Exercise is split into 2 types: cardio training and strength training (or resistance training). Both are equally important and your fitness regime should therefore ideally be split between cardio and strength training about 50-50.
Why Cardio Training?
Cardio Training is for working the heart muscle and benefits include: stronger heart and lungs leading to lower blood pressure; reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and diabetes. Also increased brain volume (for all ages) reducing the risk of dementia.
Examples of Cardio Training: at least 20 mins of running, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, aerobics,etc.
Why Strength Training?
Stength Training is for working all the major muscles in the body to make them stronger. Strong muscles are needed to strengthen bones, control blood sugar, improve cholesterol levels, maintain a healthy weight, reduce joint pain, and fight mild depression. Those things can help you maintain your independence and increase your ability to do everyday activities and things you enjoy without getting tired. Strong muscles also reduce the risk of injury and increase metabolism.
Examples of Strength Training: Weight Lifting, Weight Stack Resistance Machines, Hydraulic Resistance Machines, Resistance Bands, Body Weight Exercises, including Yoga and Pilates (limited and mainly just for core muscles).
Why Body Weight Exercises?
In the list of examples of Strength Training, you will notice that the majority require ‘equipment’ of some sort or another! Unless you are lucky enough to have a gym at home or space and money for equipment, this form of strength training is unavailable to most of us without a gym to go to.
This is where Body Weight Exercises come into their own! They can be done anywhere, any time, with no equipment and very little space and no expense.
You use the weight of your own body and gravity to create resistance for the muscle contractions. For example, the good old Press Up uses your weight and gravity to target the pectoral (chest) muscles. As you contract these muscles the weight of your body is adding resistance during the contraction (the definition of resistance training). You are also working the deltoids (shoulders), triceps (back of your arms), abdominals and the serrates anterior (the “wing” muscles directly under your armpit). “Drop and give me 5!”
Why a Combination Workout?
So, if we could create a workout that could be done at home, where we devote half of it to cardio and half to strength we would have the ideal workout.
Performed 3 times per week you will add 2.2 years to your life expectancy, and increase your brain volume … not to mention all the benefits mentioned above
Michael Mosley
Good News?! We have! We call it a Combination Workout! And it is available to you 3 times a week from the comfort of your own home, but with the benefit of a coach, and in the company of other participants. We’re doing it on Zoom, which is proving ideal.
Judith: “Enjoyed the zoom meetings these past 2 days. It is so much better being able to see others and chat whilst working out under Frans’ tutorage. Would recommend to others to give it a go.”
Try it for yourself! Book a FREE Zoom Fitness Consultation NOW!
