6 Elements of a Balanced Exercise Plan

6 Elements of a Balanced Exercise Plan by Jennifer Searles

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We all want to make sure we're doing the right stuff when it comes to exercising. There's nothing worse than being unsure about what you're supposed to be doing in the gym... we want results, and we don't want to get hurt, right? When designing an exercise plan, it's important to have a balanced routine. Leaving one element by the wayside can hinder optimal results and even set the stage for injury. By following the 6 elements of a balanced exercise plan listed below, you ensure that you will get the body you want and the good health to go along with it.

1. Cardio Fitness

Most people know that cardio or aerobic fitness is a key element in a balanced exercise plan. It's cardio that helps burn calories, thus, helping you shed unwanted fat. Aside from the aesthetic value of cardio fitness, it also helps improve lung and heart function. The more efficient your Cardiovascular system is, the better it can pump blood containing oxygen and nutrients to your muscles for optimum efficiency in everyday activities.

Aim for 30 minutes of moderate activity per day, 5 days per week. You can also perform 15 minutes of high intensity sessions 5 days per week. Stick to exercises that utilize the larger muscle groups such as walking, jogging, cardio machines, even housecleaning and vigorous yard work. As long as your movin' and sweatin', you're getting some good cardio work done. For a good cardio fitness workout, your heart rate should be anywhere between 60-85% of your maximum heart rate.

2. Muscular Strength

Muscular strength is another element of a balanced exercise plan that people tend to know is important. By building strong muscles, our bone density can improve, which helps ward of risk of osteoporosis and other bone disorders later in life. Plus, when you strength train, a by-product is sexy sculpted muscles that turn heads. Increased muscle mass can also help keep you lean! Muscle mass burns more calories than fat, therefore, the more muscle mass you have, the more calories your body burns at rest.

Aim for a minimum of 2 days of strength training per week. Gyms are equipped with a variety of machines and free weights to use for a balanced weight training program, but if a gym is not an option for you, there are plenty of ways that you can get your dose of strength training at home. Use water bottles or bottles filled with sand as weights. You can also invest in an inexpensive set of resistance bands, or use body weight as the resistance. Pushups, lunges, body squats and abdominal crunches are all exercises that can be done at home and are great for increasing muscular strength.

3. Joint Stability and Balance

The stronger your joints are, the better equipped your body is to handle the stresses of regular weight training and functional activities in everyday life. Along with strong joints comes increased balance. The better your balance is, the more functional you are. Without proper balance and joint stability your exercise plan will suffer as will your progress. Great exercises for joint stability can be easily worked into any regular exercise plan a number of ways. You can perform standing exercises on one leg to promote ankle and hip stability. Performing weight training exercises on an unstable surface such as a bosu ball or dyna disc will also help improve joint stability and balance. Just be sure to use lighter weights than you normally use since you will be more unstable.

4. Core Stability and Strength

Just as joint stability and strength is a key part of a balanced exercise plan, so is core stability and strength. With a strong core, you minimize back and spine injury risk when performing weight training and many other everyday activities. The muscles of the core are broken down into two systems. The movement system (latissimus dorsi, erector spinae, iliopsoas, hamstrings, hip adductors, hip abductors, rectus abdominus, and external obliques) and stabilizers (transverse abdominus, internal obliques, lumbar multifidus, pelvic floor muscles, diaphragm, and transversospinalis). Both systems need to be trained to ensure a strong and stable core and minimize injury.

Movers are trained by anything that causes your spine to flex or rotate. Crunches, back extensions and twisting crunches are exercises that can be used to keep your movement system strong. The stabilizing system is worked by performing isometric type exercises such as various types of planks.

5. Stretching

If you are doing cardio and training with weights, you are flexing the muscles, therefore, they need to be stretched. Without proper stretching, your muscles will have a decreased range of motion... a perfect recipe for injury and inefficiency in your exercise plan. Being flexible enables the muscles to fire more efficiently and helps them to perform a movement through it's full range of motion. When you can move through the proper range of motion, any exercise becomes more efficient. The better the efficiency of an exercise, the better the results.

Contrary to what most people think, one shouldn't stretch before exercising as the muscles are not warmed up, and you risk pulling the muscle being stretched. Warm up for 5-10 minutes doing light cardio activity or dynamic movements such as bodyweight lunges or bodyweight squats. You should always stretch after you exercise. If it's a non-exercise day, stretching after a light warm up will do the trick to increase flexibility and keep you on track with your balanced exercise plan.

6. Nutrition

Without proper nutrition, a balanced exercise plan, is well, unbalanced. You need to be sure that you are feeding your muscles the proper nutrients so that they can recover and be functional for following workouts. Muscles are made of proteins, therefore, it makes sense to be eating enough protein to help nourish them throughout the day. Choosing low-fat protein sources such as egg whites, chicken, turkey, fish, lean beef, low-fat dairy and protein powders will help to keep muscles properly fed and the bodyfat at bay. Make sure you have a protein rich meal every 2-4 hrs to endure proper recovery. Muscles need carbohydrates also, so by choosing low-glycemic whole-food sources such as yams, brown rice, oatmeal and low-sugar fruits, you are setting the stage for optimal muscle building and balance in your plan.

There You Have It!

Creating a plan is simple. Utilize the 6 elements above and you are sure to have a balanced and sound exercise plan. It's not necessary to work all the elements into every workout, but by incorporating them throughout the week, you will be on your way to a body that is healthy, functional, sculpted and ready to take on anything life throws its way.

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I'll be posting my articles to this blog so that you all can see what I'm writing about. My latest is below. I wrote it and it was edited by Lynn Glenn.... Enjoy!

