What is a Very Good Exercise?

Exercise is crucial for maintaining good health. But with so many workout options available, how do you know which ones are truly the best exercises?

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through the essential factors to consider when determining the ideal exercises for your fitness goals and lifestyle. By the end, you'll understand exactly what makes an exercise "very good" and how to select workouts that work for you.

What Makes an Exercise "Very Good"?

When we say an exercise is "very good," it generally meets the following criteria:

• Full-body engagement: Works multiple major muscle groups at once for balanced fitness. Squats, burpees, swimming, and kettlebell swings are great examples.
• High calorie burn: Burns lots of calories for weight loss and fat reduction. High intensity interval training (HIIT), running, rowing, and jumping rope top the list.
• Builds strength and muscle: Progressive overload using resistance like weights/bands builds lean muscle mass. Think squats, deadlifts, bench press, and pull-ups.
• Improves cardiovascular health: Aerobic activities like cycling, running, and swimming strengthen your heart and lungs.
• Enhances flexibility: Exercises like yoga poses, pilates, and stretching increase mobility, reduce injury risk, and improve range of motion.
• Promotes overall health: Any exercise that gets your body moving, heart pumping, and muscles activated provides health benefits.
• Fun and engaging: An exercise you enjoy and look forward to doing consistently is automatically better than one you dread!

By evaluating exercises against these qualities, you can easily identify the very best options for you. Next let's go over the specifics to consider when choosing workouts tailored to your goals.

Choose Exercises for Weight Loss

When your goal is shedding pounds and burning fat, you want to focus on exercises with medium-to-high calorie burn. Some great options include:

• HIIT workouts: Short, intense intervals of cardio exercise then rest. Max calorie burn.
• Running: Burns over 500 calories per hour at a 10 minute/mile pace.
• Rowing: Works 80% of your muscles and burns 210-630 calories every 30 minutes.
• Jumping rope: Over 1,000 calories burned per hour for high intensity skipping. A portable option.
• Kettlebell swings: Dynamic strength move that torches 20 calories a minute.
• Burpees: Full-body calisthenic exercise burning over 10 calories each. Great for quick, effective sessions.
• Cycling: Burns 400-1000 calories per hour, varies with terrain and intensity. Low impact too.

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous calorie-burning exercise per week. Mixing up these options will maximize fat loss!

Pick Exercises to Build Strength

For increasing muscular fitness and definition, you need exercises that leverage resistance to progressively overload the muscles. Ideal strength-building workouts include:

• Bodyweight exercises: Push-ups, pull-ups, squats, lunges. Increase difficulty with variations. Require no equipment.
• Free weights: Barbells and dumbbells for classic moves like bicep curls, shoulder press, deadlifts, and squats. Allow progression by adding weight.
• Resistance bands/tubing: Add resistance to bodyweight moves. Compact and portable too.
• Weight machines: Leg press, chest press, lat pulldown, leg extension, and seated row machines target specific muscle groups. Found at most gyms.
• Compound lifts: Multi-joint moves like bench press, shoulder press, squat and deadlift work multiple large muscles at once. Very efficient for overall strength.

Aim for 2-4 sets of each exercise, with enough resistance to fatigue muscles in 8-12 reps. Strive for at least 2 full-body strength sessions weekly.

Select Exercises to Improve Cardiovascular Health

For heart health, vascular health, endurance, and stamina, you need aerobic exercise that elevates your heart rate into the target zone. Some top options include:

• Running: Improves VO2 max, endurance, and reduces blood pressure. Vary distance and speed for progression.
• Swimming: Full-body aerobic exercise with minimal joint impact. Great for all ages and fitness levels.
• Cycling: Low impact, can tailor intensity. Outdoors, spinning classes, or stationary bike all effective.
• Rowing: Works all major muscle groups including quads, glutes, core, back, and arms in a smooth rhythmic way.
• Jumping rope: Portable, joint-friendly exercise that burns tons of calories and strengthens heart and lungs.
• Dance cardio: Options like Zumba, hip hop, kickboxing, step aerobics are fun and don't feel like work!

Aim for at least 30 minutes of continuous moderate-to-vigorous cardio 5 days per week, or break into 10+ minute sessions.

Choose Flexibility Exercises for Mobility

Improving flexibility is crucial for mobility, pain-free movement, injury prevention, and physical functionality. Top exercises for flexibility include:

• Yoga: Poses like downward dog, child's pose, and warrior focus on lengthening muscles and increasing range of motion.
• Pilates: Controlled movements like the hundred, teaser, and side kick strengthen and stretch.
• Foam rolling: Applying pressure to muscles loosens fascia and restores normal muscle length.
• Static stretching: Holding stretches for the glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, calves, chest, back, and shoulders for 30+ seconds maximizes flexibility.
• Mobility drills: Joint rotation, banded walks, and dynamic moves improve mobility through full ranges of motion.

