Physical Training: Elements of a Complete Routine
Physical training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your routine includes aerobic conditioning, strength training, core exercises, balance and flexibility training, and stretching.
related information
- Strength Training: Collection of Instructional Videos - Related InformationStrength Training: Collection of Instructional Videos
- Slideshow: Core Strengthening Exercises - Related InformationSlideshow: Core Strength Improvement Exercises
- Slide Show: Balance Exercises - Related InformationSlide show: balance exercises
- Slideshow: A Guide to Basic Stretches - Related InformationSlideshow: A Guide to Basic Stretches
Perhaps you are just beginning to take your first steps towards fitness. Or you love sports and want to improve your results. Either way, a complete fitness training plan is essential. Add these five elements to your fitness routine for a balanced routine.
aerobic capacity
Aerobic activity, also known as cardiovascular or resistance activity, is at the core of most physical training programs. Aerobic activity or exercise makes you breathe faster and deeper. Breathing increases the amount of oxygen in the blood. The heart beats faster, causing more blood to flow to the muscles and back to the lungs.
The better your aerobic condition, the more efficiently your heart, lungs, and blood vessels move oxygen throughout your body. And it will likely be easier to perform routine physical tasks.
Aerobic activity includes any physical activity that engages large muscle groups and increases your heart rate, such as:
- Go.
- Carrera.
- Cycle.
- Nadar.
- Baile.
- water aerobics.
- collection of leaves.
- snow clearing.
- striving.
For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity per week, or a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest that you spread this exercise out over a week. To help lose weight or maintain a healthy weight, at least 300 minutes per week is recommended. You can even break your activity into shorter workouts and try to move more throughout the day. Any amount is better than nothing.
You can also try high-intensity interval training, also known as HIIT.HIITinvolves short bursts of intense activity lasting about 30 seconds. You then have recovery periods from lighter activities of about 1 to 2 minutes. So you can e.g. B. switch between brisk walking and relaxed walking. Or add jogging to your brisk walks.
weight training
Strength training is another important part of a fitness training plan. Muscle fitness can help you increase bone strength and muscle fitness. And it can help you maintain a healthy weight or lose weight. They can also improve your ability to perform daily activities. Aim to strength train all major muscle groups at least twice a week.
Most gyms offer a variety of resistance machines, free weights, and other strength-training equipment. But you don't have to be a gym member or buy expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength training.
Hand weights or homemade weights like plastic bottles filled with water or sand can also work. Or use inexpensive resistance bands. Your own body weight also counts. Try push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, and squats.
basic exercises
The muscles in the abdominal area, also known as the stomach, lower back, and pelvis, are known as the core muscles. The core muscles protect the back and connect the movements of the upper and lower body. Core strength is an important part of a complete physical training program.
Core exercises help train the muscles to support the spine in your back. And they help you use your upper and lower body muscles more effectively. So what counts as a core exercise? A compound exercise is any exercise that engages the core of the body without support. Some basic exercises are bridges, planks, crunches and fitness ball exercises.
balance training
Balance exercises can help you keep your balance at any age. Older adults in particular should exercise regularly to maintain or improve their balance. This is important because balance tends to deteriorate with age. A lack of balance can lead to falls and broken bones, known as fractures. Balance exercises can help older people avoid falls and continue to do things independently.
But everyone can be helped by balance training. It can help stabilize the core muscles, which is called stabilizing. Try standing on one leg for long periods of time to improve your stability. Activities like tai chi can also improve balance.
flexibility and stretch
Flexibility is an important part of physical fitness. Try incorporating stretching and flexibility activities into a fitness plan. Stretching exercises can help increase flexibility. Being more flexible can make many everyday activities easier.
Stretching can also improve the range of motion of the joint. And stretching can help improve posture. Regular stretching can even help relieve stress and tension.
Consider stretching after a workout when your muscles are warm and open to stretching. Try to hold your stretches for at least 30 seconds. If you want to stretch before exercising, warm up first. Walk or exercise for 5 to 10 minutes before stretching.
Try to stretch with every workout. If you don't exercise often, you can stretch at least 2-3 times a week after warming up to maintain flexibility. Activities like yoga will also help you stay flexible.
Got all the essentials
You can create your own fitness program or ask a personal trainer for help. But your complete exercise plan must have many parts. Try incorporating aerobic conditioning, strength training, core exercises, balance and flexibility training, and stretching into your exercise plan. You don't have to include each of these elements in every physical workout. But adding them to your regular routine can keep you fit for life.
