There’s no doubt that exercising regularly is one of the best things you can do for your overall health and well-being. In addition to strengthening your muscles and heart, exercise improves your mood and boosts your energy levels.
All of these factors working together can drive a number of positive changes.
To do this, let’s analyze the main points. Benefits of going to the gym.
Physical benefits
The habit of exercising regularly has been found to help improve a number of physical factors, including:
- Cardiovascular health – Studies show that regular exercise prevents cardiovascular disease and is an excellent therapeutic measure for people who already suffer from heart disease.
- Muscular strength – Working against resistance stimulates muscle growth and increases strength. As people age, they naturally lose muscle mass; regular exercise helps slow down this process.
- General flexibility – A well-rounded exercise program will get your body through its maximum range of motion on a consistent basis. This stretches your muscles, which facilitates free movement and promotes joint health.
Weight control – Exercise is, without a doubt, the best way to maintain weight. This is because regular workouts increase weight. metabolic ratewhich can help you burn more calories and maintain optimal body mass.
Disease prevention
Going to the gym can also help prevent chronic diseases, especially:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Coronary heart disease
- Arthritis
- Cancer
- Depression
Types of exercise
To experience the full range of physical benefits that going to the gym offers, you will need to follow a comprehensive exercise program.
There are three main types of exercises you can include in your regimen:
- Endurance training – Resistance training involves specific exercises intended to overload a particular muscle group. Some examples include working with free weights, using machines, or bodyweight exercises such as push-ups and lunges.
- Aerobic exercise (cardio) – This can refer to any activity that elevates your heart rate, activates multiple muscle groups, and forces your body to use extra oxygen. Importantly, aerobic exercise improves circulation and helps lower blood pressure. Some examples include running on a treadmill, riding a stationary bike, and jumping rope.
- Flexibility training – Flexibility training promotes musculoskeletal health. This helps prevent muscle strains and lays the foundation for safe aerobic and resistance exercise. Flexibility training also improves balance, which can become a problem as people age. Examples include yoga, stretching, and tai chi.
You should aim to do at least 150 minutes of cardio per week and do resistance training at least two days a week. You can do flexibility routines daily.
Mental benefits
When you exercise, your body produces endorphins, which help your brain block pain signals. In fact, endorphins can improve mental health by helping to:
- Greater happiness – Studies have shown that exercise can increase the brain’s sensitivity to serotonin and norepinephrine, two hormones associated with positive feelings. These hormones may even alleviate depression.
- Reduce stress – Elevated levels of endorphins reduce stress and anxiety. Exercise also contributes to improved sleep quality, which is an important factor in stress management.
- Greater self-esteem – Endorphins can generate a feeling of confidence. The physical improvements that come from exercising regularly, such as increased muscle mass, can also contribute to a better self-image.
Social benefits
One of the strongest predictors of overall life satisfaction is quality social connections. How does this relate to going to the gym?
Ultimately, becoming a regular gym-goer puts you in a prime position to:
- Making new friends
- Be part of an encouraging community
- Sign up for group fitness classes
- Find training partners to increase accountability.
In addition to improving your quality of life, social support can also help make your time exercising more enjoyable. This, in turn, makes it easier to stick to a training plan and stay motivated.
How to make the most of your time at the gym
So you’ve decided to incorporate the gym into your routine. Congratulations! That’s a big step!
As you get started, keep these helpful tips in mind to ensure you have the best experience possible:
- Set reasonable goals – When starting any workout plan, you’ll need to set some initial goals to track your progress. Start with achievable goals and work your way up from there. For example, you might try to build muscle or work out “X” amount of times per week.
- Experiment – There are literally hundreds of different workout routines to choose from. Try out different routines and exercises to find what works best for you. For example, you might try dumbbells one week and resistance machines the next.
- Ask for advice – Gym staff members are often fitness enthusiasts, so don’t be afraid to ask them for guidance. Most will be happy to share what has worked for them and point you in the right direction.
Become a regular gym goer at Chuze Fitness
Once you make exercise a part of your life, you’ll never want to stop. After all, there’s nothing better than becoming the best version of yourself, and the gym is the fuel for that journey.
In Chuze GymWe strive to offer the complete gym package: everything you need for strength, cardio, and flexibility, plus knowledgeable and compassionate team members and mod cons which make recovery very easy.
Become a member today to experience the Chuze difference for yourself.
Sources:
National Library of Medicine. Effects of exercise to improve cardiovascular health.
American Heart Association. Flexibility exercise (stretching). https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/flexibility-exercise-stretching#:~:text=Many%20 Different%20types%20of%20exercise,also%20help%20improve% 20your %20balance.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. 3 types of exercise that improve heart health.
World Health Organization. Physical activity. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/physical-activity
National Library of Medicine. The effects of acute exercise on mood, cognition, neurophysiology, and neurochemical pathways: a review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5928534/
Harvard Medicine. The good life. https://magazine.hms.harvard.edu/articles/good-life
Mayo Clinic. Exercise and chronic disease: Get the facts. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-Depth/exercise-and-chronic-disease/art-20046049#:~:text=Diabetes.,ease%20pain%20or%20build%20strength.
Reviewed by:
Ani is the Vice President of Fitness at Chuze Fitness and oversees the group fitness and team training departments. She has over 25 years of experience in club management, personal training, group exercise, and instructor training. Ani lives with her husband and son in San Diego, California and loves hot yoga, snowboarding, and all things wellness.
