Choosing the Right Training Style for YOU

Have you ever walked into a place and felt like you just didn’t belong? Like you were the odd ball out?  Well I am sure this has happened to a lot of you at the gym especially when you're joining a “class” type program for the very first time. 

Or maybe you have been going to this class foravery long time but are starting to hate the idea of going and would rather be in a pool full of sharks?

All of this is because you haven't found the right fit for you. With so many different alternative types of exercise groups, gyms and group training.  It can seem a bit overwhelming. It may also cause you to just give up all together just because you don’t know where to begin. 

In this article I am giving you a bit of insight on the different paths that you can choose. However, don’t feel obligated to try just one or stick to only one. You may have a passion for more than one, heck look at me! I am a strength runner, I enjoy bodybuilding and running. These two are on opposite side of the “fitness” spectrum.

CROSSFIT:

  • fast paced
  • time
  • functional movements
  • full body workouts
  • easy to get hurt
  • uses a lot of gymnastic movement
  • strength & conditioning for police nd tactical teams
  • class type environment 
  • competitive
  • most of the time are nicer than going to a gym
  • great for general fitness, will not optimize fitness component or maximize muscle hypertrophy
  • Goal: achieve overall fitness

BODYBUILDING/WEIGHT TRAINING:

  • change your body composition
  • working out alone
  • consistent training
  • build muscle
  • Increase muscle mass
  • focus on specific body parts (train a different body part each day; ie: monday legs, tues-back, wed- arms, thursday, hamstrings)
  • Goal: Build Strength & Increase Muscle

Within bodybuilding there are 3 subcategories you may like 

  1. Hypertrophy training- muscle growth (what you will see most people at your local gym doing)
  2. Power/Strength - focuses exclusively on building strength
  3. Aerobic - local muscle endurance (this is my category)

PILATES:

  • challenging
  • chill
  • long lean muscle
  • will not build muscle
  • will not change body composition
  • healthy
  • Goal: Athlete looking to improve performance

Hope this can give you more insight on the fitness world.

FitnessMonika Paez