At any given moment, more than 50 percent of the US population is looking to improve their fitness. While basic exercise concepts such as exercise and diet are well-known, very few Americans possess a foundational understanding of fitness and effective ways to reach their fitness goals. Deputy Eli Max understands this well, and before joining the police force, spent many years studying different fitness concepts. Today, Deputy Eli Max hopes to help other Americans reach their fitness goals by discussing in-depth fitness topics, including the three essential exercise modalities and their importance in weekly fitness routines.
Mobility Training
Mobility training is essential for reducing the risk of future injury, increasing range of motion, and helping to improve balance. Far too often, athletes will not incorporate mobility training into their weekly routine and injure themselves on strength or cardio exercises. A torn ligament or twisted ankle can bench an athlete for weeks if not months, meaning athletes will lose valuable gains during their recovery. In order to prevent this, fitness coaches and doctors recommend spending 15 minutes of mobility warmup work before each workout and 30 minutes of more intensive stretching twice per week.
Strength Training
Strength training, also known as resistance training, involves a variety of physical exercises (often including weights) that are designed to improve athletic endurance and strength. Athletes who utilize strength training in their weekly routine must practice continuous weight overload and compound exercises in order to activate specific muscle groups. This is done through:
Practicing progressive overload: Progressive overload is when an athlete slowly increases the load or weight on their muscles to continue to challenge and grow muscles. This can be done by adding weight or resistance bands, performing more challenging exercises, resting fewer times between sets, and completing faster reps.
Prioritizing compound exercises: Traditionally, most trainers recommend that athletes spend most of their time on compound exercises, which activate multiple muscle groups and help improve athleic performance more effectively. Compound exercises translate into better functional strength in various fitness activities, while isolated exercises will only focus on toning and growing specific muscles.
Cardio Training
Oftentimes, when people start their fitness journey, they heavily rely on cardio training, with the majority of their weekly routine involving running, walking, or biking. While these are excellent exercises and can help to improve heart and lung function, they are not the best exercises to help build muscle or promote weight loss. When creating a weekly routine, it is crucial to use cardio in moderation to avoid injury and spend 150 minutes on moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobics each week.