His and Hers "Sexy Sweetheart" Valentine's Day Weight Workout

Who says we only need to look great in the warmer months? It's true that looking good is important when there's less clothing involved, but with Valentine's Day around the corner, we want to impress our sweethearts right? Read on for the perfect HIS and HERS workout to fine tune those "wow factor" areas that we all look for in the opposite sex. How about pleasing your sweetheart by presenting those chocolates and flowers with a beautiful sculpted bod!

Valentines Day Workout for Her

When asking women what they think will impress their sweeties the best, the answer is usually luscious legs, gorgeous glutes and sexy shoulders. If done consistently, the following workout for women will result in just that, and in plenty of time to impress for Valentine's Day. Below are exercises that can be done in the gym or at home. Do all exercises in one workout 2-3x per week making sure you allow 2 days rest in between workout days.

Step-ups for Gorgeous Glutes and Luscious Legs

With a bench or chair positioned in front of you, place your hands on your hips (or hold a dumbbell in each hand) and step one foot up onto the bench. Be sure to stand up to a full extension of the working leg without locking your knee. Step back onto the floor with the same leg and repeat. Do 12-15 reps on each leg for 3 sets.

Reverse Lunges for Gorgeous Glutes and Luscious Legs

Start in a standing position with feet together and hands on hips (or holding a dumbbell in each hand.) Step one foot backward, and bend both knees at 90 degree angles, bringing your back knee close to the floor. Bring your back foot to the starting position and repeat. Do 12-15 repetitions on each leg for a total of 3 sets.

Plie Squats for Gorgeous Glutes, Luscious Legs and inner thighs

Start in a standing position with hands on hips or holding a single dumbbell between your legs. Slightly turn toes outward as if in a ballet plie. Slowly lower your body to the floor so that both knees are bent at 90 degree angles. Hold for a count of 3, then extend your legs to bring your body back up. Repeat 12-15 times for 3 sets.

Dumbbell Presses/Inverted Pushups for Sexy Shoulders

In a seated position with a dumbbell in each hand, place arms with elbows bent so the dumbbells are at chin height. Act as if you're drawing an "A" in the air with the dumbbells, bringing them above and together over your head. Squeeze the shoulders for a count of 3, then bring the dumbbells back down to the starting position following the same line that they were raised on. If you are at home and without dumbbells, you can achieve the same effect by doing inverted pushups. Place bent knees on a chair with hands positioned on the floor in front of you. Lower your head to the floor and press back up. Repeat both exercises for 12-15 repetitions for 3 sets.

Dumbbell Lateral Raises for Sexy Shoulders

In a standing position holding a dumbbell (or soup can) in each hand down at your sides. With slightly bent elbows, raise each hand to shoulder height and bring back down to starting position. Repeat 12-15 times for 3 sets.

Valentines Day Workout for Him

Most men seem to agree that it's a chiseled chest, amazing arms, and bangin' back that are physically attractive to the opposite sex. Want to have them looking sexy for your sweetheart for Valentine's Day? The following Valentine's Day Workout for Him is sure to please.

Dumbbell Chest Presses/Weighted Pushups for a Chiseled Chest

Laying flat on a bench or a mat, place a dumbbell in each hand. With bent elbows, bring each dumbbell to chin height and press up and together over your chest. Imagine drawing an "A" in the air with the dumbbells. Squeeze for a count of 3 and bring the dumbbells back to the starting position, down along the same line that you raised them on. Repeat 10-12 times for a set of 3. If you're at home and don't have dumbbells at your disposal you can also do weighted pushups. Have a partner put some light pressure on your back while you perform 12-15 pushups. Make sure to keep your belly button drawn into your spine to protect your back and core while the extra pressure is added.

Dumbbell Flies/Isometric Doorway Fly for a Chiseled Chest

With a dumbbell in each hand, lay flat on a bench or mat on the floor. Start with both dumbbells at arms length out to your sides. With slightly bent elbows, bring your hands in an arc above your chest so that the dumbbells are together. Bring back down to the starting position and repeat. Perform 10-12 reps for 3 sets. If you're doing this exercise at home, you can get the same results with Isometric Doorway Flies. Stand in a doorway with each arm on either side of the doorframe. With hands inside the frame, press and hold for 5-10 seconds and rest for 2 seconds. Repeat 10 times for a total of 3 sets.

Diamond Pushups for Terrific Tri's

This is the same thing as a regular pushup, but with your hands close together, it focuses more on the triceps. Get into a pushup position with hands touching each other on the floor underneath your chest. Perform 12-15 pushups for a total of 3 sets.

Wide Grip Pull-ups for a Bangin' Back and Bi's

Using a chin-up bar or assisted pull-up/dip machine, place hands on the bar just outside of shoulder width. Focusing on keeping your chest up and back straight, pull your body upward so that your chin is just above the bar. Focusing on pulling from the elbows helps the arms stay fresh so that the back can get a proper workout. Perform as many reps as you can up to 15 for 3 sets.

Final Note - Don't Forget Diet and Cardio

Although weight training is key in sculpting your muscles efficiently, you also need to focus on proper nutrition and cardio in order for your hard work to show by Valentine's Day. Here is a fantastic article on effective and healthy dieting. Focusing on clean and wholesome foods while watching calorie intake is paramount in looking and feeling great. Make sure you are burning enough calories with your cardiovascular workouts so that you are creating the calorie deficit needed in order to effectively burn the ugly fat on top of your muscles.

There you have it! A va-va-voom Valentine's Day workout for you and your sweetheart... work it out and show it off!