Everyone has their own way of working out and we often believe that our bodies are built for certain types of exercise. We blame our genes, believing that we dont have a runners body. But what makes workouts work for some people and not others was the subject of a recent study. It found that there IS an ideal exercise for everyone, but our aptitude for running, or yoga, or any number of exercise isn’t written in our DNA.
Twin Study Into Exercise and Genetics
They study looked at Twins so that they could directly compare genetics. They were asked to exercise in their pairs, taking part in certain exercise programmes. They then tested for improvements in aerobic capacity, power and strength, and compared the results with how they were at the start as well as their twin. If we could expect genes to underpin whether fitness regimes work for some people and not others, we would expect twins to have similar results. However, even within the twins, the pairs responses varied. Everyone got fitter, but one twin might see a bigger spike in endurance, and others in muscular weight.
Whilst genes might contribute to your ability to work out, in fact, its environmental factors that have the biggest effect. It’s it who you are that matters, bit which workout you select and how else you live your life. Lifestyle, diet, psychological state, body weight and previous exercise history have a larger bearing on the outcomes of our workout. For example, many of us workout better in the afternoon. This is usually because we are well fuelled, having eaten breakfast and dinner. Working out in the morning, we usually suffer low energy which might make us think working out in general isn’t for you.
Find the Right Exercise For You
There is no one way to find out what works for you. It comes down to trial and error. Try different types of working out to see what you enjoy and your body responds too. Try different times of day to see when you have the most energy. Try running and then try strength training. Try classes. The truth is that we can all get fit, but finding what works for us isn’t down to a pre-disposition. It’s just as much looking after our bodies and out mental state and trying different things, and most importantly, finding something you enjoy rather than something that feels like too much of a slog. This will make you more likely to keep doing it and not give up.
