Types Of Exercise And How To Make It Fun

Alright, today we will attempt to combine two potentially standalone topics. We will be describing a few types of exercise as well as specific activities that can be fun and fit those categories. To be honest, most fun activities do combine elements of each type, as you will soon find out. Alrighty, let’s get cracking.

Let’s first bring things back to its basics. There are generally two main types of exercise that you can do – aerobic and anaerobic.  Aerobic simply means “with oxygen”. And due to the nature of how your body uses energy, it primarily burns fat. Anaerobic, on the other hand, burns sugar as the main source of fuel. It also means “without oxygen”.

What intensity should you exercise at? At any stage of your fitness journey, you should make sure that you exercise at a comfortable level. In terms of intensity, go for “seven out of ten”. That means that you should still be able to carry on a normal conversation while you exercise, albeit with a bit of difficulty.  You should do this for 45 minutes or so each day if you can. On the days when you can’t due to muscle soreness, revert to light exercise.

You may have heard that light exercise is better than no exercise. While we encourage you to up the intensity when you can, and if it is reasonable to do so, we acknowledge the role of light exercise. One of its main functions is to clear out lactic acid, which is the reason why you feel sore after an episode of intense exercise. This is important psychologically, as it ensures you won’t fall by the wayside with your exercise plans because of soreness.

Before we get on with the fun stuff, we want to drill the importance of exercise just one more time. Any type of exercise you do will strongly benefit your heart and lungs – they will become stronger and more efficient. Movement of the joints as a result of exercise will also promote proper blood flow, circulation, and give you more energy! Next up: how to make it fun.

One idea that is tossed around often is exercising with a friend, or friends. The rationale behind it is that you can challenge each other, help each other out, keep each other motivated and on track, make each other laugh or just make a game out of your exercise programs. Of course, the downside is the after-exercise meal, which may be unhealthy. So be aware of that.

Another idea is the concept that variety is the spice of life. Go out and try something different.  If you go to the gym each and every day and use the same piece of equipment or use the same piece of equipment at home, things will get boring and stale after a while. Instead, try mixing things up by reversing your routine or changing the order of your exercises.

When the weather is good, you can also “play”. Go to a city park that has playground equipment and use the slide, climb on the monkey bars, do pull-ups, hang from your knees, just let your imagination guide you.  You don’t always need to follow a strict routine, just get out there and have fun working your muscles. Remember the fun times you had as a kid? Relive them!

An outdoor circuit in the park is also something you can try – if you are fortunate enough to live near one. Some parks have circuit courses set up with a planned course where all you have to do is walk or jog to each station and then follow the instructions. If there isn’t a planned course, then you should do a combination of jogging and walking, followed by a couple of push ups and sit ups. Rinse and repeat.

You can also ride a bike around your neighbourhood or hike on a hiking trail.  A walk in the park or around your neighbourhood is also a great way to get some exercise.  Playing a competitive sport is also something you can try – although it wouldn’t suit everyone. These types of activities will not  only provide you with good exercise but they will also help you to meet new people as well.

Now for something unorthodox – when you exercise, try to picture your muscles getting bigger.  Research has shown that if you focus all of your thoughts on the muscles that you are working, they will respond better. I’m not sure how true this is, but it is interesting nonetheless. At the very least, it will keep you focused.

With that being said, you can already tell that there are plenty of ways you can make exercise more fun and interesting. The important thing is that you should always try to incorporate exercise in any various form into your everyday life. The last final tip is not to view it as a chore. For more detailed information on different exercises you can do, be sure to grab a copy of the Lifelong Fitness Blueprint, and check out the links below too!