What is your favourite kind of workout/exercise and what are the benefits of it?

[Sallygoround631]

I am really drawn to yoga and light, ballet barre workouts. I suppose It's more 'me' and suits my personality, etc etc. I am a beginner and use the back of a chair, have just bought a yoga mat but have not started yet as I have no idea how to do it correctly and no local classes.

I admit to not getting 'Adrienne' as I cant properly see what she is doing and she goes too fast, even in the beginner video's.

What worked best for you, and what was your objective? I know resistance/strength is very popular but I've never been drawn to it. Does the workout you do bring you the benefits you wanted?

I know we are all different so I'm really interested in what works for others ? Anyone else do ballet workouts who are not dancers?

With ballet workouts and yoga I am hoping to achieve better posture and some basic all over strength and flexibility. I hope it goes well!

I love running. I don’t do great distances (usually 5km three times a week) but it gives me clarity and makes me feel good. I also enjoy Body Pump (strength training). Ought to add: I’m very much a recent convert to exercise - if you’d told me for years ago that I’d be working out six times a week, I’d have laughed you outta town. Couch to 5k inspired me and I’ve kept going.

I've just started doing yoga using the Adrienne YouTube channel and I'm quite enjoying it. I used to really love HIIT workouts, but I've got out of the practice over the last couple of years and now can't bear the idea of going full pelt! So I do some resistance training - squats, core exercises, gentle weights etc...
So for me I enjoy quite gentle exercise - a combo of yoga and resistance throughout the week alongside daily dog walks.

My favourite exercise (indeed, pretty much the only thing I do apart from yoga) is resistance training. Benefits? More muscle mass, strength and all the confidence it brings, benefits for later life such as preservation of bone density (and some other things I've totally forgotten), and I seem to be able to get away with eating far more than I used to be able to when I had a much higher comparative body fat %. Your OP shows it's not for everyone, but personally it's the only thing I've ever been able to stick to.

Running and bodypump for me too.

OP, I highly recommend the Down dog app.

You set your own level, length of time and speed of instruction. You can also include level of detail of instruction, for example they'll say "you should feel a deep stretch in your side body".

I found it hugely helpful when I first started yoga, and use it daily now.

The best app I've ever used!!

I really don’t like exercise in any form. I do like /love the benefits, how it makes me look and feel,. I do a mix of functional fitness, strength four days a week, and a couple of runs a week.

I do exercise not because I love exercise, but because I love myself and my body and want to keep it as healthy as possible into old age. it took me decades to learn that lesson.

I would love to love running but I hate it. So much!

I love yoga, Pilates, barre - I find them all very different.

I love the Flow and Philosophy in yoga - losing yourself. I do both dynamic and restorative classes.

I love the discipline of barre.

I love the precise nature of pilates and it's really helped me learn about my body and be able to isolate muscles.

I used to enjoy upbeat body pump type classes but I've had so many injuries those just aren't good for me at the moment.

Nothing better than the feeling after a workout

I don't do any online apps as I have friends and family who teach fitness so I like to support local businesses. It's a really tough climate for them.

Plus the energy in the room is always fab. I never get that at home.

I really enjoy yoga but agree with you.... I could never get on board with Adrienne, although I really like Sarah Beth yoga on YouTube.

I enjoy walking, especially listening to a podcast where I can "lose myself" for a bit.

I've surprised myself by enjoying resistance training and using weights in the gym. I feel stronger and although I haven't lost any weight on the scales, my body shape has started to change. I think it's very important for maintaining bone density as a PP said.

I second this. Down dog also has barre classes (although the lady doing it looks so dour it puts me off!). But I love the yoga. It means I can fit in e.g. 20mins during my lunch break if that's the only time i have.

