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Dec 15

How to find an online exercise program that will work for you – ABC News

Exercise Programs Comments Off on How to find an online exercise program that will work for you – ABC News

Whether you're into yoga, running or weights, there are plenty of online exercise programs and apps to help you get started or work towards a goal.

They're a great option if you don't like gyms, or find it easier to exercise at home, and many are available for free.

But how can you find an app, video class or exercise program you'll stick to? And how can you avoid signing up for a dud?

To find the answers to these questions and more, we spoke to an exercise physiologist and an exercise psychologist.

If an exercise program is focused on a particular body part, it's probably designed to cash in on a fad rather than promote fitness and health, says Eric Drinkwater, a sports scientist at Deakin University.

"Your body doesn't work in individual parts. You can't lose weight just around your belly, you lose fat from across your body as a whole. You can't spot reduce body fat," he says.

"Anything that's focusing on a single body part is probably an indication that the person who is running it is capitalising on a pop media trend and doesn't know what they're talking about."

No matter what your fitness interests or goals, there will be programs promising big results in a short period of time.

If your fitness goals for the year are to stay healthy and maintain your fitness, here's how much exercise you'll need.

Dr Drinkwater says it's important to remember that exercise should be an ongoing endeavour not something to do for 12 weeks then forget about.

"Time constrained goals can be useful, but keep in mind that once you're done with the program it doesn't mean your fitness is done," he says.

If your goal is to lose weight, keep in mind that progress can be slow going. Instead, it can help to focus on performance goals, Dr Drinkwater adds.

If you're running a bit further or faster or doing more push-ups than you could last week you're making progress.

Ben Jackson is an exercise psychologist at the University of Western Australia.

While it can be helpful to post and participate in online fitness communities, he says it can also be isolating and even demoralising to see people making difficult things look easy.

"When we see someone who has posted that they've been for a 10k run at 5:15am telling us about how great they feel and how they have got their life together, you wonder why those people are doing that," Dr Jackson says.

"We're actually more connected to others than ever before but in some ways we can feel more isolated when the messages we're seeing make us feel bad about ourselves.

"The message isn't that any social support is valuable, it's that the right kind of social support is valuable."

We'll come to what that looks like in a sec.

Just like the gym tries to lock you in with contracts, online exercise programs can involve large upfront costs.

It's why Dr Jackson suggests trialling a program before you commit to paying for it.

"What I'd encourage people to do there is to do their research. Look at what's involved in the program and whether it fits with what you think you'll need, or want or enjoy," he says.

It's also helpful to think about your exercise deal breakers.

Maybe you hate chirpy reminders telling you you're not reaching your goals. Maybe you don't want to be bombarded with daily exercise programs that feel unachievable.

It's helpful to find something that you can watch while you're doing the activity.

"With something like yoga, you can have [a video] playing on the screen while you're doing it," Dr Drinkwater says.

"Yoga also has the added advantage that it is a solo activity, so you're not dependent on having a lot of equipment or a lot of people around you to help you."

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Dr Drinkwater suggests looking for an app or program that provides options for different exercises or workouts.

You're not always going to want to do an intense workout, so it's helpful to have an easier option. Also, variety can help you stay on track with your exercise goals.

If you're looking to start a new exercise program, Dr Drinkwater has a simple message: "You need to find something that you enjoy doing."

"If you're not prepared to keep doing it, then it's not the right program for you," he says.

If it's been a while since you've donned the running shorts and laced up the trainers, should you see a doctor first?

If you're wondering why enjoying exercise is so important (say, instead of something more health related), keep in mind that roughly 50 per cent of people drop out of a new exercise program within the first few months.

It's something Dr Jackson spends a lot of time thinking about.

"For me, as a person who is focused on exercise psychology, that's a really key issue," he says.

"I would be talking to people to find something they enjoy, because it's those activities we come back to ultimately."

If you're looking for extra motivation, having other people supporting you is key.

It's something that can be trickier if you're working out alone at home, which is why many apps and programs use texts and notifications to keep you moving.

While these features can help you stay the course, they will never be as good as having a real life friend doing the program with you.

"I find that social support is really important when it comes to sticking with a program. My suggestion would be to find someone you can do it with, or at least something that's going to give you a lot of peer support," Dr Drinkwater says.

"You can attack a lot of these programs within the first week or two with a lot of enthusiasm but as time goes on that can wear off."

If you can't find a friend, some exercise programs have vibrant and supportive communities on social media and elsewhere.

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How to find an online exercise program that will work for you - ABC News

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