It’s 2020 and that means COVID and gym shutdowns. You’ve likely been forced out of your normal exercise routine.
That leaves you with 3 choices: try something new, stop exercising altogether, buy what you need to continue your routine.
If you’ve stopped exercising, then we need to have a different talk. But if you’re in one of the other categories, you’ve probably wondered what type of exercise is best to get you results. It seems like there’s a new fitness trend every day, and a lot of them look intriguing. I mean I use XBody for all my workouts, talk about trendy!
Here’s my guide to picking the right type of exercise for you and how to know whether to jump on a trend or ignore a fad.
What are your goals
It’s important to always start at the beginning.
What are you trying to accomplish with your exercise routine?
Do you want to run a marathon, climb a mountain, compete in a show, play with your grandkids, or lose 50 pounds?
All of these are great goals, but the methods to reach them will vary dramatically.
Take some time (more than 2 minutes) to talk yourself through your goal.
What do you want to achieve?
Why is that important to you?
What will be better when you reach it?
These questions are just a start but knowing where you want to go is the first step in getting there.
Once you know your goal, match an exercise type to it.
If you want to run a marathon do you need to be able to deadlift 500 pounds?
No.
You need to be able to run 26.22 miles without your body breaking down.
That means focusing on things like long distance running, lower body strength and stability, and the nutrition it will take to run for 4 hours straight.
You might also consider a psychologist, because anyone who wants to run a marathon is crazy!
Consistency is king
To reach your goal you need to be consistent.
There are lots of factors that will help you stay consistent with your exercise routine.
Do you enjoy what you’re doing?
If you hate running (like me) then adding running into your exercise routine is a sure-fire way to not stick to your exercise routine.
You don’t “need” one type of exercise. Find what brings a smile to your face.
Can your body take it?
This isn’t to say you can’t do something. Just that you should be smart. Past injuries or health conditions might affect what exercise is best for you or require extra development before starting a routine you want to try.
If you have chronic back pain, it’s probably smart to solve that before trying out a gymnastics class.
Does it fit your schedule?
If the nearest Pilates studio is 45 minutes away it might be tough for you to get there 3 times a week.
So, you need to make some adjustments.
Here are some questions to consider:
How can I make this as easy as possible for myself?
Is purchasing my own equipment a possibility?
What will I have to give up to fit this in my schedule?
The best type of exercise is the one you do consistently. If you struggle with staying consistent take a look at the cause and what you can change to fix it.
Push your limits
Working out can easily get tedious. You’re doing the same things over and over and it’s easy to get bored.
I like to overcome this by having workouts that push me harder than I thought I could go. Every time you do this you break through the expectations you have of yourself and set your limits just a little bit further.
There are other ways to do push your limits:
Learn a new exercise.
Try a new style, trade in that road bike for some climbing shoes.
Change your mindset on what a workout is (spoiler alert you don’t need to be in a gym to workout).
Challenge yourself mentally, meditate for 20 minutes, plank for 5 minutes, carry your groceries up 5 flights of stairs.
Pushing your limits can be tough to do on your own. Routine feels good.
If you’re in a rut, workout with that friend who can’t shut up about this new routine they found, grab a coach, or book a workout at a different gym.
Working out doesn’t have to be limited to the gym. Try new things, find what you love, stay consistent and push your boundaries. These are the keys to keeping exercise a part of your lifelong journey.
Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?
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