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How to
Achieve Total Fitness
Experts will
agree that the best way to achieve total fitness is to combine
many different methods of exercise in the cardiovascular,
strength (core)-training, and stretching modalities. Total
fitness begins with movement, but you don’t want to repeat the
same movement for too long. Many people will experience sports
or stress-related injuries on certain ligaments or joints. The
best way to prevent these injuries from happening is to
incorporate lots of different activities in your work-out
regimen. Total fitness should be about having a healthy heart,
good lung capacity and strong, lean muscles with an ideal BMI
(body mass index).
What Should
I Do to Achieve Total Fitness?
Total Fitness
incorporates all of the different methods of exercise. The best
way to do this is to work on one aspect of exercise a day. For
instance, one day could be your cardio day, and then the next
day can be your strength training day, followed by your
stretching and toning on the third day. This way you are able
to give your muscles and tendons time to heal and recover
before the next workout.
Cardio
There are many
different types of cardiovascular workouts. The idea here is to
get your heart pumping, your intake of air increasing, and your
blood moving. Jogging, brisk walking, cycling, aerobics,
Stairmasters, ski machines, and sports (basketball, tennis,
soccer, etc…) are all different types of cardiovascular
workouts.
Strength
Training
The big myth
about strength training is that if you lift weights, you will
get bigger, and that is simply not true. There is no way to get
bigger than your muscles are designed to be by lifting weights.
Actually, lifting weights will help you to burn more fat,
increase bone density, give your body shape - and increase your
confidence. Strengthening your muscles is imperative to reach
total fitness.
Stretching
Most people
begin their workout regimen by stretching for a few minutes
before and/or after their workout. Stretching, strength
training, and cardiovascular exercise all go hand-in-hand. A
total hour should be dedicated to just stretching, yoga or
Pilates. The main reason for this is to avoid injury by
improving balance, strengthening joints and tendons, and
relaxing the muscles and organs. Stretching is imperative after
any type of movement. The best time to do your stretching is
after cardiovascular workouts and not before. Cardio is best
done while the muscles are cool.
Total fitness
involves many different aspects of exercise. The best way to
achieve a great shape and a healthy body is to incorporate
cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching. Each
disciplline works with the other and when in sync, you will
have grace; grace in everything that you do is the ultimate
goal. The most amount of movement with the least amount of
effort, while perfectly controlled and totally surrendered.
Total fitness is as if something or someone else is moving you,
yet you're completely aware and in total
control.
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