| Exercise Sub Categories |
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Aerobic Exercise, Cardio/Anaerobic
Exercise,
Exercise Programs,
Exercise Equipment,
Stomach Exercises,
Loose Skin,
Stretching,
Target Heart Rate,
Weight Training for
Women, Weight Lifting
Exercises, Weight Lifting,
Killer Ab Workouts,
Home Fitness
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A structured physical activity or exercise
programs 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.
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 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.
When prescribing exercise, health
professionals will usually talk about 3 important factors, namely:
intensity, duration and frequency.
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.
The duration of exercise refers to the actual
time spent performing an activity. It is generally accepted that to improve
cardiorespiratory 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.
The frequency of exercise refers to the
number of occasions per week that activity should be undertaken.
The accepted frequency, in order to
achieve cardiorespiratory 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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