Bodyweight Exercises: What Does The Ideal Fitness Program Look Like?
What would an ideal fitness program contain? It would be easy to say "bodyweight exercises," but it is much more than that. The obvious answer is that the "ideal" fitness program is different for each person.
And that is such a cop-out.
Any ideal fitness program will have certain characteristics. One of these is that it will incorporate stretching seamlessly, so that the stretching exercises complement the remainder of the program.
Another characteristic is that it will have a relaxation component. This is because stress reduction and lowering blood pressure is a primary goal of an ideal routine.
Flexibility is an absolute must. But not YOUR flexibility. The program itself must be flexible enough to adapt to your time demands, your changing energy levels, and your motivation - or lack thereof.
Your program should be adjustable to your changing and growing goals. This month, your goal is weight loss. This day, you want to emphasize your best abdominal exercises. This week, you want to shock your body and change everything up.
It must also fit into your lifestyle, and the lifestyle of your family. This is different from being flexible day-to-day. The ideal fitness program is integrated into the goals and values that you, or your family, holds primary.
Diet actually should not be a key component of your ideal fitness program. Let's face it: almost no one sticks to a diet. So why should your fitness program be killed just because you can't eat chicken and rice for 39 consecutive meals?
However, your fitness program must burn enough calories to cover those times when you do eat bad. Or is it badly? Because it is possible to lose weight without dieting.
Finally, the program should not require a massive life change from you. You are trying to get fit, lose some weight, maybe adjust your cholesterol level or fend off approaching diabetes. While some people try to
tie this back to "you didn't get enough hugs as a child," the reality is that an ideal fitness program is one that you can follow and stick with whether or not you reach this bizarre nirvana. You know what? I eat a brownie because I like the taste of brownies. Not to fill an emotional void in the center of my soul - to fill a brownie sized hole in the center of my stomach. Is that heresy? So what.
So, now that we've laid out the characteristics of an ideal fitness program, what would it look like? Aaaah... Stay tuned for those posts over the next few days...
Until those posts are put up, go to The FITNESS Portal to check out some great programs, and to sign up for our FREE eBook and randomly-sent-out newsletter.
And that is such a cop-out.
Any ideal fitness program will have certain characteristics. One of these is that it will incorporate stretching seamlessly, so that the stretching exercises complement the remainder of the program.
Another characteristic is that it will have a relaxation component. This is because stress reduction and lowering blood pressure is a primary goal of an ideal routine.
Flexibility is an absolute must. But not YOUR flexibility. The program itself must be flexible enough to adapt to your time demands, your changing energy levels, and your motivation - or lack thereof.
Your program should be adjustable to your changing and growing goals. This month, your goal is weight loss. This day, you want to emphasize your best abdominal exercises. This week, you want to shock your body and change everything up.
It must also fit into your lifestyle, and the lifestyle of your family. This is different from being flexible day-to-day. The ideal fitness program is integrated into the goals and values that you, or your family, holds primary.
Diet actually should not be a key component of your ideal fitness program. Let's face it: almost no one sticks to a diet. So why should your fitness program be killed just because you can't eat chicken and rice for 39 consecutive meals?
However, your fitness program must burn enough calories to cover those times when you do eat bad. Or is it badly? Because it is possible to lose weight without dieting.
Finally, the program should not require a massive life change from you. You are trying to get fit, lose some weight, maybe adjust your cholesterol level or fend off approaching diabetes. While some people try to
tie this back to "you didn't get enough hugs as a child," the reality is that an ideal fitness program is one that you can follow and stick with whether or not you reach this bizarre nirvana. You know what? I eat a brownie because I like the taste of brownies. Not to fill an emotional void in the center of my soul - to fill a brownie sized hole in the center of my stomach. Is that heresy? So what.
So, now that we've laid out the characteristics of an ideal fitness program, what would it look like? Aaaah... Stay tuned for those posts over the next few days...
Until those posts are put up, go to The FITNESS Portal to check out some great programs, and to sign up for our FREE eBook and randomly-sent-out newsletter.
