Being fit reduces your risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. You can achieve cardiovascular fitness by doing exercises that raise your heart rate, like brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or bicycling. If you haven't exercised much before, you should start slowly and gradually increase the amount of time you spend exercising to 20-30 minutes, at least 4 times a week. You can improve your muscle tone with weight training by using weight machines or free weights.
Some trainers think that free weights build muscle better than machines do.
But if you have never worked with weights before, it is often easier to begin with weight machines. Both ways can help you improve your strength. Before you start any training program, check with your doctor to see what is right for you. Always consult your own doctor about any opinions or recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center .