Any type of exercise is good for you. Whether you walk, bike or practice yoga, you are achieving better health when you move your body. However, if you want to make sure that the time you spend exercising offers you every possible benefit, you need to structure a complete workout program for yourself. The components of this program should include aerobic activity, strength training, and flexibility work. Within each of these components, there are a number of choices that will ensure that you create a regimen that you will enjoy and stick with.

Aerobic Activity

This component is important for a healthy heart, and to maintain an optimum weight. Try to participate in aerobic activity at least three times a week for a minimum of 30 minutes at a time, gradually working up to more frequent sessions that last longer. Your aerobic exercise can include walking, jogging, biking, swimming or any other type of exercise that will get you moving and get your heart rate up. Begin every aerobic session with a brief warm-up to get your muscles ready for the activity ahead, and a short cool-down to gently bring your heart rate back down to normal range.

Strength Training

Strength training is essential to keep your bones and muscles strong and healthy. This is also the best way to tone and shape the core of your body, and give you the shapely arms and legs that you love. Don’t worry about gaining too much bulk from weight training, since most women are not designed to coax out big muscles. Instead, you will enjoy increased strength, a release of tension and a shapely body. Strength training can be done with the use of free weights, or on machines at your local fitness center. For best results, strength training should be done two to three times a week on non-consecutive days. Your muscles need to have a day in between to rest.

Flexibility

This component will keep your muscles and joints healthy, and help you to avoid injury in the other portions of your workout routine. Flexibility can be composed of stretching in tandem with your aerobic or weight training work, or it can be a completely separate workout that you choose. For example, yoga is a great option in flexibility training, and can be an entire workout in itself. Yoga is a good program for beginners, since there are many easy positions to start with and the equipment is minimal. Other types of stretching can include stretches as part of your cool down after an aerobic workout, or stretches between sets during your strength training program. Always warm up your muscles before you stretch them to avoid injury. Stretching is not a good choice for beginning your workout program, unless you warm up your muscles first with some light aerobic activity.

By combining these three components into a singe exercise program, you ensure that you are giving your body a complete workout regimen. Using all three types of exercise will not only give your body a full workout; it will ensure that you have plenty of choices to keep your exercise program interesting as well. Get out there and get moving – your body will thank you!

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