What Are the Three Principles in Effective Fitness Programs?

So you know you're supposed to work out, but figuring out how to actually go about it can be a bit trickier. You can source your inspiration from just about any reputable source. Fitness magazines, YouTube workouts by certified trainers, or just playing outside are all fair game. Just make sure that whatever you do, it includes the three principles of any effective fitness program: cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching.

  1. Cardiovascular Exercise

    • Cardiovascular exercise conditions your lungs and circulatory system -- including your heart -- to become stronger and more efficient. Cardio is also great for burning calories and losing weight. Anything that gets your major muscle groups moving rhythmically for an extended period counts -- try walking, running, swimming, cycling or hiking. For general fitness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 75 to 150 minutes of cardio per week, depending on intensity. If you're trying to lose weight, the American Council on Exercise recommends aiming for at least 45 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity cardio, five to six days a week.

    Strength Training

    • Strength training has two major aspects: muscular strength and muscular endurance. You can develop both through a well-rounded fitness program that targets all your major muscle groups, using weights that you can safely like eight to 12 times. Aim for twice-weekly workouts, with at least a day of rest in-between. Get through your workout efficiently with exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once, like squats, lunges, rows and presses. Or combine an exercise that works large muscle groups -- say, lunges -- with an exercise that works smaller muscles, like biceps curls or lateral raises.

    Stretching

    • If you read about fitness in the media, strength training and cardio tend to draw the most press. But improving muscular flexibility through stretching is every bit as important. Regular stretching lets you move through a fuller range of motion more comfortably, which in turn increases your performance and reduces your risk of injury. Stretching can also reduce muscle tension and soreness. Overall, it's an effective way to relax and work on your fitness at the same time.

    Putting It All Together

    • Although these three components should be present in any fitness program, exactly how you put them together is up to you. If you have trouble finding time to work out try squeezing in short, 10-minute bursts of walking before and after work, and during your lunch hour. Then strength-train two evenings a week with stretching afterward, and you're good to go. If you're into the outdoors, strength train and stretch twice a week and do cardio one evening. Then save the weekend for your hiking, biking, kayaking -- or anything else active -- adventures, which just happen to satisfy the requirement for cardiovascular exercise.