The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started with Fitness. Fitness is a term that encompasses many aspects of physical health and well-being. It is not just about being able to run a marathon or lift heavy weights, but also about how your body functions, adapts, and responds to different challenges and demands.
Fitness can be defined as the ability to carry out daily tasks with vigor and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with ample energy to enjoy leisure-time pursuits and respond to emergencies.
There are different types of fitness, such as aerobic, anaerobic, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, coordination, agility, power, speed, and reaction time. Each type of fitness has its own benefits and challenges and requires specific training and exercises.
In this guide, we will cover some of the basics of fitness, such as why it is important, the best types of exercise, how much exercise you need, and some tips and resources to help you get started.
Why is fitness important?
Fitness is important for many reasons. It can help you:
- Prevent and manage chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, obesity, depression, and osteoporosis.
- Improve your mood, mental health, cognitive function, and quality of life.
- Enhance your physical performance, functionality, mobility, and independence.
- Reduce your risk of injury, falls, and disability.
- Increase your lifespan and healthy aging.
Fitness is not only beneficial for your physical health but also for your social and emotional well-being. It can help you build confidence, self-esteem, resilience, and social skills. It can also provide you with opportunities to meet new people, have fun, and enjoy yourself.
What are the best types of exercise?
There is no one best type of exercise for everyone. The best type of exercise for you depends on your goals, preferences, abilities, and limitations. However, experts recommend that you include a variety of exercises in your routine to improve different aspects of fitness and health.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are four main types of exercise: aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone-strengthening, and balance-and-coordination.
- Aerobic exercise is any activity that increases your heart rate and breathing. It improves your cardiovascular fitness and endurance. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, skipping rope, etc.
- Muscle-strengthening exercise is any activity that makes your muscles work harder than usual. It improves your muscular strength and power. Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises include lifting weights, doing push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges, etc.
- Bone-strengthening exercise is any activity that puts stress on your bones. It improves your bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Examples of bone-strengthening exercises include jumping, hopping, skipping, running, etc.
- Balance-and-coordination exercise is any activity that challenges your ability to maintain your posture and control your movements. It improves your balance, coordination, agility, and reaction time. Examples of balance-and-coordination exercises include standing on one leg, walking on a narrow beam, doing yoga, tai chi, pilates, etc.
Besides these four types of exercise
there are other types that can also benefit your fitness
such as:
- Anaerobic exercise is any activity that does not require oxygen to fuel the muscles. It improves your anaerobic capacity, speed, and power. Examples of anaerobic exercise include sprinting, jumping, throwing, etc.
- Flexibility exercise is any activity that stretches and lengthens your muscles. It improves your range of motion, posture and reduces muscle tension. Examples of flexibility exercisea include stretching, bending, twisting, etc.
How much exercise do you need?
The amount of exercise you need depends on your age, health status, and fitness goals. However as a general guideline the WHO recommends that:
- Adults aged 18-64 should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
- Adults aged 18-64 should also do muscle-strengthening activities involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.
- Adults aged 65 years and above should do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or do at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity.
- Adults aged 65 years and above should also do muscle-strengthening activities involving major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.
- Adults aged 65 years and above with poor mobility should do physical activity to enhance balance and prevent falls on 3 or more days per week.
Moderate-intensity physical activity is any activity that makes you breathe faster and feel warmer but still allows you to talk. Examples include brisk walking, cycling, gardening, etc.
Vigorous-intensity physical activity is any activity that makes you breathe hard and fast and makes it difficult to talk. Examples include running, swimming, aerobics, etc.
You can also break up your exercise into smaller bouts of at least 10 minutes each as long as you accumulate the recommended amount of exercise per week.
What are some tips and resources to help you get started?
Getting started with fitness can be challenging but also rewarding. Here are some tips and resources to help you:
- Set realistic and specific goals for yourself such as losing weight, improving your health, or completing a race. Write them down and track your progress.
- Choose activities that you enjoy and that suit your abilities and preferences. Try to vary your routine and include different types of exercise to avoid boredom and plateaus.
- Find a partner or a group to exercise with. This can help you stay motivated, accountable and safe. You can also join a class a club or an online community that offers guidance and support.
- Start slowly and gradually increase the frequency, intensity and duration of your exercise. Listen to your body and rest when you need to. Avoid overdoing it and injuring yourself.
- Warm up before and cool down after each exercise session. This can help you prepare your body for the activity, prevent injuries and enhance recovery.
- Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise to stay hydrated. Eat a balanced diet that provides enough energy and nutrients for your body's needs.
- Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program, especially if you have any medical conditions or concerns. Seek professional advice from a physical therapist, a personal trainer or a fitness instructor if you need help with designing or performing your exercise program.
There are many resources available online that can help you learn more about fitness and find exercises that suit you. Some examples are:
- The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) website (https://www.acsm.org/) offers information on exercise science, guidelines, certifications, and publications.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website (https://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/index.html) offers information on physical activity, health benefits, recommendations, tips, and resources.
- The Mayo Clinic website (https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/fitness-basics/hlv-20049447) offers information on fitness basics, assessments, programs, exercises, and videos.
- The National Institute on Aging (NIA) website (https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/exercise-and-physical-activity) offers information on exercise and physical activity for older adults, including tips, videos, and free booklets.