Exercise is a double-edged sword

I am not a big fan of just going to the gym for a mindless workout. I do however find adding music, changing up the routine or doing it with others makes it more enjoyable. That being said, I'm going to focus on individuals exercising alone in the gym...


Growing up in the 80's I was told aerobics was the way to stay fit. Weights were for body builders. But, as I've studied the human body in college I realized this was not so. We need both forms of exercise to trully mak our bodies fit (and if you need to, lose "fat" weight.)


Why Cardio is good for you:
Weight loss.
Stronger heart and lungs.
Increased bone density.
Reduced stress.
Reduced risk of heart disease and some types of cancer.
Temporary relief from depression and anxiety.
More confidence about how you feel and how you look.
Better sleep.
More energy.


Strength training helps you:
Develop strong bones. 
Control your weight. 
Reduce your risk of injury. 
Boost your stamina. 
Manage chronic conditions. 
Sharpen your focus. 


As you can imagine I tried both forms at different times in my life and would get bored after a while.  Circuit training includes several exercises. So, you can prevent boredom by switching exercises in the series frequently. Doing so can keep you motivated and prevent burnout. 


What's nice about circuit training is the short bursts of resistance exercise using moderate weights and frequent repetitions, followed quickly by another burst of exercise targeting a different muscle group.
Because the exerciser switches between muscle groups, no rest is needed between exercises. This gets the heart rate up, which usually doesn't happen during resistance exercise. Sometimes, to up heart rate further, aerobics are sprinkled between the resistance exercises.


Why circuit training is good for you:
improves both strength and endurance
jump-starts metabolism


So what should my heart rate be when exercising?

Target Heart Rate Zones by Age *
Age Target Heart Rate (HR) Zone (60 - 85%) Predicted Maximum HR
20 120 – 170 200
25 117 – 166 195
30 114 – 162 190
35 111 – 157 185
40 108 – 153 180
45 105 – 149 175
50 102 – 145 170
55 99 – 140 165
60 96 – 136 160
65 93 – 132 155
70 90 – 123 150
Your Actual Values
(Actual values are determined from a graded exercise test)


Target HR: Max. HR:
* This chart is based on the the formula: 220 - your age = predicted maximum heart rate

FYI: Weight loss is a matter of simple arithmetic: To shed pounds, you must burn more calories than you consume. And when it comes to burning calories, the greater the exertion, the greater the rate at which calories are burned.

Working out at about 60% to 75% of your maximum heart rate (the so-called "fat-burning zone") burns fewer calories than working out at 75% to 85% of your maximum heart rate (the so-called "aerobic" or "cardio" zone).  

But caloric burn depends on a workout's duration as well as its intensity -- and it's easier to work out longer when exercising at a lower intensity.