How fitness differs from sports
To maintain the health of the body and a set of good physical shape, a balanced diet alone is not enough. Being active is very important – namely, regular fitness classes.
Important: fitness is not a sport.
Fitness (English fitness) from the verb to fit – it means to be in good shape. That is, in essence, fitness is to be “healthy”. Sports (especially professional) have completely different tasks. They go in for sports to achieve high results. And most often this process is harmful to the human body. Although it also allows you to have a slim figure.
How to start your fitness routine
You don’t have to buy an expensive fitness club membership, you can start with home workouts. Use water bottles as weights, then you can purchase a set of dumbbells, a rug and elastic bands. It is advisable to start with exercises for the whole body, do not do many approaches at once, and do not take heavy weights. At the very beginning of the path, in no case should you overdo it – it is important to listen to yourself and feel your body.
And, of course, you need to set a specific goal for yourself – what exactly do you want to achieve. Lose weight or, conversely, build muscle mass. And from this, build your training regimen with an emphasis on either cardio or strength.
Cardio is not cycling, running, or any other cyclic workout. Cardio is the work of the heart muscle.
It must be understood that a healthy heart is a strong, stretched muscle, which does not have enough contractions (pulse) to pump blood. A weak heart is a small muscle with tight walls that requires a large number of contractions (pulse) to perform its primary function. In other words, the lower the heart rate, the healthier the heart.
Accordingly, cardio training is aimed precisely at strengthening and stretching the heart muscle.
Most people have a resting heart rate of 60-80 beats per minute. During cardio loads, the heart works at 130-150 beats per minute. Two workouts a week for 40-50 minutes will be enough for the heart to become stronger.
All dynamic exercises are suitable for cardio training at the correct heart rate. For example:
– aerobic training for all muscle groups (push-ups-jumps-twisting-squats-burpees);
– Cyclic training (running, brisk / Nordic walking, swimming, skiing, cycling);
– aerobics, dancing, ice skating.
If a person is overweight or with sore joints, in no case should you immediately start running training. Jogging is good for healthy people only. It is best to start with walking or aerobic exercise that will affect the whole body, prepare your body, and only then move on to running.
Important: long training sessions at a low (less than 130) or very high (more than 150) heart rate are ineffective.
If cardio loads are aimed at developing endurance, losing weight, strengthening the heart muscle, then power ones are aimed at building muscle mass, increasing explosive strength and shaping a relief figure. Strength training does not stretch the heart; it strengthens the muscles in the body, as well as cartilage and joints.
Anaerobic exercise helps:
stabilize sleep;
improve posture;
prevent the development of diabetes mellitus;
form a beautiful muscle corset.
Examples of strength training:
push-ups, pull-ups;
work with a lot of weight (kettlebells, dumbbells, barbell, exercise equipment);
running sprint distances (up to 100 m);
any explosive bodyweight exercises.
Important: strength training is not suitable for beginners and, of course, for pregnant women, people with injuries of the musculoskeletal system. A strict routine must be followed for each workout, which includes warm up (start: 10-15 minutes on an ellipse or treadmill) and cool down (end: stretch). It is also desirable to load different muscles in a balanced way. For example: if you train twice a week, then on the first day you focus on your legs and abs, and on the second day – on your back, arms and chest muscles.
Each person sets his own goal: to lose weight, gain muscle mass, or just be in good shape. But the most important thing is not to forget that to maintain a healthy body you need not only competent training, but also adherence to sleep patterns and proper nutrition.
It is important to be clear about your priorities, have exercise and nutrition plans, and follow them clearly. Then the result will not be long in coming. The main thing is not to deviate from the intended path.
