Exercises for the Fitness Newbie!
By Donna Stark
The easy part of exercise is knowing that it is good for you, but the hard part is finding the motivation and energy to actually do it, especially if it is something new you are trying to introduce in your life. If it has been a while since you last challenged those muscles of yours, you may not know where to begin or what to do. Obviously, you will want to start slowly and feel the waters first, because jumping into a high-intensity fitness routine, cannonball style, is a great way to injure your body or cause burnout. So if you are wondering what exactly is out there for the uninitiated, take a few moments to look at some exercises that are perfect for fitness newbies.
Swimming
Swimming has forever been known as one of the best low-impact workouts, and for good reason too. The water provides perfect support for your joints and just enough resistance to strengthen both your muscles and bones. It's a great choice if you are looking for a total body workout that also offers incredible aerobic conditioning.
Yoga
Yoga is a great low-impact exercise that helps to increase core strength, boost endurance, improve balance, and diminish stress. In addition to the obvious benefits, yoga offers some "silent" ones too. It helps to improve bone density, it reduces the risk of injury from falls, and it can lower cholesterol and blood pressure levels.
Walking
Walking is one exercise that we tend to take for granted. It's something that most people do every single day and it is certainly hard to beat when it comes to maintaining your health and fitness. It helps with weight loss, is easy on your joints, and depending on how hard you want to work out, can vary in difficulty and intensity.
Pilates
Pilates is often mistaken as a branch of yoga, but it's a completely separate form of exercise that utilizes the use of different machines. Pilates emphasizes core strength and focuses on the alignment of the body for optimal function. It helps to support and stabilize the spine while also developing balance and increasing overall strength. If a toned body is what you desire, Pilates is for you!
Ellipticals
If you are standing in front of a treadmill and an elliptical, and you aren't sure which one to choose, go with the elliptical. The elliptical is a great way to get your heart pumping and your body sweating without the added stress on your joints that a treadmill can cause.
Exercise for Life
Yoga, walking, Pilates, and ellipticals are great choices for the "fitness newbie" and they can be great choices for you too! So if you want to increase your energy levels and jump-start your new, healthy lifestyle, give one of them a try. It won't be too long before you become a fitness expert and are able to cannonball through all of your exercises!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Raleigh, N.C.