A safe and effective exercise program should include aerobic exercise, muscular strengthening and exercises to improve
flexibility. Aerobic exercise, activity that requires oxygen, works the cardiovascular system and is an important part
of weight management. Muscular conditioning improves the body’s strength and posture, reduces the risk of lower back injury,
and also plays an important role in any weight management program. Flexibility exercise, or stretching, is necessary to
enhance the range of motion of the joints and to reduce the risk of injury and muscle soreness.
Aerobic exercise entails any activity that uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion for sustained periods of
time. There are two types of aerobic exercise, weight bearing and non-weight bearing. Walking, jogging, skipping and aerobics
are all weight bearing aerobic exercises, involving a degree of impact on the body. Non-weight-bearing aerobic exercises include
cycling, rowing and swimming.
A very important aspect of any good exercise program is intensity. In order to be effective, aerobic exercise needs to be done
at a comfortable pace. You can gauge this either by measuring your exercise heart rate to check the intensity of your pace, or you can take the talk test:
- To measure your heart rate, take your pulse as soon as you stop exercising. Count your heartbeat for 30 seconds, and then multiply that by two to convert it to a one-minute equivalent. If you keep your exercise heart rate within a range of 55% to 80% of an estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), your body is deriving maximum benefit
- The talk test is considerably easier. Ensure you are exercising at a pace that allows you to carry on a conversation while you are exercising
A good aerobic workout should ideally last at least 30 minutes per session for general health maintenance. To achieve weight loss, gradually
increase this to 45 minutes or an hour of low to moderate intensity activity with low (walking) or no (swimming, cycling) impact. Gentle
jogging involves moderate impact, while running and sprinting is high impact exercise.
Three to four days of aerobic activity per week is fine for general health maintenance. If you are trying to lose weight, you may need to
increase this – aim for four or six days a week, making sure to take off at least one day of every seven.
Strength training is good for muscle conditioning and adds variety to your workouts. You don’t have to join a gym to achieve an effective
strength-training workout – everywhere around you are objects and obstacles that you can use at your convenience. For example, use a tin
of food in each hand in place of dumb bells, and use a step or a staircase instead of a step machine. Just be sure that your strength training
includes exercises for every major muscle group, including the muscles of the arms, chest, back, stomach, hips and legs.
Start with a weight that is comfortable to handle and lift/push for eight repetitions. Gradually add more repetitions until you can complete 12
repetitions. For greater strength conditioning, add more weight and/or more repetitions, in sets of eight to 12, when the exercise becomes
easy. To increase muscle toning and condition, use low weight and high repetitions. This will also enhance muscle stamina.
Stretching is an important facet of any exercise program. It improves flexibility and reduces the body’s risk of injury. Proper stretching involves
holding a gentle stretch for 30 seconds while you breathe normally. Always warm up the muscles before stretching – a few minutes of easy body
movement, pointing and flexing the feet, bending and straightening the back and loosening the muscles. Like strength conditioning, flexibility exercises
should include stretching for all the major muscle groups.
Perhaps the most important point to remember before taking on an exercise program is that you should check with your doctor beforehand, especially
if you are over 40 or have cardiovascular risk factors to consider, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of
heart disease. A regular exercise routine works towards complete body fitness and a lifetime of good health.