When it come to fitness most women are unaware of what fitness actually means! We interviewed 100 women to get more insight about this, and it was not a surprise that for most of them being fit meant being thin. They opted for only one form of training as their fitness routine and cardio work out in a dance exercise form was their preferred choice followed by Yoga . They were more inclined towards group fitness classes as it gave them more opportunity to socialize and kept them motivated. However very few did their workout for the sheer joy of movement or to gain health benefits and majority was not willing to adopt any new form of workout.
We as women always hear that exercise is good for us which no doubt is true, but in order to get the maximum Cardio training results from the workouts, we should follow a fitness routine that has variety and is balanced. All women need to understand that when it comes to fitness, their workout should include following: Cardio exercise, Weight/ Strength training, Flexibility and Body Composition (percentage of body fat). These components along with right posture, core strength and balance training reasonably picturize what a fit and healthy body should look like.
This form of exercise is any movement that gets your heart rate up and increases blood circulation throughout the body such as jogging, running, swimming or an Aerobics or Zumba class. If you perform these exercises, you will have a more efficient heart, lungs and blood circulation system even when you are at rest. Maintaining this will help you avoid many diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure thus leading to a long and healthy life. It is also a great way to burn off the calories, increase your metabolism, and improve hormonal imbalances that most women are generally struggling with.
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- Weight/Strength training Along with cardio training women should also include weight training to improve their muscular endurance and strength. Strength is how heavy you can lift and endurance means how many times you can lift the same weight without getting tired. This involves training muscles against weight which can be your body weight or added weights like medicine balls, dumbells etc to increase strength and power. Women need muscle strength and endurance to perform the activities of daily life more easily without getting injured. Think of picking up a box, moving your furniture or lifting your baby, bicycle – no matter what you do, you need muscular strength and endurance. The weight training also make your muscles and bones strong, without making you look bulky!! and trust us when done in a right way it will give you a more toned body and lean look.
- Flexibility Stretching too needs to be included in your exercise routine. Everyday activities like wearing shoes, sitting, prolonged standing and even strength training can cause muscles to be stiff. This can lead to pain and injury if ignored. Strong flexibility will protect your joints, bones and muscles. You can avoid this by incorporating flexibility workouts into your routine. The use of resistance bands with full range of motion workouts will enhance your flexibility. Regular stretching can reduce stress, help squeeze waste products out of the muscles, and improve over all health.
- Body Composition Watch your weighing scale but don’t get obsessed with it. Body composition is a great way to measure your physical fitness. It is the percentage of the body´s tissues that are made of fat compared to the tissues that are fat-free. A person exercising can loose weight and gain muscles without any change in total body weight How much you weigh is not important, what your body composition is should be the primary objective. Instead of looking at your scale and getting worried, keep in mind that your body composition is far more important. If you have body fat in the range of 21-24%you can be classified as fit!!
To conclude, women can get maximum benefits out of their work out if they incorporate all the above mentioned factors. It is easier to follow any one form of exercise considering we tend to be in our comfort zone. But trying something new that challenges your body and mind has definitely more pros to it and absolutely worth when it comes to gaining optimum fitness levels.
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