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Learn About the 4 Different Types of Exercises and Their Importance

July 30, 2020 by Mandy

The word ‘exercise’ has different meanings for different people. Different people exercise for different purposes and goals including bone and muscle strength, weight-loss or weight maintenance, heart health, cognitive health, and much more. Doing routine exercise is very important for healthy adults for varied functions. But there are four main types of exercise, aerobic (or endurance), strength, flexibility, and balance; all of which serve varied purposes. Different exercises give different results because each exercise focuses on different parts of the body. Most people limit themselves to one or two types of activity instead of maintaining their bodies in a variety of ways. Doing only one form of exercise may see you excel quickly in that area, but you may also be neglecting the other physical needs, leading to an imbalance in the body and, more importantly, an increase in boredom and risk of injury. The best way to ensure well-rounded fitness and keeping your body on its proverbial toes is to do a mix of different types. To get you started, here we have discussed 4 different types of exercises, how they benefit your body and what kind of activities they entail:

Aerobic/Endurance Exercise:

Aerobic exercise or “staying power” speeds up your breathing and heart rate and is the main component of overall fitness programs. It helps to keep the circulatory system, relaxes blood vessel walls, reduces inflammation, boosts mood, raises “good” HDL cholesterol, lowers blood pressure and  “bad” LDL cholesterol levels, burns body fat, makes lungs healthy, can stave off diabetes and heart disease and help you build up endurance. Doing 150 minutes of aerobics per week of moderate-intensity activity is recommended to avail yourself of all the above-mentioned benefits. Some common aerobic activities include a brisk walk, jogging, climbing the stairs, playing tennis, dancing, biking, swimming, doing yard work like raking, digging, and gardening.

Strength training:

Muscular strength can make a big difference in your fitness. Strong muscles help you stay independent, especially in the latter part of your life, and make everyday activities feel easier, like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, and carrying groceries. You will be able to keep your balance and prevent falls and fall-related injuries by doing strength training. As you age you start losing muscle strength, resistance training specifically builds your muscles back. Strength exercises include lifting weights, even your own body weight, and doing some other exercises including pilates, physiotherapy type exercise, and other fairly low-intensity exercises. Strength training also stimulates bone growth, lowers blood sugar, assists with weight control, improves posture, and reduces stress and pain in the lower back and joints.

Flexibility/ Stretching:

Flexibility exercises can keep your body limber and help you maintain a wide range of motion which is important because the range of motion is often limited by things like arthritis. Stretching, both dynamic and static, helps maintain flexibility. Aging leads to a loss of flexibility in the muscles and tendons which increases the risk for muscle cramps and pain, muscle damage, strains, joint pain, and falling. Stretching on the other hand makes muscles longer and more flexible, which increases your range of motion and reduces pain and the risk for injury. In dynamic stretches, repetitive motion such as marching in place or arm circles warms up your muscles. It just helps to get blood and oxygen to muscles and makes them amenable to change. Then perform static stretches which means holding a stretch position for up to 60 seconds. Some ways of stretching include yoga, tai chi, pilates, and lots of other exercise classes that will help improve flexibility.

Balance exercises:

Practicing and improving balance is important for older adults to strengthen the body’s core and help prevent falls. Some senior centers and gyms offer balance-focused exercise classes, such as tai chi or yoga that make you feel steadier on your feet. It’s never too early to start this type of exercise, even if you feel you don’t have balance problems. What you need to do is buy yourself Born Tough tank tops and Born Tough workout shorts, and start practicing a combo of all the main types of exercises regularly. Some good balance exercises include heel-to-toe walking, standing on one foot, practicing tai chi poses, dance, and playing bowls. Moreover, lower-body strength exercises also will improve your balance.

Filed Under: Wellness Tagged With: exercise, health, wellness

Ways To Improve Your Child’s Physical Fitness

April 28, 2018 by Mandy

As parents we want the very best for our children. We want them to lead happy, healthy, and productive lives that they can be proud of. In a lot of ways parents are responsible for teaching their children how to live such fulfilling lives. Let’s face it! Without our guidance our children would be lost. Totally and completely lost! That’s why is important to set positive examples. One of the ways in which we as parents strive to improve our child’s lives is by hoping to improve their health. There are many ways that a parent can do this, they can promote healthy eating habits, they can educate their children on health risks to avoid, the list goes on and on. While education is key, children oftentimes learn by example.

If you’re trying to improve your child’s physical fitness chances are you need to start improving your own first! Children look up to their parents, especially at a young age so take a look in the mirror. Do you participate in any regular physical activity? What do you do to stay in shape? Are you active outdoors? Answer these questions critically and think of the ways that you could expand upon your physical activity. If you’re wanting to improve the overall health of your child it needs to be a family effort. Finding fun activities for the whole family to enjoy will make staying active a whole lot easier! Here’s a list of outdoor activities that are physically challenging but also fun for the whole family;

  1. Hiking– A great way to stay in shape and enjoy the wonders of nature. Hiking will bring you and your family closer together while you commune with nature and get in touch with the needs of your body.
  2. Flag Football– This family-friendly sport is a favorite among kids! It combines all the excitement of regular football without all the rough contact. You can find all the equipment you need at your local Walmart. It’s super easy to learn.
  3. Barefoot Water Skiing – A unique and extreme sport that’s guaranteed to get the blood pumping. Check out this Barefoot Gear Garage video to find out what it’s all about! It’s definitely for the more adventurous families who aren’t afraid to take life head on.
  4. Bike Riding– This low impact activity is a simple way to enjoy the great outdoors while working up a sweat. It’s ideal for families and young children. Biking is one of the easiest ways to stay in shape and a fantastic option for helping to improve your child’s physical fitness.

Now you know to lead by example and find activities that your family will really enjoy. If your child is engaged in the physical activity they are doing they won’t want to stop! It’s a super easy and effective way of building positive health habits. Another way to improve your child’s overall physical well-being is by cutting their screen time. The less time they are sitting in front of the television or playing games on their tablet the more time they’ll have for physical activity.

We all know that parenting can be tough and teaching your child good health habits can be even tougher. Just remember to have fun with it, set a good example, and cut down on their screen time and you’ll do just fine!

Filed Under: Children, Wellness Tagged With: children, exercise, fitness, health, kids, wellness

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