Exercise is one of the 5 Health Essentials we talked about in our previous blog. It is a physical activity that is planned, structured, and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body. Exercise is used to improve health, maintain fitness and is important as a means of physical rehabilitation. The benefits of exercise not only improve physical health, but also enhance emotional well-being.
- It is useful in preventing or treating coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, weakness, diabetes, obesity, and depression.
- It is important for increasing or maintaining joint function.
- It provides appropriate resistance to the muscles to increase endurance and strength.
- It improves the cardiovascular system for prevention and rehabilitation of cardiac disorders and diseases.
- It improves general health, build endurance, and slow many of the effects of aging.
1. Cardio Conditioning (e.g. aerobics, jumping rope)
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is any activity that increases heart rate and respiration while using large muscle groups repetitively and rhythmically. The root word "card," or "heart," provides a clue as to why this type of exercise is so important. By providing training that progressively challenges your most vital internal life support network, cardio can improve both the function and the performance of your heart, lungs and circulatory system.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, cardio, or cardiovascular exercise, is any activity that increases heart rate and respiration while using large muscle groups repetitively and rhythmically. The root word "card," or "heart," provides a clue as to why this type of exercise is so important. By providing training that progressively challenges your most vital internal life support network, cardio can improve both the function and the performance of your heart, lungs and circulatory system.
- High-impact
- Among the most popular and enduring of the high-impact cardio activities, jogging and running still attract and retain large numbers of exercise enthusiasts.
- High-impact activity involves having both feet off the ground at some point during the exercise, and therefore includes jumping rope, high-impact aerobic dance as well as certain types of advanced strength training.
- This type of cardio is weight-bearing, meaning that you are supporting your own body weight with your limbs against gravity.
- Low-impact
- The definition of low-impact cardio is any aerobic activity during which one foot is kept on the ground at all times. Just because it's low impact doesn't necessarily mean it's lower intensity.
- This type of cardio is still a weight-bearing activity, meaning that it is good for maintaining healthy bones in addition to conditioning the heart and lungs.
- Walking, hiking and low-impact aerobic dance are the most common forms of this type of exercise.
- No-impact
- Being immersed in water reduces the pull of gravity on your body; in effect, cardio in water is a no-impact activity. Swimming or water aerobics increase your heart rate and burn calories effectively.
- Bicycling can also be considered a no-impact workout, as the frame and tires of your bike support most of your body weight.
- Both aquatic exercise and cycling eliminate much of the pounding and jarring associated with land-based activity, making them ideal choices for arthritic conditions and injury rehabilitation.
2. Resistance Training (e.g.weight training)
Resistance exercise is any form of exercise that forces your skeletal muscles (not the involuntary muscles of your heart, lungs, etc.) to contract.
An external resistance (such as heavy weights) is used to cause the contractions, and those contractions lead to increases in muscular mass, strength, endurance and tone.
What can you use for that external resistance? Why, anything you want! You can use dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, your body weight, bottles of water, bricks -- the list goes on and on! As long as the weight causes muscular contractions, it counts as resistance exercise.
There are three basic types of resistance exercises:
- Bodyweight -- This uses only your body weight to force your muscles to contract. It includes exercises like pull-ups, push-ups, and squats.
- Free Weights -- Using dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells helps to increase the strain placed on your muscles, forcing those contractions and building muscle. Free weight training is considered the most effective form of resistance exercise, as it engages secondary muscles (stabilizers) and leads to more effective muscle growth.
- Weight Machines -- Every gym has dozens of weight machines--Pec Deck, Cable Machine, Leg Extension machine, etc. Weight machines are not as effective as free weights, but they are a safer alternative for those who are new to resistance training.
3. Interval Training (combination of cardio and resistance training)
Unlike staying at the same pace or intensity during cardio, interval training involves alternating segments of high-intensity exercise with periods of rest.
This allows you to work more in a shorter period of time and it's much more comfortable than spending the entire workout at a high intensity.
There are two types of interval training: aerobic and anaerobic. The latter is more popularly known as high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, and it is having its moment in the fitness spotlight.
- Aerobic Interval Training (AIT)
AIT, which some experts also call fitness interval training, focuses on working harder during your intervals, but not going all out, as you do with anaerobic training.
AIT involves alternating moderate to high-intensity exercise (e.g., running briskly) with a recovery period (e.g., walking). The idea is to work harder during work intervals while keeping the intensity below 85 percent of your maximum heart rate or at Level 7-8 on this perceived exertion scale.
- Anaerobic Interval Training
Also known as High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), anaerobic intervals involve going all out during your work intervals. That means shorter intervals at 85 to 100 percent of your maximum heart rate or Level 9-10 on this perceived exertion scale. Your recovery intervals will usually last as long or longer than your work intervals, to allow your body to fully recover for the next interval.
So as you can see, exercise is not just body building and jogging, there are different types of which you can choose from. And if you decided to start a regular exercise, be sure to set a goal first, check your lifestyle, then choose the type of exercise that will fit that goal and at the same time will be enjoyable for you to do even if you will be doing it alone.
As an example, if you want to build muscle and increase strength and can afford membership to a gym, then you can go with resistance training using free weights and/or weight machines. But, be sure to consider your health condition as well, always consult your doctor for advice to what limitations you have in doing a regular exercise.
So, which type of exercise do you think will be enjoyable to you and will give you great results? Share us your thoughts. And if you learned from this post, we’d be very grateful if you help it spread by emailing it to a friend, or sharing it on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!
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Sources:
medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/exercise
livestrong.com/article/114986-definition-cardio-exercise/
fitday.com/fitness-articles/fitness/exercises/what-is-resistance-exercise.html
verywell.com/interval-training-a2-1231286
