What Type Of Workout Should You Do » From the Infinite Embers blog

What Type Of Workout Should You Do » From the Infinite Embers blog

Lean in closer, guys — I’m about to reveal the secret of the most effective workout. Because there really is a trick to exercise that most people don’t know.

I get asked about this all the time, by both experienced fitness junkies and beginners. And I know that right now is when a lot of us are diving into our New Year’s Resolutions. If you’re just starting to develop a workout routine, the amount of options can easily become overwhelming. There are so many different ways to exercise – from Zumba to spin to running to barre. These workouts all promise to get you into shape, melt fat, strengthen + tone muscle, improve mobility, and help you feel great. So how do you know where to invest your time and energy to ensure you get the most effective workout possible every time you exercise?

Let’s get one quick thing out of the way:

Any form of movement is going to be beneficial.

Well, okay, obviously certain movements can and do hurt your body — like, don’t throw yourself against a wall. I’m using common sense here and expect that you are, too — along with a certain level of mindfulness. If you’re just beginning to work out, I highly encourage you to get help from a personal trainer for a few sessions, or invest in some form of private lessons. Or attend group classes with knowledgable instructors, so that you can learn proper alignment and how to work out correctly. In the very least, watch some tutorial videos on YouTube (like on my channel).

Exercises can hurt you if not performed correctly, so if you’re ever not sure about something, ask! (You can always comment or reach out to me on social media for help.)

(Quick side note: Honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of Crossfit because the potential for injury is pretty high — but that’s a rant for another time. If you happen to love Crossfit and do the exercises correctly, you can definitely gain a lot of strength… just be cautious.)

But first and foremost, know that if you’re doing some kind of physical activity, you’re doing your body good. We’re born to move. We aren’t meant to sit stationary at our desks and chairs and couches all day, as most of us do. The human body is designed to perform all sorts of movements, and it functions best when it gets the chance to show off all the cool things it can do.

What Type Of Workout Should You Do » From the Infinite Embers blog

You should be moving every single day.

This is step one. Get some form of movement in. Every. Goddamn. Day. Make sure at least one day a week is very light movement (like yoga) to give your body a break, but the first goal here is just to make movement a more natural part of your routine overall. The most effective workout is one that actually happens, after all.

Don’t give me any excuses about not having enough time – 5 minutes of jumping jacks is enough to get your heart rate up and can be done during the commercial breaks when you’re watching Hulu. Obviously, I think your body is worth a little more time than that, so I recommend at least 15 minutes of sustained activity every day, even if it’s a simple walk during your lunch break. That’s a great place to start. Enter a workout schedule for the week into your calendar every Sunday and commit to those times like you would any other appointment.

Okay, so the first step to finding your most effective workout routine is committing to it. But if you’re still not sure what to do, here’s the short answer:

Do whatever workout you actually enjoy.

What Type Of Workout Should You Do » From the Infinite Embers blog

Seriously. If you find some sort of activity that feels fun, you’ll be way more likely to stick to it.

So think about what motivates you: If you like making friends and meeting people outside of work, join a soccer league. If you love to shake it at the club, enroll in a dance class. If you’re super competitive, head to Orange Theory. You get the idea.

Just find something that doesn’t feel like suffering. If there are moments where you aren’t thinking about the workout at all, and you’re just having a good time, then you’ve found your very own ideal fitness match.

Granted, there will still be moments of suffering. Working out is about pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, which can be, well — uncomfortable. You just need to not hate it, you know? And extra bonus points if you find you really like it. Remember that working out gets better and more enjoyable the more you do it, so stick with it.

But what if you’re working out regularly and still not seeing results?

Like I said above, I frequently get asked about this by many people who already have a steady exercise routine but feel like they’re hitting a plateau in their fitness. I was this person, once. In college my main form of exercise was to run for 30 min, do ab work, and stretch. I did this every day. And yet, I was, well… really weak.

Working out more is not the solution, by the way. Taking double spin classes or running from barre to yoga to Pilates class every single day is a recipe for burnout and possibly a disordered addiction to exercise. As a fitness instructor, I have to work out a lot. I’m totally a crazy person and love it and my ideal day involves me being very active… but I’ve found that in those stretches of times where I worked out the most, I was actually my physically weakest. At a certain point your body starts to compensates for all that extra wear and tear and it just leads to injury and illness.

Work smarter, my friends, not harder.

What Type Of Workout Should You Do » From the Infinite Embers blog

So here’s what you’ve really been waiting to hear. If you want to get even more out of your workouts, let me tell you the secret to ideal fitness:

If you’re really serious about getting results, the most effective workout routine includes 3 things: cardio + strength training + some form of active recovery.

Yes, you need all them. Consider it the Holy Trinity of Fitness.

In all likelihood, you’re not getting the right balance of these three workouts. For most people, the real problem is cardio (which, FYI, is exercise that increases your heart rate for an extended period of time). It makes you sweaty and uncomfortable in ways strength training just doesn’t. But I promise you can do it — it just comes down to finding a type of cardiovascular movement that works for you.

It’s also super common for people to only do cardio and neglect strength training — and most people don’t even think about recovery. But you need to stretch, do some yoga, foam roll, etc ideally every day to let your body get the most benefits from the cardio and/or strength training you do.

You can do cardio and strength training all in one day, but I generally prefer to alternate them and double up once in a while to shake my body into high gear. I also make sure to do some kind of yoga every day.

Cardio + Strength Training are both important components of the most effective workout regimen because they challenge your body differently.

The Low-Down on Cardio

» Helps you live longer

 » More effective at burning fat

» Can help raise good cholesterol + lower your bad cholesterol

» Improves your immune system

» Can help reducing stress

The Low-Down on Strength Training

» Helps prevent injuries

» Improves functional strength and mobility

» Evens out imbalances in the body

» Makes you better at your cardio of choice

» This is pure vanity, but we tend to like the look of toned muscles

I mean, I don’t know about you, but I say why do only one when you can get all the benefits listed above?!

Do them on different days or combine them for a killer workout (do your strength training first and you’ll burn more calories during your cardio) — whatever keeps you committed to your workout routine.

What Type Of Workout Should You Do » From the Infinite Embers blog

Also – keep things spicy and mix up your workouts as often as you can.

You guys know that for cardio I personally love spin (I mean it really is the most fun thing I do), and before that I was a longtime dancer and runner, as I mentioned above. But the cardio I dread? Swimming. I suck at it, and I gulp water while gasping for air, and the pool chlorine makes my skin itch. But I still do it from time to time, just to test my upper back strength and to shake my body out of its comfort zone.

Every time you push yourself out of that comfort zone, you grow. The most effective workout routine is one that involves variety, commitment, and focus. With time, you’ll find that you grow stronger not just physically, but mentally and emotionally, too, as you prove to yourself just how strong you really are

Aim to move and push yourself whenever you can, and you’ll get your body into the best shape possible.

What’s your favorite type of workout? Any workouts you hate (seriously I’m just the worst at swimming)? Share with me in the comments!

xo,

Amy