Selecting the Right Exercises, Routines,and Training Settings for You

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Deciding whether to train at home or at the gym, to take a group exercise
class or to hire a personal trainer, or to practice with a DVD or by yourself
are tough questions to evaluate.

Getting started with your weight training program means selecting the right
exercises and routines that meet your goals and fit your personality and
lifestyle. The perfect program is the one that fits you.

Weight training today is for all bodies, not only the bodybuilders of previous
eras. Whether you’re a mom supervising your kid’s fitness program or an
older adult with special needs, find a program that suits you. There’s no
reason not to get started right away and to enjoy the many benefits weight
training gives you.

Living a Healthy Lifestyle
Weight training is an important key to living a full and healthy life from childhood
to older age. All things being equal, we lose muscle mass as we age due
to the gradual loss of efficiency in the process of cellular reproduction (the
same reason your hair turns gray). Unless you add stimulation to your muscles
such as weight training to maintain or to build muscle mass, you’ll lose
your current muscle mass. Weight training, alone, can’t provide everything
you need to get and stay strong and fit. You need good nutrition, adequate
sleep, stress management, and a strong network of good relationships with
friends and family for social support.

Pumping up your heart and lungs
Aerobic exercise or cardio training is necessary to keep your heart and lungs
healthy and to reduce the risk of diseases such as heart disease, hypertension,
and diabetes, as you age. The best form of cardio exercise for most
people is walking — it’s cheap and easy, and walking requires little planning
and offers a low risk of injury.
Make time for cardio activity on most days of the week — anywhere from
4 days of the week to every day — for at least 30 minutes. Your efforts count
even if you only walk ten minutes at a time, three times a day.