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Aerobic Exercise
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Exercise Programs to Lose
Weight
Why Exercise?
A structured physical
activity or exercise program
can be of considerable
benefit given the physical
declines associated with
aging.
The following section is
intended to provide
accurate, practical
information regarding
exercise programs and the
adoption and continuation of
physical activity and its
importance to people of all
ages.
The Aging Body
As we age, a great number of
structural and functional
transformations occur
leading to a decline in
"optimal" physical capacity.
While our level of activity
affects some of these
changes, others bear little
relationship to the quantity
of exercise performed.
Age-related changes in skin
composition (texture, etc.),
vision, hair color, hearing,
etc. take place irrespective
of an individual's level of
physical fitness.
However, other factors such
as breathing capacity, heart
function, muscle strength,
etc. are heavily influenced
by one's level of fitness.
The Body's Response to
Exercise Programs
The human body generally
responds well to physical
exercise and substantial
improvements may be
anticipated in heart and
lung function, muscular
strength and endurance,
flexibility and one's
ability to respond to
stimuli.
Some of the more
noticeable changes of a
professionally designed
exercise program may
include:
Increased bone strength;
Increased physical work
capacity (one's ability to
perform physical work);
Increased joint range of
motion or flexibility;
Improved sense of well
being;
Increased muscular strength;
Improved glucose regulation
(very favorable for
diabetics);
Decreased blood pressure;
Improved sleep patterns and
levels of anxiety.
Indeed, exercise can have a
profound effect upon older
persons with the most
"unfit" usually experiencing
the greatest benefits.
The Exercise Programs
When prescribing exercise,
health professionals will
usually talk about 3
important factors, namely:
intensity, duration and
frequency.
Intensity
The intensity of exercise
refers to the amount of
effort put into an exercise.
Intensity is usually
measured by assessing the
heart rate during exercise.
As a general rule, the
intensity of exercise should
not exceed certain limits.
If monitoring heart rate use
the simple equation - 200
minus your age (in years) to
estimate the working heart
rate you should remain
under.
Of course listening to your
own body' can be just as
important and reliable in
determining whether or not
you are exercising at a
sufficient intensity.
Accordingly, a feeling of
mild fatigue should be your
aim immediately following a
bout of exercise.
There are many other
techniques used to determine
exercise intensity and 2
time Author and Fitness
Expert, Johnnie D. Jackow
Sr. will explain this in
your program.
Duration of Your Exercise
Programs
The duration of exercise
refers to the actual time
spent performing an
activity. It is generally
accepted that to improve
cardio-respiratory or
"heart" fitness you should
aim to achieve 30 minutes of
exercise on most (if not
all) days of the week.
However, recent studies have
shown that favorable
"health" benefits can be
achieved from as little as 5
minutes continuous exercise,
repeated several times per
day.
Again, since every person is
different our team of
professionals will determine
which exercise program will
work best for your
particular needs and goals.
Frequency
The frequency of exercise
refers to the number of
occasions per week that
activity should be
undertaken. The accepted
frequency, in order to
achieve cardio-respiratory
or "heart" fitness is 3 to 5
sessions per week. However,
positive benefits have been
shown to occur from as
little as 2 sessions per
week. The most important
element of exercise
prescription is the notion
that activity should become
a "life-long" habit and not
merely a passing "fad".
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