The Many Exercises Helping Your Body and Mind

Exercise directory contains the many ways to exercise your body.  Some of them are listed below.  In addition, many others could easily be included in the exercise directory.

Exercise Directory

The exercise directory contains four exercise categories.  The four categories are:

  • Aerobic or endurance exercise
  • Resistance exercise (also known as strength training)
  • Flexibility exercise
  • Balance exercise

Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercise increases your breathing rate and heart rate.  Also, exercising with intensity causes you to sweat.  As a result, the brain, heart, lungs, and circulatory systems become healthier.  Some aerobic exercises, in the exercise directory, are listed below:

Exercise Directory of Sports and Health Clubs

This section lists aerobic exercise routines that you could do at sports and health clubs.  Some of the machines used for these routines are listed below.

  • Elliptical trainer
  • Climbers
  • Stair stepper
  • Spinning cycle
  • Upright bike
  • Recumbent bike
  • Jacob's ladder (the climbing "treadmill")
  • Arm ergometer (arm cycle)
  • Rowing machine
  • Circuit training
  • Treadmill (walking or running)
  • Kettlebells
  • Interval training
  • Box jumps
  • Step ups

Exercise Directory of Group Classes

This section lists aerobic exercise routines that you could do in group classes.  Some of these routines are listed below.

  • Spinning
  • Step aerobics
  • Jazzercise
  • Zumba
  • Boot Camp
  • Power yoga
  • Salsa dancing
  • Dance classes or lessons
  • Cardio kickboxing
  • Hi-lo floor aerobics
  • Water aerobics
  • Bodypump
  • Silver Sneakers
  • Gliding
  • Orange theory fitness
  • Hip-hop dancing
  • Sports conditioning
  • CrossFit
  • Krav Maga
  • StrollerStrides or StrollerFit classes
  • Turbokick

Exercise Directory of Outdoor Activities

This section lists aerobic exercise routines that you could do outdoors.  Some of these routines are listed below.

  • Cycling
  • Hiking
  • Snowshoeing
  • Downhill skiing
  • Cross-country skiing
  • Water skiing
  • Wakeboarding
  • Rock climbing
  • Jogging/Running
  • Power walking (brisk walking)
  • Rollerblading
  • Paddling a canoe
  • Nordic walking
  • Surfing
  • Paddle boarding
  • Swimming
  • Water jogging/running
  • Skateboarding
  • Bleacher running
  • Ice skating

Exercise Directory of Sports

This section lists sports that involve aerobic activities.  Some of these are listed below.

  • Tennis
  • Flag football
  • Hitting ball at the driving range
  • Soccer
  • Hockey
  • Basketball
  • Lacrosse
  • Boxing
  • Martial arts
  • Kickboxing
  • Kickball
  • Karate
  • Jiu-jitsu
  • Racquetball

Exercise Directory of Popular Workout Videos

This section lists workout videos that involve aerobic activities.  The names of these workout videos are listed below.

  • P90X
  • Insanity
  • Chalean Extreme
  • Cardio Blast with Coach Nicole
  • Hip Hop Hustle
  • Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred
  • The Biggest Loser workouts
  • Tae Bo
  • Walk Away the Pounds
  • Sweatin' to the Oldies
  • Turbo Jam / Turbo Fire
  • Hip Hop Abs
  • Gilad's Bodies in Motion
  • Dancing with the Stars workouts
  • 10 Minute Solution cardio titles
  • Coach Nicole's 10-Minute Jump Rope Cardio video
  • Nicole's 10-Minute Jump Start Cardio video
  • Coach Nicole's 10-Minute Cardio Kickboxing video

Exercise Directory of Household Chores

This section lists household chores that involve aerobic activities.  Many of these chores are listed below.

  • Vacuuming
  • Scrubbing floors
  • Cleaning the bathtub
  • Washing windows
  • Mopping
  • Changing sheets
  • Painting
  • Heavy renovations (pulling carpet, knocking down walls, etc.)
  • Moving furniture
  • Raking leaves
  • Gardening
  • Cleaning the gutters
  • Washing the car
  • Mowing the lawn with a push mower
  • Shoveling snow
  • Sweeping the patio and walkways
  • Cleaning out the garage
  • Heavy landscaping such as planting trees, shrubs and bushes

Exercise Directory of Home Machines

This section lists machines you can use in the home or the office to.

Exercise Directory of Play Time

This section lists play time activities that involve aerobic exercise.  Some of these are listed below.