From the Mayo Clinic to your inbox
Sign up for free and stay up to date with research advances, health tips and current health topics like COVID-19 and health management expertise.Click here to preview the email.
In order to provide you with the most relevant and useful information and to understand what information is useful, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this may contain proprietary health information. If we combine this information with your Protected Health Information, we will treat all such information as Protected Health Information and will use or disclose such information only as set forth in our Privacy Practices Statement. You can unsubscribe from email communications at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in the email.
1. November 2022
- Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. 2nd ed. United States Department of Health and Human Services. https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- Four types of exercises can improve your health and physical performance. National Institute on Aging. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/four-types-exercise-can-improve-your-health-and-physical-ability. October 11, 2022.
- Be hot, cool and flexible. American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/warm-up-cool-down-and-be-flexible. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- Ask the mayo expert. Physical activity (adult). Mayo Clinic; 2022.
- Resistance training for health. American College of Sports Medicine. https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/resource-library/detail?id=d0b4cc7b-1d6f-4b1a-ad20-182373d021e7. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
- MoreyMC. Physical activity and exercise in the elderly. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- Ratamess N. ACSM Fundamentals of Strength Training and Conditioning. 2nd edition Kindle version. Wolters Kluwer; 2022. Accessed October 14, 2022.
- High-intensity interval training. American College of Sports Medicine. https://www.acsm.org/education-resources/trending-topics-resources/resource-library/detail?id=5f13c6a6-854b-4a7c-a3d5-1ca524643594. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
products and services
- Healthy Living Program at the Mayo Clinic
- Solutions available under FSA/HSA coverage at the Mayo Clinic store
- Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine
- Health products are available at the Mayo Clinic Store
- Book: Mayo Clinic Home Remedies Book
- Book: Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, 5th Edition
- Book: Mayo Clinic 5 Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure
- The Mayo Clinic Diet online
- Newsletter: Mayo Clinic Health Letter - Digital Edition
- Livro: The Mayo Clinic's Diet Package
- Book: Live younger, longer
see also
- Slideshow: 5 smart exercise options for psoriatic arthritis
- Emphasize the positive to achieve lasting health changes
- A training date? Bet!
- Are you ready for a workout?
- Blutdoping
- training camp
- Can I exercise if I have atopic dermatitis?
- basic exercises
- Build a home gym without breaking the bank
- did you train today Reward yourself!
- Don't have a budget to train? Go cheap!
- Get dressed for winter training
- Early riser or late at night? Plan your exercise accordingly
- exercise benefits
- exercise and chronic illness.
- sports and illness
- Relaxation
- Exercise: Every minute counts!
- Sports with osteoarthritis
- Exercise: Ask your doctor
- do you train regularly Track your progress!
- fitness program
- Fitness: Take one step at a time
- Fitness-Motivation
- Fitness Ball Exercise Videos
- Fitness Barriers: Eliminators
- fitness program
- Fitness requires more than huffing and puffing
- Fitness tip: train at home
- Fitness tip: exercise at work
- Fitness Tip: Get your friends involved
- Getting fit after giving birth
- Rising up? take the stairs
- Golfers: knowing when to stop
- Golfers: Use your common sense
- Hanging out with friends? Activity matters!
- Do you hate sports? Try these tips
- heartbeat
- Hockey Row
- how fit are you
- Is exercise a chore? No longer!
- so that your training is fun
- Know when to move your winter training indoors
- marathons and heat
- BMI and Waist Calculator
- Mayo Clinic Minute: How to Reach Your Target Heart Rate
- Do you miss a workout? Do not give up!
- Do you need a gym to stay fit?
- Do you need motivation to exercise? put it on paper
- Do you need motivation to exercise? try a journal
- No pain no gain? No chance!
- Don't have time to train? No chance!
- Prevention of overuse injuries
- pregnancy and sports
- Core Strength Exercises
- stretch guide
- balance exercises
- Gymnastics ball
- Start a fitness program? slow down
- Starting an exercise program: Take time to rest
- Strength Training: Collection of Instructional Videos
- Too busy to exercise? wake up earlier
- Too sick to exercise?
- Walk to Fitness: Getting Started
- Want to get in shape? Try backyard aerobics!
- exercise in the cold
- Winter Weather Tip: Watch for signs of frost
- Work outside? Remember to drink
- training, blah? Don't go alone!
.