Absolutely agree with getting the down dog app. Best £20 per year I spend (i think you can get a free trial, i did when i started using it a few years ago). The workouts are completely customisable: type of yoga, speed, level of instruction, length of session, focus on particular part of body, background music etc. And even if you choose all the same selections, the class is different each time (but you can save a particular workout if you found it particularly good) o you don't get bored. And there is no Adrienne waffle. My dp is a yoga convert because of the app and often does a short session after a weights workout as part of his cooldown.

As well as yoga, they also have apps for barre (!), HIT, running, meditation that you also get access to when you buy one of them.

I know I could Google it (and have in the past, but still…) but could a pp who mentioned resistance training tell me, what resistance training is to them? Or anyone who does “resistance training”? Thank you!

Thanks, I didn't know about the bone density thing either.

Down Dog sounds great, although I wish I could have instruction in real life as some of the terminology confuses me. I would love a local class but we have none close by and I don't drive.
Will also check out Sarah Beth.

I don't know the difference between dynamic and restorative yoga, although i do have a good book i need to begin reading. It just seems so confusing alone.

Also, i hope someone can help - in my app store it doesn't tell me how much they cost, it just says 'in app purchase' or 'get'. I'd like to know how much it costs before paying!

Resistance training is just strength training. A lot of people will mean lifting weights when they say that, or using weight machines in the gym. It can also be bodyweight exercises though like push ups.

Just started with pilates on the advice of my GP.

There are many types of yoga, some are more physically demanding and some are more relaxing.

Restorative and Yin are mainly mat based (ie more seated, lying down poses) - it's long holds, up to 5 mins, very still, very peaceful. Often lots of props like bolsters and blankets.

Vinyasa, astanga, rocket are more vigorous, breath to movement and more flowing. Lots of sun salutations and vinyasas which is a plank, down dog, forward fold. You will do a mix of standing poses, balances, seated, laying down and potentially inversions. It's best to do a beginner class if you want to do this style so you can learn many of the common poses/asanas.

Then on top of that you might see things like Iyengar, Hatha - but I don't want to confuse you!

I can answer any yoga questions for you!

I love zumba, because I love dancing. Benefits are weight loss, makes me energised and in the classes I do, we laugh a lot.
Also walking. I tried jogging but I just can't do it. Walking keeps me fit and I enjoy the alone time. Though I do walk with my dsis a lot, and that's a great catch up, etc.

@doadeer This is great, thank you! Due to having no local classes I'm a bit stuck, and find it difficult to know how to start from absolute scratch. Some youtube stuff looks crazy to me as I am obviously not flexible enough to trust doing them. Most that say they're beginner videos look mystifying to me.

I would love to know exactly how to begin from total scratch, maybe something to read that would help, or a more slow and easy to follow video.

Would love to walk more, I used to do it a lot before we moved here, and since moving here this place has become a but rough and not so nice to walk (or run) around
We are moving later this year so that is one relief, I miss hiking and hill walking.

I would search for

"sun salutations for beginners"

This is a core flow and you can add on poses from this.

If anywhere has a beginner course this would be what I recommend. (My mum is a yoga teacher and our studio has a lot of people new to yoga)

I love yoga, but only really enjoy it when I'm in a class with other people - can you try that?

Yinyoga
Zumba
Jump (trampoline. Muc lower impact on knees and ankles)

I love HIIT and weights and running though I have an ankle injury so can't run much any more.

I workout in my open garage. In winter I do it wearing ugg gloves and wool socks and a puffer jacket. In summer shorts and a vest.

I have kettlebells of various weights, dumbells 5kg and TRX straps.

I do 'body fit by Amy' on YouTube mostly with the odd Joe wicks or PMA mixed in as they do shorter ones.

The benefits are that I feel strong. My back, arms, abs, quads all feel defined, even under a little layer of fat! I love the feeling I get once warmed up when I'm doing curls or rows and my arms just feel really strong.

I am very happy in sleeveless tops and dresses. I have shapely legs. And I can wield a pick axe in the garden like a pro.

Also i hate not exercising. So even on holiday I take my weights in this country or abroad I do bodyweight exercises. I don't like not feeling slightly achy somewhere.