- Yin Yoga is a style that includes deep, slow stretching postures.
Did you know that exercise can be sorted into five categories of movement? And that each type has a specific physical impact on the body? Think of diversity in terms of cross training or simply that diversity in your program is a way to supplement your main form of exercise. By incorporating all five categories into your weekly routine, you will reap a number of benefits.
First off, the five categories of exercise:
Resistance, or strength training, improves the capability of your muscles, adding to their ability to support each movement you make throughout the day. Every move we make depends on a muscle or group of muscles. Whether you are walking from the car to the front door or reaching for the phone. Here’s two more reasons why resistance training is important: muscles naturally weaken as we age and, more importantly, muscle tissue burns calories!
Flexibility exercises improve the range of motion of our joints, such as hips and knees, and our muscles. The most obvious form of flexibility exercise is stretching. Others include Yin-style yoga, which is a deep, slow stretching form of yoga, and your warm up and cool down after more rigorous exercise.
Cardio, or aerobic, exercise is probably what most people visualize when they think of starting an exercise program. Cardio increases your stamina, or endurance, and improves your ability to get oxygen to your lungs, heart, and circulation. You also improve your ability to exercise longer, such as running more miles.
Core exercise strengthens the muscles of the abdomen, lower back and pelvic region. Performing core muscle exercises enables you to move efficiently and connect the lower body movements with the upper body.
Finally, coordination and balance-type exercises become more important as we age. Because balance deteriorates in our later years and can lead to falls, it’s important to maintain muscle and movement patterns, such as Tai Chi or standing on one leg for longer periods of times, that will help us stay upright.
Creating an routine that incorporates all elements will deliver a well-rounded exercise program that is essential to optimizing your results. There’s also another set of benefits: a program that includes all five categories prevents injury, helps in recovery, and assists you when your motivation wanes from exercise burnout. If you have questions, contact one of our trainers – Ted, Toni or Rich.
