It’s too bad Hans and Franz don’t make in-person visits anymore because you, my friend, look “pumped up” and ready to lift!
But if you were to ask any fitness trainer for some personal advice, chances are, they would focus on one important point to start with: get a total body workout and don’t overdo any one exercise.
While it’s fun to zone out on the treadmill or pump iron with your new weight bench, getting a full-body workout is healthier, safer, and more effective when it comes to getting in shape.
In this discussion, we’re going to talk about total body workouts, body part split workouts, aerobics, and how to customize a workout that’s right for you.
Table of Contents
What Is a Full-Body Workout?
According to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, exercise should include aerobic activity and strength training, putting the whole body to work.
A full-body workout targets your arms, legs, core, shoulders, chest, and back. Not only do you work on neglected muscle groups, but more importantly, all muscle groups are active at once.
According to one coach, a total body workout improves flexibility, burns more calories, and may even build more muscle when compared to “muscular hypertrophy.” (That’s when you benchpress 500 pounds and end up looking like WWE star Mark Henry!)
Body Part Splits
Encouraging a total-body workout doesn’t mean body part splits are out of the question. You could divide the full-body workout into days of individual muscle groups, such as one muscle group a day for six days.
These muscle-isolating gym workouts can help you build up your weaknesses, or reach a particular fitness goal, like losing arm or belly fat.
If you’re injured or live with a disability, you may also find split days more practical for managing pain.
But many beginners find it useful to start with both aerobic and strength-training exercises.
A Shorter But More Intense Fitness Routine
The whole point of “aerobic” exercise (meaning “with oxygen”) is to elevate your heart rate and boost your breathing rate.
The accelerated state of body and mind moves more oxygen to your muscles and that creates long-term endurance. Your body works harder and so becomes stronger over time.
When in doubt, remember that the average person can safely do up to 60 minutes of cardio a day. It’s good to test yourself and push your limits!
If you find a way to combine both aerobic and strength training into one session, you will maximize time and improve fitness ahead of schedule.
Here are some ideas on how to do that:
Use Electro Muscle Stimulation
An EMS machine makes your body work overtime, without a lot of conscious strain. The device sends low-frequency electric impulses to contract your muscles while you’re doing a simple aerobic workout.
Read more about EMS workouts here and find out how to turn 90 minutes into 20.
Add Strength-Training Exercises to Aerobics
You could turn strength-training exercises into cardio workouts and vice versa. For instance:
- Lift small weights while you use a treadmill or bike
- Turn single-arm exercises into double-arm
- Work in more jumps to your aerobic routines like jumping squats
- Reduce the weights and go for longer
- Do more compound moves – turn three moves into one move!
Customize a Total Body Workout You Like
Success in your total body workout routine means doing more of the exercises you love and getting rid of the ones that bore you.
As long as you can customize a workout that targets all the major muscle groups, and adds aerobic breathing activity, you can use your imagination.
Find a workout that’s right for you through trial and error, learning the best ways to push yourself as you go along. You will find that changing up your routine every so often may be just what you need to boost your motivation.
After all, keeping your brain interested is part of the total body workout!
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