  • Walking the dog
  • Hop scotch
  • Jump rope
  • Dodge ball
  • Jumping jacks
  • Playing with your dog
  • Hooping (hula hooping)
  • Obstacle courses
  • Playing with your children
  • Taking the stairs
  • Water games in a pool
  • Tag
  • Trampoline jumping (rebounding)
  • Skipping

Resistance Exercises (Strength Training)

Resistance exercises, also known as strength training, helps you build muscles.  Also, these strength building routines help improve bone density.  Some routines use only your body weight.  Other routines use weights or similar gear, available in a gym.  

The following sections list strength building routines in the exercise directory.  These routines use weights, and target muscle groups.

Exercise Directory for Chest Muscles

This section lists strength routines targeting chest muscles.  These routines are listed below.

  • Flat Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
  • Incline Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
  • Decline Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
  • Flat Chest Press Machine
  • Incline Chest Press Machine
  • Decline Chest Press Machine
  • Dips (on parallel bars with slight forward lean)
  • Push-Ups
  • Flat Dumbbell Fly
  • Incline Dumbbell Fly
  • Decline Dumbbell Fly
  • Pec Deck Machine
  • Cable Crossovers/Cable Fly

Exercise Directory for Back Muscles

This section lists strength routines targeting back muscles.  These routines are listed below.

  • Pull-Ups
  • Chin-Ups
  • Lat Pull-Downs
  • Bent Over Barbell or Dumbbell Rows
  • T-Bar Rows
  • Seated Cable Rows
  • Chest Supported Barbell or Dumbbell Rows
  • Chest Supported Machine Rows
  • Inverted Rows
  • Barbell, Dumbbell or Machine Shrugs

Exercise Directory for Shoulder Muscles

This section lists strength routines targeting the shoulders.  These routines are listed below.

  • Seated Overhead Barbell or Dumbbell Press
  • Standing Overhead Barbell or Dumbbell Press
  • Overhead Machine Press
  • Arnold Press
  • Barbell, Dumbbell or Machine Upright Rows
  • Dumbbell, Cable or Machine Lateral Raises
  • Dumbbell, Cable or Machine Front Raises
  • Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine Rear Deltoid Rows, Raises  or Fly

Exercise Directory for Biceps

This section lists strength routines targeting the biceps.  These routines are listed below.

  • Standing Barbell or Dumbbell Curls
  • Barbell or Dumbbell Preacher Curls
  • Seated Dumbbell Curls
  • Incline Dumbbell Curls
  • Hammer Curls
  • Concentration Curls
  • Cable Curls
  • Biceps Curl Machine

Exercise Directory for Triceps

This section lists strength routines targeting the triceps.  These routines are listed below.

  • Dips (on parallel bars, elbows close to body, without forward lean)
  • Flat Close Grip Bench Press
  • Decline Close Grip Bench Press
  • Close Grip Push-Ups
  • Laying Barbell or Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
  • Skull Crushers
  • Overhead Barbell or Dumbbell Triceps Extensions
  • Cable Press-Downs
  • Bench Dips

Exercise Directory for Quadriceps

This section lists strength routines targeting the quadriceps.  These routines are listed below.

  • Barbell or Dumbbell Squats
  • Dumbbell or BarbellFront Squats
  • Barbell or Dumbbell Split Squats
  • Dumbbell or Barbell Lunges
  • Barbell or Dumbbell Step-Ups
  • Leg Press
  • Single Leg Press
  • Machine Squat/Hack Squat
  • Leg Extensions

Exercise Directory for Hamstring Muscles

This section lists strength routines targeting the hamstrings.  These routines are listed below.

  • Barbell or Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts
  • Dumbbell or Barbell Straight Leg Deadlifts
  • Barbell or Dumbbell Sumo Deadlifts
  • Glute-Ham Raises
  • Hyperextensions
  • Cable Pull-Throughs
  • Good-Mornings
  • Leg Curls

Exercise Directory of Flexibility Exercises

Meanwhile, flexibility exercises stretch your muscles.  Therefore they help your body stay limber.  And, examples of flexibility routines include shoulder and upper arm stretch, calf stretch, and yoga.

Balance Exercise

Most of all, balance exercises help prevent falls.  And, examples of these balance routines include standing on one foot, heel-to-toe walk, and tai chi.

Conclusion

Especially relevant, time constraint or individual preference may guide you to one category of exercise .  However, you get the most benefits by including two or more categories of exercise routines.  Furthermore, including all four exercise categories provides the most benefits.