Posted on November 22, 2013 by Jenny Cromack

As a personal trainer I often get asked the question what type of exercise is right for me? I respond with ‘What do you want to achieve from your exercise?’

Everyone is different and as a personal trainer and  group exercise class instructor I meet all different types of individuals who all exercise for different reason. Some people exercise to keep fit, lose weight, maintain weight, gain muscle, become faster and stronger for sport, competition or for their jobs. A lot of people also train for social reasons. Whatever your reason, all of these are better than sat at home festering on the settee.

There are so many different group fitness classes and training principles available and people are often quick to pass comment if it’s not to their liking. I openly admit I would never attend a Zumba class not because I don’t think it is good for you as I think it is a fantastic cardio workout but because I have the coordination of an intoxicated flea! But Zumba may be Joe Blogg’s favourite class.

So, how do I choose what type of exercise is right for me?

 

Be Specific With Your Goals

For someone who wants to become strong Body Pump is fantastic and teaches you to lift weights however if you want to get strong as in bench pressing and squatting above your body weight a gym setting would be more suitable, however it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy both sides.

There Is Something For Everyone

The fitness industry is fantastic as these days there really is something for everyone with all different types of goals. The Leeds Motive8 Saxton Fitness Studio prides itself on its fantastic range of classes to suit everyone’s training needs from Pilates to  Boxercise, Kettlebells, Spin and lots more at appropriate times for people working. So there is no excuse as there is a class for everyone!

What Motivates You To Exercise?

Once again individual differences falls into what type of training is right for you. There are four options. Do you like training in a group, with a partner, alone or with a personal trainer?

Solo Training

Some people have the motivation to get to the gym and workout really hard pushing themselves as hard as possible to achieve their goals and if you can do this that’s fantastic! However, if you think you don’t push yourself hard enough and you’re quick to give up then you have to consider whether the gym is actually the right thing for you or would classes or personal training be a more effective way of achieving your goals.

Fitness Classes

If you feel you need to be pushed to work harder why not consider joining a class. Different classes have different levels of difficulty however there is no reason you can’t attend any class. Any good class instructor should be able to adapt their sessions to fit you in. Classes are fantastic for a good group atmosphere and working with others can make you work harder with some healthy competition.

Buddy Training

Most people have much higher levels of motivation when they are working out with a friend. Whether you have the same or different fitness goals having support from a friend can really help with your training. As long as you work hard and don’t stop and chat for ages having someone to spot you and push you to do one more rep or hold the plank for 10 more seconds can be really beneficial. If you find meeting new people daunting attending a fitness class with a friend can be a great idea to ease those nerves.

Personal Training

If you really want to achieve your fitness goals a personal trainer will put you at a massive advantage.  With knowledge and exercise programs personally tailored to achieve your fitness targets as well as nutrition advice as you need to maintain a productive training plan as well as a healthy diet.

So when it comes to knowing what type of exercise is right for you firstly you need to ask yourself what your fitness goal is and what you want to get out of your training sessions. It is really important to find something that motivates you to work hard and also you need to enjoy it. You can work really hard but also enjoy yourself. If you’re not enjoying something is it the right thing for you?

It is also important that you understand different that types of training achieve different results so you may have to alter your training to achieve your goal. If you keep completing the same training programme your gains will eventually plateau so be sure to keep pushing yourself and changing what you are doing.

All exercise is extremely beneficial just make sure you are working as hard as you can and you are enjoying yourself and achieving the results you want.

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 To record how much sleep you are having and ensure you are waking up at the right time in your sleep cycle read my blog on the Sleep Time phone app

http://www.m8north.co.uk/sleep-time-how-well-do-you-sleep-zzzz/