Health Tips – Exercise Health Benefits

Exercise has been defined as a rhythmical activity for the purpose of improving fitness or health.

What are the different types of exercise? :-



Physical activity includes all forms of activity (occupational, recreational, or sports-related) performed without the specific purpose of fitness or health.



(1) Aerobic (e.g. walking, swimming)

(2) Anaerobic (e.g. sprinting)

(3) Isometric (e.g. lifting weights)

Resistance Training involves providing some form of resistance to the contracting muscles to stimulate the body for increased strength.Equipment used for resistance training takes multiple forms, including hand weights, pulleys, hydraulic, elastic, rubber, fiberglass, and magnetic equipment.

Strength or resistance training is very important to improve ones functionality and reduce the risk of injury.As people age, the lean tissue (i.e. muscle) declines more from lack of use than from aging itself.Performing some type of resistance training on a regular basis is essential.



Safety Since the demand on the heart is generally less while strength training than when walking at a moderate pace, resistance training is regarded as safe for patients with heart conditions. It is advisable never to strain or hold breath in an attempt to lift something.Straining can adversely affect blood flow to the heart.



What are the goals of exercise?

The goals of exercise are to :-

(1) Improve oxygen delivery and metabolic processes

(2) Build strength and endurance

(3) Decrease body fat

(4) Improve movement in joints and muscles

(5) Improve sense of well-being.

(6) Slows down aging process.

Warm-Up and Cool-Down Period. Warming up and cooling down are important parts of any exercise routine. They aid the body in making the transition from rest to activity and back again and can help prevent soreness or injury, especially in older people.

(1) Warm-up exercises should be practiced for five to 10 minutes at the beginning of an exercise session. Older people need a longer period to warm up their muscles. Low-level aerobic exercise, such as walking briskly, swinging the arms, or jogging in place are the best.

(2) To cool down,one should walk slowly until the heart rate is 10 to 15 beats above resting rate. Stopping too suddenly can sharply reduce blood pressure.This is a danger for older people, and may also cause muscle cramping.Breathe deeply during the cool off phase.

(3) Stretching is appropriate for the cooling down period, but not for warming up because it can injure cold muscles. Particular exercises may require stretching specific muscles. For example, a jogger or biker might emphasise stretching the hamstrings, calves, groin, and quadriceps, while swimmers would focus on the groin, shoulders, and back. Stretching is best done when joints are lose and flexible that is in the afternoons or evenings.