We all know that exercise is good for you, but not all workouts are created equal. Research shows that the type of workout you engage in and how you do it can have different effects on your health goals. Whether you want to release anger and tension, find the extra energy to power through a busy day, or relax and sleep like a baby, the exercise discipline you opt for can make a big difference.
Here are the top workouts you really need to know all about. Decide which one best meets your needs and then incorporate it into your routine!
If you suffer from insomnia or find it hard to fall sleep, stop counting sheep and try Pilates instead. A study in Brazil discovered sedentary volunteers who took up Pilates later reported considerable improvements in their sleep – and quality of life.
Why it works:
“Pilates functions a bit like mindful meditation,” says Pilates instructor Katie Bulmer. “The focus on abdominal breathing helps you calm down and relax. You are really concentrating on what is going on inside your body, rather than outside.”
How often to do it:
The researchers found there were real sleep benefits from doing two one-hour mat-based Pilates classes a week for 12 weeks. Grab a mat and try out a class at your community centre or gym.
If you normally reach for a latte or kopi gao to help you focus when you feel overloaded, put down the coffee and pick up a pair of dumbbells instead. Weight training can improve your cognitive function – particularly your executive function, central to planning, organising and focusing on more detailed tasks.
Why it works:
Researchers are still trying to fully understand the connection between weightlifting and concentration, but UK personal trainer Steve Goodacre says it forces you to focus on the technique.
“Slow, repetitive movements take concentration, so you are training that part of your brain,” he says.
How often to do it:
A strength-training session once or twice a week for an hour is enough for a positive effect, studies reveal. But take it slowly at first. Two 20-minute sessions a week is ideal, aiming for two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions.
Looking for a yoga class? Try Iyengar yoga. Its slow, precise postures help to build strength. Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine found it could also reduce anxiety and increase levels of the neurotransmitter GABA, a brain chemical often found to be deficient in people suffering from depression.
Why it works:
Yoga’s big plus is in activating the parasympathetic nervous system, which helps to lower your blood pressure, heart rate and breathing rate. It is believed that when the parasympathetic nervous system is stimulated, it also triggers the release of GABA, which all combine for a palpable and discernible calming effect. Om!
How often to do it:
Practising lyengar yoga for one hour, three times a week for 12 weeks boosts levels of this key neurotransmitter. It is well worth a go.
Are you the sort who wants to run and hide whenever someone mentions meditation? Boxing could be just the ticket to tackling stress levels, as it is a psychological and physical release.
Why it works:
Boxing lets you transfer all your frustration onto an inanimate object (for example, a punching bag) rather than an animate object (that person hogging an entire bus seat). And because you become so absorbed, there is no room for worrying about anything else.
“If you are on a bike or treadmill, your body could be doing one thing, but your focus and attention could be elsewhere,” says Steve. “With boxing, you use a number of skills, so you have to pay attention.”
How often to do it:
As a high-intensity workout, it is wise to start off slowly – one 60-minute class per week is enough for newcomers. Not keen on hand-to-hand combat? Boxercise combines boxing drills with a range of aerobic moves.
Believe it or not, hopping on an exercise bike could be just the thing when you are flagging at the end of the day! A mere 20-minute pedal on a bike can significantly raise your energy levels.
Why it works:
“Strenuous exercise encourages the release of endorphins, the feel-good hormones in the brain,” says Steve. “They have an almost opiate, drug-like effect, leaving you on a high.”
How often to do it:
A 20-minute session on a bike – either stationary or pushbike – is enough to provide you with a quick boost. But research at the University of Georgia has found that three 20-minute sessions a week over a period of six weeks could raise those energy levels by 20 per cent – and reduce those feelings of languid fatigue by up to 65 per cent. No wonder cyclists swear by it as a mood enhancer.
Text: bauersyndication.com.au