7 Little Ways To Improve Your Health & Fitness - "Positive Health"

Not all of who exercise land up in the playing field. The focus of different people may be different. Some may taken up to keep their sugar levels and blood pressure under control. For some it is a great stress buster and for others it is a means of net working with friend. Some youngsters go to the gym to lose weight and other to put on weight and shape their body. Patients with arthritis look to exercise for pain relief and yoga coaching centers. There is how ever no two thoughts on the benefits the exercise and physical activity can give.

The benefits are: A Good program reduces the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, blood pressure, cancer, obesity and premature death. This reflects in the person’s performance at work and studies.

Benefits of Aerobic Exercise: Aerobic exercise is one which consumer a lot of calories and increases oxygen consumption. The American College of Sports Medicine defines aerobic exercise as “any activity that uses large muscle group, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature .” A standard measure of cardiovascular fitness is Maximal Oxygen Uptake which is the maximum amount of oxygen that a person can taken in duration the exercise. VO2max is a measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that a sports person can use. It is measured in milliners per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min).

During aerobic exercise, the heart and lungs are made to work harder and improve on their resting capacity. The overall benefits would be an improvement in cardio respiratory function, cardiac output, blood volume and ability to carry supply to muscles and used oxygen. For diabetics this means an increased glucose tolerance and reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure and for cardiac patients there is a reduced load on the heart. The muscles too perform more efficiently due to enhanced number and size of mitochondria, myoglobin, diffusing capacity, and oxidizing capacity of fat and carbohydrates. There is increased blood flow and storage of muscle glycogen. There is increased blood flow and storage of muscle glycogen. There are many psychological benefits too. Anxiety and stress are reduced and there is perceptible improvement in mood, self esteem and self concept, especially in those who are depressed.

Benefits of Strength Training

The obvious would be an increased muscular strength but the spin offs are improved flexibility, reduced fat and increased lean body mass, changes in blood cholesterol, and better balance and functional ability.

Anaerobic exercise: When the person exercises in such a way that the muscle group is taxed 15 to 20 percent more than its maximum voluntary contraction, there is a shift to anaerobic metabolism leading to accumulation of lactic acid. This manifests as cramps, burning in the muscles and tremor. When anaerobic metabolism is triggered then that exercise is called anaerobic exercise. Typically bodybuilder, weightlifters and discus throwers build power and muscles mass short duration, the muscles need to gear up to peak performance in a short duration, the lifter need to yank huge weights in high intensity activity, in up to about 2 minutes, and increases the oxygen demand due to which heart rate and stroke volume rises.

Endurance Training

It is the ability of a muscles or a group of muscles to do sustained physical activities without undue fatigue. It depends on the strength of muscles involved, available energy store and the aerobic capacity of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to the working muscles and to carry chemical wastes away from them. Adaptations to an endurance training program occur centrally (heart) and peripherally (muscle), resulting in their increased efficiency. The degree of adaptation depends on the initial level of fitness of patient and the extent of training.

The individual has to exercise longer at minimally higher work load. This improves aerobic capacity without taxing the system. The frequency of training is 3 to 5 day’s and week with an intensity of training up to 60-90 percent of maximum heart rate. The duration of training may be twenty to sixty minutes of continuous aerobic activity. If the intensity of activity is lower, then it should be conducted over a longer period of time. Any exercise which uses larger muscle group and that can be maintained continuously and is rhythmic in nature like running, cycling, or swimming is taken up. Older people prefer simple exercise like walking, or at the most, jogging. The development of muscles endurance is closely linked with development of strength and power. Obviously stronger muscles can do a given work for a longer duration without developing weakness.

Indication for Endurance Exercise

1- Pregnant women before and after delivery.

2- Patients with coronary artery disease adequately treated.

3- Obese patients and older age group of people.

4- Patients with prolonged immobilization.

5- Muscular dystrophy.