What Type of Exercise is Best for Me? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself!

Frequently, I get asked what’s the best form of exercise.  What should I do?  Should I buy a bike or a treadmill?  Should l lift weights or swim?  There is no one best answer.  It depends on the person.  Ask yourself these questions before investing in exercise equipment or a gym membership:
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1.  What is my reason for exercising?  Do you want to loose weight, get stronger or train for something?  Everybody has a different reason and its important to tailor your program to your goals.

2.  How much money are you willing to invest in your exercise?  Some gym memberships can be expensive, but some offer classes or services like child care that might make working out easier for you.  Some pieces of exercise equipment can also be very expensive.  If you’re looking to not spend much, there are a lot of inexpensive ways to work out that are easily accessible to everybody.

3.  What exercise do I ENJOY doing?  Believe it or not, this is by far the most important.  If you don’t like what you are doing, chances are you won’t continue to do it.  Everybody has different activities that they enjoy.  Even if you don’t love it, which form of exercise fits you the best?

​4. Am I self-motivated or do need to be accountable to somebody?  This could be in the form of a trainer or a friend you exercise with.  Some people like to exercise by themselves.  Others need the push of a partner or somebody to help keep them on track.

​The important thing to remember is there is a type of exercise out there for everybody.  It does matter if your young or old, have a lot of cash to spend on exercise or minimal, there is a form of exercise that’s right for you.  If you have more specific question ask your local therapist.  Exercise is our area of expertise and we would be happy to give you some guidance and answer any questions.  Finally, remember the most important thing:  If you like the form of exercise you choose you will have a great chance for success!

 
By: Brian Colvin, PT

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