What Type of Workout Should I Do? How to Find a Workout You Love
With so many workouts available online, how do you know what to choose on any given day? If you’re new to working out or you’re looking to add something fresh to your routine, consider this your guide to finding a style of fitness that works with your goals and personality. We’ll also offer recommendations for the perfect Alo Moves series to get you started, with programs ranging from 7 to 28 days to help guide you through a new routine.
IF you want to sculpt and tone your muscles:
try barre
Fit for both former dancers and people with two left feet, barre workouts are a great way to build deep strength in a fun, upbeat environment. Movements are typically synced to music, making it an appealing choice for anyone looking for an energetic lift as well. Prepare to sweat and feel the burn — barre uses small, precise movements to engage specific muscles in your body. The benefits of barre are that it strengthens your entire body, it’s low impact, you don’t need a ton of equipment (if any at all), it improves your posture and alignment, and it has a cardio element to improve your endurance.
Try Ultimate Barre Burn with Adrienne Kimberley, an empowering 21-day barre series.
If you want improved posture and a stronger core:
try PILATES
Fans of yoga and meditation will love the mental component of Pilates. The six principles of Pilates are centering, concentration, control, precision, breath, and flow. It takes a good amount of focus and concentration to coordinate your breath and body while moving through the exercises, making it a popular pick with yogis, dancers, and athletes. Pilates is all about strengthening your powerhouse (your core), which provides the foundation for all other movement. Expect to build a mind-body connection through low-impact mat exercises that activate your core, tone your muscles from head to toe, and create improved posture over time.
Try Pilates Form with Tela Anderson, a monthlong series to ignite your powerhouse.
If you're short on time and want both strength and cardio:
try hiit
There’s a reason HIIT has been surging in popularity in recent years. If you could get the same health benefits as twice as much moderate-intensity exercise, why wouldn’t you do it? HIIT, or high intensity interval training, is typically 10-30 minutes long and involves alternating periods of intense work with periods of low-intensity recovery. Think sprinting, biking, plyometrics, and other bodyweight exercises. It has many science-backed benefits, including increased metabolism, improved oxygen consumption, muscle gain, and reduced blood pressure. For busy people, this workout takes the cake.
Try Sweat and Tone with Callie Gullickson, a powerful 7-day series of strength and HIIT workouts.
If you love yoga and want to build strength:
try POWER YOGA
For those looking for a little bit of everything — strength, endurance, flexibility, and de-stressing — it’s hard to beat power yoga. Power yoga kicks up your regular yoga practice with a faster pace and a focus on building strength. You might even incorporate certain yoga-inspired exercises within the flow. And while you’re certain to leave feeling like you got a great workout, you’ll also feel calm, balanced, and centered.
Try 21-Day Yoga Sweat with Briohny Smyth, an invigorating series to boost strength and endurance.
If you want a challenging, no-equipment workout:
try bodyweight strength training
No need to head to the gym for an effective workout — you can get excellent strength results right at home with bodyweight strength training. The benefits of bodyweight strength training are that it’s cost-effective, efficient, and you can do it anywhere. It’s also perfect for any level of fitness, as you can adjust the intensity and modify where you need to. Bodyweight strength training also involves compound exercises — meaning that many joints and muscles are activated in each movement — which have been shown to increase strength and performance gains. And depending on what movements you’re doing, it’s also a great way to increase your flexibility.
Try Beginner True Strength with Dylan Werner, a monthlong series that’s a safe and easy approach to building strength.
Practice all of these workouts and more on Alo Moves. Start your free 14-day trial here.