Types of Exercise
There are many types of exercise to choose from. That means you can find activities you like to do, no matter:
- Your age, fitness level or health issues
- What shape you are in now
- Whether you want to exercise alone, with a partner or a group
Exploring the choices to find what you like can be fun! However, before starting to exercise, be sure to ask your primary care provider (PCP):
- What kind of exercises would be best for you
- How often you should exercise
- How hard you should exercise
The three exercise groups
There are hundreds of ways to exercise. Yet they all fall into three groups: aerobic, strength and balance/flexibility. Each group has different health and fitness benefits. That makes it best to do exercises in each group. Many exercises fall into two or more groups. Here is a quick look at the groups, the benefits of each and some sample exercises.
Aerobic
Makes heart & lungs healthy
- Team sports
- Walking/hiking
- Jogging/running
- Biking
- Swimming
- Dancing
Strength
Builds muscles & bones
- Lifting weights
- Body-weight workouts (pushups, pullups, squats, etc.)
- Resistance band workouts
Balance & Flexibility
Helps prevent injuries
- Stretching
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- Pilates
- Using a stability ball or foam roller
Try these exciting and fun physical activities!
Pick activities to enjoy with family and friends or on your own.
- Walk or bike in the park. San Mateo County has many beautiful parks where you can connect with nature with trails for all levels of experience. Learn more.
- Take a class or play a sport. Check your City’s Parks and Recreation Department website for a list of physical activity programs and swimming pools at reduced cost for city residents. Or see a list of exercise classes, running groups and hiking groups in San Mateo County.
- Dance to the music. San Mateo County has many no-cost concerts and outdoor music performances. You can go online to find events near you.
More resources
- Learn more about types of exercise – strengthening, stretching, balance, and aerobic – from the Harvard Medical School website.
- Get many more no-cost and low-cost exercise resources from the U.S. National Library of Medicine website.
No matter what your age or fitness level is, you can find activities you enjoy. Start slow and work your way up to activities that need more effort. Make sure to talk to your primary care provider (PCP) about changes you may want to make to your exercise routines.
A YMCA membership is available to CareAdvantage members at no cost with access to:
- YMCA locations throughout San Mateo / Santa Clara Counties and San Francisco. Locations may include exercise equipment, basketball courts, indoor or outdoor fitness studios, and indoor or outdoor swimming pools.
- More than 600 in-person and online group exercise classes led by certified instructors in yoga, Pilates, Zumba, cycling, aqua fitness and more.
- In-person and online wellness coaching to help you meet your heath goals.