We get asked all the time ‘What is the best exercise for weight loss?’ Or ‘Which exercise will build muscle the quickest?’ The short answer? No one exercise will do that for you!
A great exercise routine is about more than who can lift the most, run the farthest or jump the highest! Here’s what we believe the key components to a GREAT fitness routine are.
1) It’s Varied:
For even the most dedicated gym goer, a fitness routine usually looks the same every week. Leg day, Arm day, Cardio etc… Before long, you’ll find yourself slipping into a state of complacency, not putting that little extra weight on because it’s easier, or skipping that last 10 minutes on the treadmill because ‘it’ll do’.
Well, if that is the case, the only person you’re really cheating is yourself!
That is why at DVCC, not only does having a personal trainer stop you from making those shortcuts, but it's our job to always be changing our client’s workout routines (weekly, or daily in the case of our small group sessions!). This not only keeps your workouts fun, but also gives that added sense of excitement when you’re trying something different every session!
2) It can be improved:
The body is incredibly good at adapting and there are certain types of exercise, unless you’re putting in way more hours each week, you’re going to plateau (we’re looking at you runners!). Once your body becomes comfortable with an exercise, it will adapt, reduce the amount of effort needed and once again, you become complacent.
This is why resistance work is always our #1 go to! It never requires more time (who has that much time to spare anyway?!) And until you become the world’s strongest man or woman, you can ALWAYS improve by lifting more, improving your skeletal muscle mass and so much more!
That being said, cardio is still a fantastic part of a varied fitness routine and is great for helping improve lung capacity and stamina, so should not be avoided altogether!
3) It. Is. Fun.
This is THE BIGGEST point of this article, so really it should be number 1! If you’re not having fun exercising, there is absolutely no point doing it!
From our experience (and we’ve had a lot of it) clients not only perform better when exercising in small groups, but they also get a heck more enjoyment out of the process!
It’s far more fun to set each other fun small challenges, have that added encouragement and a good laugh whilst exercising than just going to a gym, putting your headphones on and not talking to anyone...
For us, fitness isn’t just about results. It’s about the people. The friends you make along the way and the community that you become a part of!
