This question comes up a lot. Whilst any amount of exercise is better than none, ideally it’s important to get a good combination of different types of exercise to work the different energy systems in the body.
I like to divide it into three different types of exercise: aerobic, strength and flexibility and balance:
Aerobic
Aerobic exercise is any continuous activity which increases heart rate and can be sustained over a relatively long period. Aerobic exercise is good for building and maintaining cardiovascular and respiratory fitness. It can reduce the risk of developing many cancers, type two diabetes and the risk of early death by up to 30%.
Examples are brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming, dancing, cycling, fitness classes, rowing and hiking.
It’s good to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week spread over 4 to 5 days or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise spread across the week (NHS guidelines).
Strength
Strength based exercises use resistance to build and strengthen muscles, joints, bones, tendons and ligaments. Strength training is particularly important as we age as it protects against muscle and bone decline and osteoarthritis. Having strong muscles can help reduce aches and pains and promote good posture.
Weight bearing exercises don’t necessarily mean having to go to the gym and lift heavy weights. There are lots of strength based exercises you can do in your own home with no equipment.
Examples of body weight exercises are squats, press-ups, lunges, tricep dips, wall sits etc. You will also work your major muscles by doing every day chores such as housework, picking up young children and gardening.
Aim for at least two sessions of strength training a week working all of the major muscle groups (NHS guidelines).
Flexibility and balance
Increasing flexibility and balance are important components in overall fitness. Flexibility and balance exercises can improve joint movement and optimise motor skills. Flexibility exercises require stretching the muscles without any sudden or high impact movements. This can help with moveabilty and reduce the risk of falling as we age as well as keeping our bodies strong and subtle. It can also lead to improved posture, contribute to enhanced sports performance and have enormous benefits for mental health.
Flexibility and balance exercises include yoga and pilates. These exercises can also contribute to strength training. Tennis, squash, t’ai chi and dance are good examples of exercises combining balance with aerobic fitness.
I’ll be writing more detailed posts on each of the three types of exercise in my next posts so look out for more coming soon!