Going to the gym more often does not necessarily translate to good performance and better health, because if you do not find a balance within your routine you will never be able to achieve the goals you want so much.
To create the best gym workout you must strategically include different types of exercises; for example, cardio, strength and flexibility exercises. However, you also need to give your body some time to rest between each training session.
A minimum of 150 minutes of weekly exercise at moderate-high intensity, or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio and 2 days of strength training, is generally recommended. Taking this into account, we show you the 4 essential pillars of any gym routine so you can start on this journey.
4 pillars of gym routines
1. Pick up your pace with a little cardio
Cardiovascular exercise is anything that makes your body move and, consequently, accelerates the heart rate for a period of time. Some exercise routines that include cardio include the following:
- Swimming
- Aerobic and dance classes
- Push-ups and jumps
- Walking or running
- Use of elliptical machine
- Stationary bicycle
Cardio exercises are absolutely necessary due to their multiple health benefits, since they provide greater strength to the immune system, improve mood and reduce the risk of suffering from a chronic disease. Plus, they can also make you lose weight.
To get the most out of each session, be sure to include 5-10 minutes of a warm-up before starting heavy exercises, and at the end of your entire routine, give yourself time to relax and cool down your muscles.
Of course, finding the perfect routine will depend on your preferences and how much time you have to spend in the gym.
2. Strengthen your muscles with strength training
When exercising, strength training plays an important role because it makes the muscles and bones gain more resistance. In addition, it gives your body a greater capacity for resistance.
The best recommendation that you can follow to progress in this regard is to start with little weight and add more. Many use the beginner's method in which you must complete 12 to 15 repetitions correctly; If you manage to do more than that amount, you can increase the weight or add difficulty to the exercise.
Professional trainers say that a good routine should work several muscles at the same time. For this there are the following exercises:
2.1 Chest exercises
- Bench press
- Pushups
- Chest openings
2.2 Back exercises
- Pull to the chest
- Dominated
- Back extensions
2.3 Leg exercises
- Squats
- Leg presses
- Normal and lateral lunges
- Heel raise
- Glute bridge
2.4 Arm exercises
- Bicep curl
- Pulley triceps
- Shoulder press
- Triceps kick
2.5 Abs exercises
- Crunches
- Plates
- Bike crunches
3. Learn to stretch your body
Although stretching is not high-impact, it is a vital step in preventing injury , improving posture, and reducing stress. Ideally, you should spend at least 30 minutes 3 times a week stretching, but if you can't complete the entire course, a little less also helps.
Some examples of stretching exercises are as follows:
3.1 Lower body
- Quadriceps stretch
- Standing and forward lean posture
- Butterfly stretch
- Calf stretch
3.2 Upper body
- Arm bent across the chest
- Overhead triceps stretch
- Hand stretch behind the back
3.3 Center of the body
- Torso rotations
- Downward facing dog position
4. Don't forget to take days off
For the routine to work in the long term, it is necessary that you give your body a few days of rest, either leaving days between each training session or setting a specific day for this task. Try to get comfortable and put aside the stress that dieting can sometimes bring.
References
- Lisa, M. The 4 Pillars of Any Good Gym Routine. For Livestrong. [Revised January 2020].
