Exercising is as strange as it is vital. It is essentially recreating the kind of environment that we once had before the hustle and bustle of modern life. We, as human beings, have physical requirements that don’t get met on the average day-to-day. Because of this, we need to exercise healthy using proper advice. We need good workout regimens.
There are a whole bunch of theories on how one should go about this. Some people swear by long forms of cardio. Others swear by brand names. In the end, it’s all about results. If you’re looking to untangle the strange world of health and fitness, here are a few protocols that work to keep you strong and exercise healthy.
Fitness Fads
People all around the world have jumped on the CrossFit and F45 trains. They’re hip, they’re trendy, and they’re needlessly expensive. It checks all the cult-like boxes of a modern fitness phenomenon. The question is: “does it work?” When assessing this, the things you need to consider are rooted in the age-old question of cardio vs. weight training. CrossFit is notoriously a mix of both. But is it all that necessary? Is it necessary for you to do 21 straight clean and jerks with the bad form before doing countless box jumps? Probably not. The efficiency factors on triple extension movements rely heavily on fast-twitch muscle fibers, not mechanical stress. You also run the risk of injury due to flawed goals. But if done safely, the intensity itself is enough for one to make massive fitness strides—for a price.
Simple Home Equipment
Investing in home fitness equipment doesn’t have to break the bank. If you’re inclined to work out at home or you don’t have the time to get to the gym, a decently sized kettlebell 30 minutes a day is all you need. Make sure you either hire a trainer or have an online assessment of your form. Also, don’t waste your time with the 2.2kg kettlebells. What you’re looking for is something that you can use for swings, Turkish get-ups, and cleans. They’re great for addressing unilateral imbalances and creating easily transferable sports-specific strength.
Run!
If you want to go bare minimum, running is always a good idea. Even in the advent of people claiming that long cardio does this, that, and the negative third. Steady cardio is an aerobic exercise that helps to improve blood flow, heart health, immune function, and efficient oxygen utilization. It should be part of every workout routine. They’re dominated by slow-twitch muscle, which uses oxygen and broken down carbohydrates as an energy source. For explosivity, sprints and speed training directly translates to power generation.
Don’t let simplistic juxtapositions and anecdotes guide your fitness results. Seek a balance between what science tells us and what feels right to you. The best results, in the end, come with consistency. We can’t control how we act or react to these workouts. But what we can do is stay focused, lace up our shoes, and do it again. Stay healthy out there.
