In these lean economic times, many people can't afford to join expensive gyms, buy a lot of equipment and gear, or spend time and money traveling to group exercise classes or workouts. The good news is, you don't have to do any of this to get into great shape. After a modest upfront investment, staying fit and healthy can be done for free and about an hour a day is all the time you will need.
If it has been sometime since you have exercised, or if you have some ongoing health issues, you should receive clearance from your physician first. Learning how to use proper form, following a correct exercise order, and getting an overall fitness assessment from a certified personal trainer, will help you avoid many problems down the road. Most people quit an exercise program within a few months due to injury, boredom, or a lack of progress. A few sessions with a certified personal trainer can prevent these from happening. This is money well spent, and will save you a lot of money and aggravation in the long run.
After you have completed the above steps, you will only need to buy a pair of good athletic shoes and some comfortable and loose fitting exercise clothes. it is important to spend a little money here, and not shop by price alone. The athletic shoes should match the activities you are planning on doing. Running shoes for running, tennis shoes for tennis, walking shoes for walking, basketball shoes for basketball, or a pair of cross trainers for general use. Your clothes should be comfortable, loose fitting, and preferably made from a wicking material to keep you dry and prevent chafing.
Once you have your activity specific shoes and workout clothes, you are ready to begin. You should aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate cardio activity. This can be walking, hiking, jogging, swimming, biking, tennis or any other type of aerobic workout. 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, is a reasonable plan. The workout can be broken up into shorter blocks if your time is limited.
Strength training is the second component of your exercise strategy. Many people fail to do this one, opting for strictly cardio type workouts. This is a mistake and severely limits your progress. Strength training can be done anywhere in a space of about 6' x 6'. All you need is the space and you. Body weight exercises are a time proven way to gain strength. They are easy to learn, safe, and free. Once you have learned a full body workout circuit, using only bodyweight exercises, you can exercise anytime, anywhere for free.
Flexibility and balance training make up the third leg of your exercise plan. They should be done 5 days per week, and the whole session should last about 30 minutes. This includes doing gentle static stretching along with simple balance exercises such as standing on one foot.
Between these 3 types of activities, you will be able to meet the recommended daily amount of 1 hour of exercise per day. Combining this with a well balanced diet, adequate sleep, reduced stress and building physical activity into your daily activities, will keep you in a good state of health.
Stephen Stern, BS, CPT
Common Sense Fitness
Personal Training
605 Washington Avenue
North Haven, Ct. 06473
203-530-1811
www.comsenfit.com
stepstern@comcast.net
