This is an article that first appeared in the now defunct Conejo Calendar that I have updated with some new information:
Balancing Your Fitness Diet
Most of us know the three main components of a nutritionally balanced diet: carbohydrates, protein and fats. But how many of you are aware of the three main components of a well-balanced fitness diet? They are cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and flexibility training.
Cardiovascular conditioning (cardio) exercises the entire cardiovascular system, not only the heart, but the lungs and the arteries and veins as well. Examples of fitness routines that provide good cardio are running, bicycling or spinning, using cardio machines such as a treadmill, elliptical or stair climber or vigorous walking or hiking.
Strength training builds and maintains muscle mass while also maintaining bone density, something of great importance to women especially as we near and pass through menopause. Good strength training regimens include weight lifting, and other exercises that use resistance. Muscle building and retention also serve to mitigate the metabolic slowdown that can happen as we age.
Flexibility training keeps the body limber and allows the body to reach, bend, and stretch throughout the range of motion of the joints. Flexibility and balance help in injury prevention as well. Examples of good flexibility training include Pilates mat workouts, yoga and ballet.
In reality, just in the same way as one item of food can offer a combination of protein, carbs and fats, so do many physical activities provide a combination of fitness benefits. Pilates on the Reformer and Cadillac for example provides strength training as well as flexibility work. Dance workouts typically provide both cardio and flexibilitiy. At my the Strong Body Studio, LL., the Tri-Fusion (previously known as Cardio/Fusion) class works all three. so that a one hour workout provides a strong dose of all three fitness elements. Swimming is another good example of an exercise that works your heart, builds muscle by having your body work against the resistance of the water, and helps in maintaining flexibility. I am not current in the literature as to whether it assists in bone retention, but you'll see it here when I do.
Working in a gym environment, the equipment is often designed to work only one element at a time. A treadmill is great for cardio, but does nothing for flexibility and doesn’t help maintain muscle or bone mass much either. A bench press machine is great at helping build chest muscles and maintain bone density, but neglects the flexibility component entirely. Spin classes are great for cardio, but, despite what some trainers claim or attempt, they are not ideal for strength or flexibility work.
Despite what you may heard or other Pilates instructors will tell you, the Reformer is not a cardio machine. Doing the moves at speed will make you sweat (some), but sacrifices form and joint stability to achieve any semblance of cardio. And, please, if you get nothing from this article but this...Understand, that the Jump Board is the worst piece of Pilates equipment ever!!! Everyone who works on the jumpboard will sometime or another hit the board badly, sending the spring-loaded impact right through the joints. I have never understood that a discipline that is so careful of the joints should disregard that so egregiously when it comes to the jumpboard!! There are no jump boards in the studio, and I cannot foresee ever using them here.
In fact, flexibility may be the most neglected element of fitness, especially by men. Many people who work out regularly will spend two to three hours each on strength and cardio, but only may stretch for a few minutes at the end of each workout, if that.
To be truly fit, an individual should structure a workout program that incorporates each of the three components. The ratio of cardio, strength and flexiibility is dependent on what you want to achieve. If you are training for a marathon or triathlon, you will want to emphasize the cardio piece; if you are trying to build muscle and get buff, the strength training will take precedence, or if you are a dancer or gymnast, flexibility will be key. However, the more you incorporate all three components into your fitness diet, the better your results will be, no matter what your fitness objectives. One of my goals as a trainer is to help you design a fitness diet that fits your goals and your lifestyle.
Working with a fitness professional can help you prioritize your goals. A good trainer can help you design a program that will balance the three aspects of fitness in a way that will help you feel better, look better, and be healthier.