night and the time you get up in the morning. Where can you fit in a workout and for how long while still getting done everything you need to get done? We aren’t here to tell you to sacrifice your Netflix binge-watching for a workout session, but you’ll have to make some sacrifices to your routine to find out what kind of exercise works best for you. That includes what time works best for you.
If you like to sleep in until 8 a.m. don’t sign up for a 5 a.m. pilates class. Jumping straight off the deep end without testing the water first isn’t the best way to figure out what kind of exercise works best for you.
Misconceptions about which workouts do what to your body might be a huge turnoff from even starting to figure out what kind of exercise works best. There are two main ones that need to be addressed so you can start out on your journey correctly.
First of all, weight training increases lean muscle mass which in turn tones out your body. Women, generally speaking, don’t have enough testosterone in their system to become the next Dwane The Rock Johnson. A benefit to weight training as described by Jacque Crockford, CSCS, spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise in a ‘Shape’ article, the more lean muscles you have in your body the more calories you burn even just sitting at a table. In regards to the bulky myth, remember that fitness at any level takes time to see physical results. You won’t wake up after two weeks of strength training and see you turned into the Hulk. To achieve a body composition like that you’d have to maintain a strict regime and diet for years.
Only focusing on cardio in your pursuit of what kind of exercise is best, especially if you’re looking to burn fat won’t get lasting results that keep you going. According to ‘Shape’s’ article “8 Myths About Doing Cardio for Weight Loss—and How to Really Exercise to Lose Weight” your body will soon hit a plateau and you won’t see the quick fat burning results from only doing cardio. You want to compliment cardio exercises with strength training/resistance workouts to maximize burning fat.
Finding what kind of exercise works best for you isn’t just about the movements that get you the best results because if you hate them, you won’t stick to the routine you’re supposed to be doing with them. If you hate running, find a different form of cardio like boxing, cycling, or hiking.
Looking forward to the exercise you’ll be doing that day means you won’t have to play the mental battle of getting yourself in the car or in your gym clothes. Post-work high is a very real thing and will only be maximized when you enjoying the movement.
Expand your mind past free weights, treadmills, and stationary bikes for figuring out what kind of exercise works best. The workout out world is full of fun and unexpected classes such as aerial yoga, zumba, pole dancing classes, obstacle course training, honestly if you can think it, there is probably a class for it.
Even if you’re bad at it the first time you try, don’t let that deter you from returning. If you enjoyed the class or exercise and had a ton of fun, keep it up! Figuring out what kind of exercise works best for you means really exploring the ‘alternative’ ways of working out. As long as you’re sweating, stretching your muscles, and getting your heart rate up, you are doing what you should be.
Even with a goal, your personal motivation, and finding an exercise you like, getting up and actually doing the work can be hard. When you recruit a friend in the process of figuring out what kind of exercise works best for you, they are an external motivation that can keep you working harder and more consistently. They will hold you accountable to workout times and dates, which will be helpful on days when you really don’t want to go.
If they are fitness fanatics already, they can show you how to do specific exercises and keep you from hurting yourself. They’ll be your biggest motivators to keep going and really reach your goal.
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