Warren County Guide to Physical Activity

Achieving Total Fitness:  Three Types of Exercise

 A whole body fitness plan includes three key elements:  aerobics, stretching, and resistance.  These elements are supported by weight control, proper nutrition, and stress reduction.

• Aerobic: promotes cardiovascular fitness, improves the capacity of the lungs, helps control weight and increases muscle and joint flexibility.  Examples of aerobic exercise are walking, jogging, riding a bike, and swimming.

• Anaerobic: addresses specific muscles, their size, endurance, and strength.  Examples of anaerobic exercise are weight lifting and resistance training.

• Stretching: improves flexibility and decreases the chance of injury.  This type of exercise, most commonly, gets skipped during an exercise workout, but is extremely important.