People divide exercise into the following broad categories:
This section outlines each of these categories.
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise aims to improve the body’s use of oxygen. Most aerobic exercise takes place at moderate intensity over longer periods.
An aerobic exercise session involves warming up, exercising for at least 20 minutes, and then cooling down. Aerobic exercise mostly uses large muscle groups.
Some examples of aerobic exercise include:
Anaerobic exercise
Anaerobic exercise does not use oxygen for energy. People use this type of exercise to build power, strength, and muscle mass.
These exercises are high intensity activities that should last no longer than around 2 minutes before taking a short rest. Anaerobic exercises include:
- weightlifting
- sprinting
- intensive and fast skipping with a rope
- interval training
- isometrics
- any rapid burst of intense activity
Agility training
Agility training aims to improve a person’s ability to maintain control while speeding up, slowing down, and changing direction.
In tennis, for example, agility training helps players maintain control over their court positioning by helping them recover well after each shot.
People who participate in sports that heavily rely on positioning, coordination, speed, and balance need to regularly engage in agility training.
The following sports are examples of ones that require agility:
- tennis
- American football
- hockey
- badminton
- volleyball
- basketball
- soccer
- martial arts
- boxing
- wrestling
Stretching and flexibility
Some exercises combine stretching, muscle conditioning, and balance training. A popular and effective example is yoga, which can improve balance, flexibility, posture, and circulation.
Engaging in regular exercise is beneficial for both physical and mental health. ResearchTrusted Source has shown it can boost a person’s mood, increase energy levels, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
This section outlines the main benefits of exercise.
Boosts mood and mental health
Exercise can improve a person’s mood and decrease feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress. According to a 2019 review, just 10 to 30 minutesTrusted Source of exercise is enough to boost a person’s mood.
Many studiesTrusted Source have also found exercise to be therapeutic for mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and drug addiction.
Helps with weight management
Exercise, particularly aerobic exercise, burns calories and can help a person achieve and maintain a healthy weight for them.
Although they burn fewer calories, anaerobic exercises such as weightlifting can build muscle and improve strength.
Increasing muscle mass causes the body to burn more fat, even when resting. Muscle is the most efficient tissue for burning fat.
Combining aerobic exercise and resistance training may also maximize fat lossTrusted Source and muscle mass maintenance. This could help manage weight and maintain lean muscle.
Reduces the risk of chronic conditions
Much research associates lifelong, regular exercise with a longer health span and a delayed onset of at least 40 chronic conditionsTrusted Source.
Exercise has been shown to reduce the riskTrusted Source of diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). It can also improve life expectancyTrusted Source and symptoms for people with coronary artery diseases.
High intensity exercise also stimulates bone growth and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. A 2023 reviewTrusted Source showed that strengthening, jumping, and weight-bearing aerobic exercises reduce osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.
Helps brain health and memory
Regular exercise promotes brain health and can help preserve a person’s cognitive function, or their ability to think.
In fact, manyTrusted Source researchers suggest that regular exercise has neuroprotective effects against neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Research from 2021Trusted Source showed that exercise can cause the hippocampus to increase in size, which may help improve mental function. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that is important for memory and learning.
Regular physical activity is also important in older adults because it can help slow downTrusted Source the physiological effects of aging in the brain.
Improves relaxation and sleep quality
Regular exercise can helpTrusted Source with relaxation, including helping people sleep better and alleviating symptoms of sleep disorders.
This is because physical activity increases melatonin production, a hormone that regulates sleep. As a result, exercise can help people fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. Exercise also reduces stress, aiding relaxation.
A 2018 studyTrusted Source examined the sleep quality of people with chronic insomnia over 4 months. They found that stretching and resistance exercise helped increase their sleep quality and duration and helped them fall asleep quicker.
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