You’ve probably heard that moderate training is the best if you want to get into shape and stay fit. But what if you want to cut up your workouts into daily slices? It’s still feasible, for as long as you know how to structure the trainings as to optimally target muscle groups and maximize gains over the long term. In case you’re unsure whether you’re following the right daily workout plan or want to dial it up for more muscle mass while still staying on the moderate side of your training agenda, here are a few tricks you may want to try.
1. Mix It Up
For optimal results, you should mix up endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance workouts. This can be achieved by either allocating a day per week to each workout category, or you can pair different types of exercises on a daily basis. For example, you can top a 15-minute jog with 20 minutes of weightlifting, or follow up on your daily run with stretching exercises such as yoga or pilates. Of course, you can experiment with different workout combinations if you want to strike a perfect balance in your training agenda over the long run.
2. Chores Count, Too
If you didn’t know it by now, moderate exercise doesn’t boil down to sweaty gym or outdoor sessions. Chores count as exercise, too, especially the more vigorous type, such as gardening, raking leaves, car washing, and other more intense scrubbing and cleaning routines. If you want to stay on the moderate side of your training program, make sure you take into account the amount of heavy manual labor you do during the day and not just classic exercises. After all, every kind of physical work counts as muscle strain and calories burned.
3. Check Local Gyms
In case you prefer gym-based trainings to self-made workouts, you can also check out the programs at local fitness centers and see if there are any that fit your schedule and training objectives. In gyms such as Soul Train, you can opt for group training or one-on-one training depending on your personal preferences. Personalized training is better for people who want to focus on their own performance and training objectives. Group trainings, on the other hand, are a better fit for those who need motivation and a competitive ambiance to stay on top of their workout game.
4. Multi-Sport Mode On
One more option to get in daily moderate-intensity trainings is to sign up for more than one sport and shake up your weekly schedule. For instance, yoga would be a good match for basketball or soccer as it would help you top off your strength and endurance hoop trainings with low- to moderate-intensity stretches a couple of times per week. Or, mixing swimming sessions twice a week with weight-bearing exercises three or four times a week would allow you to improve your heart health, tone your muscles like a pro, and get your fair share of happiness hormones.
5. Low to High Intensity
One more way to stay moderate while still exercising every day, alternating between low and high-intensity workouts is the simples trick in the training book which will help you blend cardio and heavy exercises and boost your muscle mass without the risk of overtraining. The low-intensity segment of your training can be structured around bike riding, elliptical, tai chi, light to moderate jogs, whereas the high-intensity part of your daily routine could consist of running, boxing, or high-intensity interval training slots. Still, if you want to stay on the safe side, keep each section up to 15-20 minutes in length as longer workouts will slide you over to the high-intensity scale.
In the hectic world we live in, regular exercise is not just an investment in your long-term health, it’s also a much-needed vent that allows us to de-stress, reboot, and preserve our mental health. While hardened fitness fans tend to push their limits with high-intensity workouts, such vigorous plans aren’t a good fit for everyone. Medical experts agree that moderation is the key to success in all segments of life, and exercise is not an exception. Luckily, if you follow the tips above, you’ll stay on the safe and effective side of your workout agenda – and long-term health, flexibility, and fitness will be your biggest reward. You’re welcome.
Written by Liam Smith. Connect with Liam on Twitter.
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