How much exercise is enough?

A question I am asked regularly is how much exercise is enough? Of course this depends on your fitness goal and i’m not talking about how to train for a marathon here but how to stay 'fit for life’. The biggest issue is perhaps the type of exercise we do! My fitness week looks something like this:

• 1 Pilates class as a participant + the odd exercise I choose to join in with in my classes
• 1 yoga class as a participant
• 2 x Kettlebell HIIT classes as a teacher
• 1 x Fitness Yoga class as a teacher
• 1 run / bike ride
• 2 x 10 minute Hip Strengthening sessions

What do you think? Does this look like a lot?
Ideally I’d like to add in at least one more run or bike ride but this is a pretty good variety of classes and ticks the following boxes:

• Cardio
• Resistance
• Core Strength
• Muscular Strength
• Flexibility
• Balance
• Tackling a current area of weakness - hip strength​

All these elements of fitness are required to promote good posture, help prevent against injury, stay lean, stay strong and ultimately stay active. To be honest the marathon runner or endurance athlete should also be doing all these types of fitness in addition to their sport specific training! 

Take into account too, that for many areas of fitness, as we get older we need to train harder just to maintain the status quo! We try to convince ourselves that we shouldn’t do ‘hard exercise’ as its not good for our backs/knees/shoulders (insert what ever excuse you can find) and do a little gentle exercise each week. This is where we need to get real, with a few exceptions most people in their 30’s 40’s 50’s and 60’s should be out there getting sweaty and exercising hard. I have some amazing ladies in their 70’s joining in Kettlebell HIIT who would absolutely hate me suggesting they take it easy. They have started with Pilates to protect their backs and strengthen their core and joints before successfully adding more challenging workouts. 

I know there are barriers to exercise but the first step is to dump any excuses about age and ability.

Time can also be a barrier. Classes are so worth coming to because you will get the most from your time investment. We make sure you are working effectively, we vary your workout to prevent the body getting lazy, we push when you need pushing, ease off when you need a break. If you can’t get to as many as you’d like though add in more weekly sessions using our Online Fitness Membership Subscription. For just £3.95/month you get unlimited access to 30 short but effective workouts covering all areas from HIIT to Pilates and Conditioning. It's accessible and great value for money. 

This week I challenge you to review your fitness regime. What are you doing and why? Does the time you spend exercising serve a purpose or are you doing it because you always have? Are you convincing yourself that getting sweaty isn’t for you?

Remember we are here to help. Give me a call if you’d like a chat about your fitness. Our objective is get you doing the classes and activities you need, in order to achieve the life you want to lead. ​