Being active for 30 minutes a day is good

but will only help maintain fitness. To improve fitness, either increase duration or intensity

Get a coach/personal trainer/join a club

Having someone knowledgable in your sport or activity of choice telling you what to do and how to do it will make sure you are doing the most appropriate exercises to improve your fitness

It is just as important to replace lost energy

after exercise so you can recover quickly. A banana and peanut butter on wholemeal toast is a great option

Do some weight training

Not to get bigger guns but to increase ability to utilise oxygen within working muscles. Weight/strength training is important to avoid muscle loss that occurs through aging, and it can also help to increase physical capacity, improve athletic performance and reduce injury risk

Set reminders in your phone/emails

to go for a walk this will ensure you don’t spend the whole day at your computer

Increase aerobic capacity first

Elevate your heart rate for extended periods of time (long slow run/bike/swim/row etc). Your heart is a muscle, you have to work it to make it stronger

High intensity interval training

Work heart for 1min, rest for 1min, repeat 

Set goals and make a plan to achieve them

Write them down and put them somewhere you will see them every day. This will keep you accountable. When writing goals use the SMART acronym - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed

Pick an event and pay the entry fee

This will make you more committed to getting out and doing your training resulting in improved fitness

Keep it interesting

Variety is the spice of life. In the early stages of a training programme, use a number of different disciplines such as running, swimming, biking, rowing, skiing etc. This will not only keep you interested, it will help to ensure you do not overuse the same muscles/joints

Use full body exercises

More energy is required to use your arms and legs at the same time than just your legs. This will work your heart more and increase your fitness faster

Make sure you dedicate time to stretching

to increase flexibility, improve range of motion, recover faster and avoid injury! Stretches should be held for 10 seconds and ideally a stretching session should last for 10 minutes 

Find a training partner!

It’s amazing how motivating it can be when you have someone pushing you to go harder, longer or faster

Work your core muscles

A stronger core will help keep you more stable when exercising making you more efficient

Find ways to increase the amount of incidental exercise in your day

Park further away from work and walk or bike the rest of the way etc

Fuel up before exercise

Eat foods that will give you sustained energy and will insure you can exercise to your full potential during training

Stay hydrated throughout the day,

during exercise and following. It is better to consume small amounts regally then all at one go. If you feel thirsty you are already dehydrated. Dehydration can decrease your performance and ability to recover

Listen to your body

If you have little niggles don’t just push through them and hope they will go away. Rest, stretch, recover and if needed go see a physio

Specificity is also important

Make sure you are exercising the muscles that are required for the activity you are doing.  

Listen to music with a fast beat

Music can motivate you and make your work out more enjoyable. Music with a quicker beat subconsciously increases your own tempo and effort with you  realising

Actually play with your kids rather than watching

It's amazing how tiring climbing through tunnels, getting up and down off the ground and running everywhere is! 

Rest days

Make sure you take them once a week. Your fitness wont improve by running yourself into the ground

In the off season keep doing little bits of exercise

to maintain your fitness levels. That way you are not starting again at the start of the season

Have a training programme and stick to it

Write your training programme down and post it up where you and other family members/flat mates can see it.  This will help you stick to it and remind you what you have to do

Make the most of technology

Wear a Fitbit and challenge yourself to stay above a certain level; use apps like run keeper etc

Sleep!

Get enough sleep. If you are going to be training early in the morning go to bed early. Your body needs to recover and repair and sleep is the best way to do it

Go to Boot Camp!!!!

Or any other group classes. Exercising with others can motivate you and make you competitive

Do something active!!!  

Anything!!! It all helps


30 Ways to improve your fitness

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