The Best (and Worst) Workout Routines to Stop Acid

You might think that any exercise you do fights acid and keeps you more alkaline. That’s a common misconception, and I wouldn’t blame you for thinking it.

After all, working out is a great way to get off your acid. However, not all workouts are created equal.

While some workouts fight acid, others actually create more acid in your body!

Working out, if done incorrectly, can even be as acidic for you as an ice cream sundae with all the toppings! And all that acid will have a negative effect on your energy level, on your immune system’s ability to fight off illness, and on your longevity and long-term health.

That doesn’t mean you can’t ever enjoy these more acidic forms of exercise… just that you have to be careful about how you do them.

So before we get to the best workouts, let’s talk about the 3 worst (and what to do if you like them).

These 3 workouts will build up acid quickly in your body:

1. CYCLING

Love Soul Cycle? I do too! It’s a great workout.

However, the high-intensity of your spin class is anaerobic, starving your body of oxygen causing big-time buildup of lactic acid. Once you hit about 75-85% of your aerobic capacity, or the moment in your spin workout when you feel you’ve topped out, your body starts producing and accumulating more and more lactic acid.

So, what can you do about it?

You can neutralize that acid to improve your workout and speed up your recovery by taking Alkamind Daily Minerals either DURING or IMMEDIATELY AFTER class with a huge glass of water. I bring the single-serve packets with me when I’m cycling (remember, you have a window of 10-15 minutes to get these alkaline nutrients into your cells).

2. SPRINTING

Unlike jogging, sprinting is an anaerobic activity that utilizes short bursts of energy, and the primary sources of that energy result in lactic acid as a by-product. Acid is corrosive and will require more energy and minerals from your own body to neutralize all that acid!

As an alternative, jogging is a lower intensity workout that doesn’t cause such high production of lactic acid. Here’s how you can know whether you’re building up lactic acid or not… If you can hold a conversation when running, you are aerobically training, you are burning fat (not sugar), and you are alkalizing your body!

3. WEIGHT TRAINING

Weightlifting is a high-effort, short-term activity that requires our bodies to produce energy faster than they can deliver oxygen to our muscles.

So where does the necessary energy come from then?

Your body gets the extra energy by fermenting glucose, which produces lactic acid. That sticks around in your muscles if you don’t do something about it quickly. Interestingly enough, this is the same exact method that cancer goes through to keep the cell alive and get its energy in the form of ATP.

Because of the build-up of toxins, when the cell loses 60% or more of its oxygen level, its mode of energy production changes from aerobic metabolism to a more primitive mode of respiration, anaerobic metabolism through the fermentation of glucose – and again, what is the byproduct? LACTIC ACID – making the cell and the surrounding terrain more acidic.

Again, a lower intensity weightlifting experience can prevent your muscles from shifting into anaerobic mode, and when you do push it hard, take Alkamind Daily Minerals so you can still enjoy your workout without the acidic effects on your body.

So now that we’ve covered the worst, let’s talk about the best.

These are my 4 favorite workout routines for fighting acid:

1. YOGA

Practicing yoga relieves stress that can build up acid in the body.  It also encourages deep breathing, a naturally detoxifying, alkalizing practice.

 At the same time, it builds strength without shifting muscles into the anaerobic exercise the workouts above do, which leads to acid buildup.

So less lactic acid in the muscles means less acid to fight after completing your workout.       

1. REBOUNDING

If you prefer exercise that really gets you moving, trampoline fitness might be perfect for you. Classes on rebounders and at trampoline parks are springing up all over the country, so be on the lookout for jumping fitness options in your area.

The act of jumping up and down is like a massage for your cells, essentially squeezing out the toxins and poisons from your tissue and flushing the lymphatic system.

The quality of your life is the quality of your cells.

Don’t think your cells need a massage? The lymphatic system, which runs throughout the body just like the circulatory system, doesn’t have a mechanism like the heart to move lymph around. Jumping gets it moving to prevent sluggish buildup of toxins and acids.

The rebounder is the most powerful exercise to keep cells healthy. This exercise increases circulation and metabolism, aids in fat burning, and is much more fun than your average jog.

3. SWIMMING

Another great aerobic workout, swimming is low-impact and amazing for staying in shape. It also works wonders on your lungs. Your body learns to use oxygen more efficiently, to breathe in more fresh air and breathe out more carbon dioxide. And deep breathing is one of the best ways to fight acid.

Many people find swimming to be a big-time stress reliever too, so you’re fighting acid on multiple fronts.

4. TAI CHI

While not as much of an aerobic workout, Tai Chi is a 2,000 year old practice that has many health benefits including increased flexibility and balance, improved sleep, better immune function, as well as a decrease in stress, muscle, and joint pain. Most significantly, recent studies have shown that in 85% of trials, Tai Chi can lower blood pressure and improve cardiovascular function.

Now that’s a serious way to fight acid!

I hope these exercise options inspire you to find a way to work out that you enjoy and that your body can thank you for. Even if you mix in tougher, more acidic workouts with easier on your body forms of exercise, the result is that you’re going to be in better shape and you’re going to prevent acid from building up.

Just remember to replenish your supply of alkaline minerals, which you can do after every workout no matter how high or low impact, with Alkamind Daily Minerals. It will ensure you’re getting enough calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium bicarbonate to neutralize any acid that has built up in your system.