The 4 Main Types of Exercise to get the best out of your workout

4 main types of exercise

Exercise is the key to maintaining a good and healthy life. Sometimes when people think about exercise, they often think of rigorous and strenuous workout programs. Therefore, it leads to less enthusiasm to start their fitness journey. Exercising is not only linked to losing weight and the physicality of it. Additionally, it also improves your mental health and overall well-being. It helps improve your sleep and boosts your mood. Also, keep diseases and illnesses away. There are 4 main types of exercise that you should include to get the best out of your workout.

What are the Main 4 Types of Exercise?

The 4 main types of exercise are endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance. Understanding these different types will be helpful when you want to start exercising. Research and experts say to include a mix of these four types in your routine. As a result, this will improve your fitness and reduces the risk of injury. Each type of exercise has its different benefits. Having a variety in your workout routines will also help reduce boredom. And also keep you motivated.

Let’s look at the four main types that you should know about:

Type 1: Endurance Exercise

Cycling is an endurance type of exercise

Endurance exercise is an activity that increases your heart rate and breathing. It is also known as aerobic exercise. Developing your endurance increases your strength and increases your energy. Engaging in such activities keeps your lungs, heart, and circulatory system healthy. As a result, it enhances your overall fitness and helps you perform everyday tasks. Adults should get at least up to 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week. 

Types of Endurance Exercise

Endurance exercises contain workouts that get your blood flowing. Doing so improves your ability to continue an activity for a longer time.

Some examples of endurance exercises are as follows:

  1. Walking briskly
  2. Jogging or Running
  3. Dancing
  4. Swimming
  5. Cycling
  6. Skipping
  7. Running
  8. Playing tennis or basketball

Benefits of Endurance Exercise

Here are a few benefits of adding endurance exercise to your workout routine:

  • Reduces the risk of diseases such as heart disease and many others
  • Improved bone density and strength
  • Increases your cognitive function
  • Increases your oxygen capacity
  • Boosts your metabolism
  • Muscle growth stimulation
  • Help improve your sleep quality
  • Calorie burner

Type 2: Strength Exercise

Strength training one of the 4 main type of exercise

Strength training is also called weight or resistance training. It is a type of exercise that makes you strong by improving your muscular strength. Moreover, it will give you a more toned appearance and reduces body fat. It will also increase your lean muscle mass and burn calories. Bodyweight, weights, and resistance machines are applied when carrying out strength training. Proper technique and form should be used in strength training to avoid injuries.

Strength training exercises exert a force in your muscles when resistance is applied. As a result, your muscles then tend to get much firmer. Aim to include strength training in your routine for all major muscle groups at least 2-3 times a week.

Types of Strength Training Exercise

You can perform strength training with little or no equipment. Some types of these exercises include: 

  1. Lifting weights using dumbells, barbells, kettle, and others
  2. Using your body weight by doing: push-ups, squats, crunches, pull-ups, planks, and mountain climbers
  3. Use of resistance bands to make it more challenging
  4. Working with weight and exercise machines at the gym

Benefits of Strength Training 

Strength training does not only make you look lean and feel fitter. It also provides many functional benefits such as:

  • Improves posture 
  • Reduces the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disease
  • Increased bone density
  • Provide better support for your joints
  • Metabolism increases
  • Help you to reduce and maintain weight
  • Prevents osteoporosis
  • Burns more calories
  • Mood booster and helps you sleep

Type 3: Balance Exercise

Yoga for balance exercise

Our balance tends to break down as we grow old with age. Therefore, we must engage in exercises that improve our balance and stability no matter our age. Doing these types of activities benefit overall general mobility. It also helps and prevents potential falls. Including lower body strength exercises will make your core strong and maintain your balance. 

Types of Balance Exercise

You can take up classes or try some home workouts. Some types of balance exercise include:

  1. Tai Chi 
  2. Yoga
  3. Pilates
  4. Standing on one leg
  5. Heel-to-toe walking
  6. Using a balance ball or stability ball
  7. Shifting your weight from side to side

Benefits of Balance Exercise:

  • Make your leg muscles strong
  • Reduces the risk of falling
  • Prevents the risk of injuries
  • Builds better posture
  • Improves Coordination

Type 4: Flexibility Exercise

Stretching exercise one of the 4 main type of exercise - Flexibility exercise

Flexibility exercises consist of activities that involve stretching your muscles. As a result, doing regular stretching exercises will maintain your flexibility. Giving you more muscle mobility as muscles and tissues decrease as we age. Stretching will help your body to stay flexible and lively. It increases your range of motion plus improves the ability of your joint to carry out daily tasks. Stiff muscles can give you muscle cramps. Therefore, performing flexibility exercises helps to relieve them.

Types of Flexibility Exercise

Below are some exercises that you could do which will help improve your flexibility.

  1. Yoga
  2. Hamstring Stretch 
  3. Forward and Side Lunges
  4. Frog Stretch
  5. Butterfly Stretch
  6. Hip Opener
  7. Standing Quad Stretch
  8. Neck Stretch 
  9. Calves Stretch

Benefits of Flexibility Exercise

In conclusion, try to combine the above 4 types of exercises to get the best result out of your workout. Making your exercise journey fun and exciting! Need some motivation to start? Check out this Fitness Motivation article.

  • Prevent strains and cramps
  • Prevent joint pains
  • Lowers the risk of damage to your muscles
  • Relieves muscle tension because of stress
  • Fewer injuries
  • Improves your posture

Note: 

This article is for educational purposes only. You should always consult your doctor or seek professional help if you have any questions about any medical matter.

Anisa Hilmy

Author of Get Basic Idea - Knowledge Base.

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