This article discusses basic exercise principles so that you can succeed at your fitness goals. I offer you a balanced view of fitness that can be thought of as a Fitness Triangle. This is a triangle with three equal sides of equal importance, and the very important center area of the triangle.

At the base of the triangle, its foundation, is cardiovascular fitness. The heart is the most active muscle in the body which we absolutely cannot do without. As you know, the type of exercise that conditions the heart is called “aerobic.” The exact kind of aerobic exercise you do is up to you. Individual aerobic activity could be walking, running, cycling, skating, or anything that you can do for an extended period of time (20 minutes or more). Group aerobic classes involve movement to music that raises the heart rate to the training zone, such as high or low impact aerobics or step training.

How can I emphasize the importance of finding an activity that is fun and you will love doing? Some people enjoy the social aspects or the student/teacher relationship that group classes offer. Others love competition and play sports that give them cardiovascular training. Many people just like individual activities that do not depend on scheduling around other people.

If you are just starting a program consider activities that you have thought, “That looks like fun!” Go for it! Start with that activity. If you decide that it doesn’t really suit you, try another activity. I personally get jazzed about variety and try to offer it to my students. Sometimes the group aerobics is a mix of low or higher impact and step. Sometimes we get very “Sport Specific.” Not all my cardiovascular classes are high intensity. I love to use one class a week for rhythm exercise and teach a variety of dance and movement disciplines: Country/western, Salsa and Latin, African, jazz, etc. This gives the more expressive students a chance to move with feeling. So take the challenge, consider all your options and TRY SOMETHING!

Work at a pace that suits you. Fit people are going to work harder at a higher intensity than beginners. Sedentary or new exercisers who commit and stick to a regular activity program will see results faster than an elite athlete who is working toward improvement because as people get closer to their genetic potential the rate of change slows down.

The second side of the Fitness Triangle is strength. Resistance training produces muscular endurance and strength. Strong muscles allow you to do the activities you love with increased energy and ease. Strength training promotes independent living as a person ages. It is great for improving posture and is a key factor in changing your body composition and aiding fat loss. Adding two short, well planned weight training sessions to your activities each week can produce pleasant results in your fitness level. Most people strength train on various forms of equipment, either in a health club or gym or at home. Most weight training is thought of as a solitary activity, but group strength training classes are a social option in many facilities. Group strength training classes allow for many fitness levels to exercise together at the same time. Each person selects the size weights that he or she needs. The instructor will also show modifications of the exercises to allow for different skill levels.

The third side of the Fitness Triangle, flexibility, is probably the most neglected part of a fitness program. Exercisers seldom schedule 10 minutes of stretching into their activities. Even instructors often get swept away with the fun of the aerobic or strength training sessions and seem to give stretching a token nod at the end of class. As a reminder, flexibility is just as important to your fitness as the strength and cardiovascular training. Endurance exercise is improved by flexibility training because it allows more freedom of movement and the ability to change directions more easily. Posture is also improved with proper stretching as tight muscles loosen up and the body becomes more relaxed.

This Fitness Triangle complements the creation of a realistic, healthy body composition. A good activity schedule will help the body lose fat and gain lean, energetic muscle.

Remember, there is no right or wrong activity, just a wide variety that allows for true individual selection. The time has never been better to start a fitness program. So find your favorite activities, schedule the time to do them, and commit to your goals!