Aim for full-body stretching/flexibility sessions 2-3x per week. Even a short 10 minute routine makes a difference!

Pick Exercises You Enjoy

This one's simple but essential. An exercise you actually enjoy doing and look forward to on a regular basis is inherently better for you than one you dread.

Focus on finding workouts you like with variations to keep it fresh and prevent boredom:

• Take group fitness classes like spin, martial arts, or bootcamp-style classes. The social aspect and competition can boost motivation.
• Try a new sport like tennis, basketball, or rock climbing. Sports provide cardio, require skill, and are fun recreation.
• Do exercises you find fun like dancing, hiking, kayaking, or biking. If it gets you active, do more of it!
• Work out to your favorite music or watch shows while using cardio machines to distract yourself.
• Switch up your routine with new equipment, fitness apps, or even different locations. Variety is key for enjoyment.

Doing what you love is the key to consistency, so take time to explore new options until you find your favorites!

Conclusion: Evaluate and Select the Very Best Exercises for You

In summary, the best exercises for you depend on your goals, current fitness level, capabilities, access to equipment, and personal preferences.

Compound moves, HIIT, and cardio provide the most calorie burn for weight loss. Lifting progressively heavier resistance with free weights and bodyweight trains strength. Flexibility exercises enhance mobility and reduce injury risk.

Most importantly, choose workouts you genuinely enjoy so you exercise consistently. Evaluate exercises against all these criteria to select well-rounded routines tailored to your needs.

With the guidelines above, you can confidently determine "very good" workouts to incorporate into your fitness regimen. Feel free to experiment and switch it up until you find your ultimate exercise combo for results you'll love!

How often should I exercise for maximum benefits?

For substantial health gains, aim for 150-300 minutes of moderate exercise or 75-150 minutes of vigorous exercise per week. Getting at least 30 minutes daily provides benefits, but longer durations a few days per week maximizes results. Mix up cardio, strength training, and flexibility.

What are good strength exercises for beginners?

Beginners can start with bodyweight moves like push-ups, squats, and lunges before progressing to free weights and machines. Use resistance bands too. Focus on proper form and technique before increasing weight/reps. Compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, and shoulder presses are efficient for novices.

What home equipment can I use for exercise?

You can assemble a complete home gym quite affordably. Hand weights, resistance bands, a jump rope, yoga mat, and exercise ball take up little space. For cardio, consider a stationary bike, treadmill, or rowing machine if space allows. Get creative too - use furniture for incline pushups, loaded backpacks for added weight, etc.

How do I stay motivated to exercise regularly?

Make it a habit by scheduling workouts and considering them high priority. Set specific fitness goals to work towards. Track your progress. Workout with a friend. Take group fitness classes. Listen to music you love. Switch up your routine. Remind yourself of the mental and physical benefits. Staying motivated is all about making exercise positively rewarding.

Which is better - cardio or strength training?

It's best to incorporate both. Cardio provides cardiovascular benefits, calorie burn, and endurance. Strength training builds lean muscle mass, revs metabolism, and improves bone density. Aim for a combo like 3 days of cardio and 2 days of strength training each week for optimal fitness.

What are high calorie burning strength exercises?

Compound strength moves like squats, deadlifts, push presses, thrusters, and pull-ups burn more calories by activating multiple large muscle groups at once. Also try explosive options like throwing medicine balls, kettlebell swings, jump squats, and plyometrics. Supersetting strength exercises is another great calorie-burning technique.

How do I avoid injury when exercising?

Always warm up for 5-10 minutes before workouts, stretch thoroughly afterwards, and give muscles ample rest between strenuous sessions to recover. Use proper form and start with lighter weight/intensity, progressing gradually. Listen to warning signs from your body and avoid overexertion. Replace shoes every 300-500 miles for injury prevention.

What are signs of an effective workout?

You'll know your workout was beneficial if you feel energized afterwards, have a slight muscle pump/fatigue (not pain), are short of breath during cardio, break a light sweat, and feel that sense of accomplishment. Monitor your resting heart rate - it should lower as cardiovascular fitness improves. Results don't happen overnight, stay patient and consistent.

Summary

This in-depth guide covers how to determine what qualifies as a “very good” exercise and how to pick the best workouts tailored to your goals. Exercises that engage the full-body, burn substantial calories, build strength, improve cardiovascular health, and enhance flexibility are deemed very good. For weight loss, select high calorie-burning exercises like HIIT, running, jumping rope, and burpees. To build strength, use progressive overload with resistance from weights, bands, or bodyweight. Running, cycling, swimming, and rowing are great for heart health. Yoga, pilates, and stretching target flexibility. Most importantly, choose exercises you enjoy so you'll stick with them. Evaluate your options against these criteria to create well-rounded fitness routines specific to your needs. With these tips, you can feel confident picking truly excellent exercises to incorporate into your regimen for the results you want.