All forms of physical activity are good for your health. If you are not very active, you only need to move in a way that you like and do it regularly. But, when exercise becomes goal-oriented, for example to get fit for life, it is no longer enough to move in one way or another, but it is good to think more carefully about how you move.
Versatility matters
In sport, variety is often a good motivator. One-sided training develops to a certain point, but in order to continue to develop, the training stimulus needs to be changed and varied. Repeating the same training stimulus day after day, week after week, can start to feel like a compulsion and can even lead to injury.
You should develop your own fitness in a variety of ways: a gym trainer should occasionally develop endurance fitness, while a jogger should do regular strength training. Mobility and body control should not be forgotten either. The smartest thing to do is to train all these areas at least once a week.
Variety within training sessions is also important. Programming your workouts plays a big role in maintaining motivation and getting the right stimulus variation. On the other hand, programming also ensures that stimulus variation is not too frequent, which also slows down progress.
The same goes for group exercise: attending the same class several times a week may not be the most effective way to develop fitness. If you like to take a heart rate-boosting class four times a week, try switching one class for muscle conditioning and another for mobility and body control. Varied exercise ensures results and often speeds up the process of reaching your goal.
Physical activity recommendations to help
So how would be the most optimal way to move? The physical activity recommendations are a good starting point. They recommend at least 2 hours 30 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, or at least 1 hour 15 minutes of strenuous exercise per week. These amounts should be spread over several days, for example three times a week. Muscle conditioning and movement control should be developed at least 2 times a week.
Your goals will further define how different ways of moving are distributed. If your goal is to develop maximum strength, the number of gym sessions will naturally be higher. However, brisk or strenuous endurance exercise should not be overlooked. If you are aiming for a marathon, you will equally need strength and body management training and body care to support your running training.
In addition to exercise, physical activity plays an important role. The more passively you work, the more active you should be in the rest of your daily life. Exercise can even be the deciding factor when comparing two people who move the same amount. It is likely that the person who moves the same amount will develop faster if he stays active outside of exercise.
Stay fit through the summer
In the summer, gym sessions may be less frequent if you are not motivated to work out in the summer weather. However, you shouldn't forget about going to the gym altogether. A maintenance workout once a week is definitely a better option than a complete holiday from exercise all summer long.
If you are used to working out in the gym several times a week during the winter season, you can also do some of your summer workouts outdoors and take advantage of online workouts, which also offer a wide range of muscle training exercises.
