Are all exercises created equal?

With the plethora of exercises, products, and health fads in the news and hitting the market these days, it is confusing to know what the “best” exercises or products are for you. Many products or types of exercise will make claims of “scientifically proven” or “research shows” on why their type of exercise is better than another to lose weight, tone-up, live healthier and get the body you have always wanted. Unfortunately, these exaggerations or misinterpretations of scientific literature (which I like to refer to as exercise babble) are all too common in popular culture. Exercise babble aside, most research currently shows the type of exercise you do is of little importance, however it is very well proven exercising in general will make you healthier! So after sorting through all the misinformation, here is a simple guide for picking the “best” exercises for you:

• Goal Setting: Match your exercises to your health goals. If you want to exercise for athletic competition, you will want to perform exercises that match that specific event. For the average person wanting to exercise to live a healthier life, the specifics of exercise are of less importance. For those that do no exercise, a little more of anything is all you need. Set goals and if you are unable to reach your goals, find a professional that can help you.
• Enjoy it: Find activities that you like. If your brain does not like something, you simply will not do it the rest of your life. One golden rule to live by is: Exercise should never cause pain!
• Stick with the three basics:
1. Cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise that will increase your heart rate for a period of time.
2. Strength training exercises targeting specific activities or general movements.
3. Movement activity that moves your body through full range of motion.
• Appropriate stress: The fine line is stressing the body enough for improvement to meet your goals and still enjoying the exercise. This is where many exercise routines go wrong. You apply too much stress leading to burnout or injury, or not enough stress and are unable to make positive changes to meet your goals.

Exercising should be simple and has too many benefits for healthy living for you not to be doing it. Don’t let advertisements or people confuse you with exercise babble into not wanting to exercise or spending more time and money on gimmicks you don’t need. Remember good health should be inexpensive and easy; injury and illness will be expensive and difficult.