Things That Every Exercise Program Should Have!!

1.
What you should know to design a safe and effective exercise
programA complete fitness program must
include aerobic exercise, muscular strength and endurance conditioning, and
flexibility exercise. Aerobic exercise does good things for your cardiovascular
system and is an important part of weight management. Muscular conditioning can
improve strength and posture, reduce the risk of lower back injury, and is also
an important component of a weight management program. Flexibility exercise is
needed to maintain joint range of motion and reduce the risk of injury and
muscle soreness.
2. Aerobic exercise can be as simple as
walkingWalking is a weight-bearing aerobic exercise. So are
jogging, rope skipping and dance-exercise. Aerobic exercise is any activity that
uses large muscle groups in a continuous, rhythmic fashion for sustained periods
of time. There are also non-weight-bearing aerobic exercises, such as bicycling,
stationary cycling, swimming and rowing.
Keep the pace
comfortable. A very important aspect of your
exercise program is the intensity. You should exercise at a comfortable pace.
You can measure your exercise heart rate to check the intensity of your
exercising, 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 10 seconds, then multiply that by six to convert it to a one-minute heart
rate. If you keep your exercise heart rate within a range of 55 percent to 80
percent of an estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus your age), you're doing
well.
The talk test is
easier to accomplish. Just exercise at a pace that allows you to carry on a
conversation while you're exercising.
How often should you exercise?Three to four days of
aerobic activity is fine for general health maintenance. If you're trying to
lose weight, aim for four or more days a week, being sure you take off at least
one day a week.
How long should you exercise?Work up to 20 or more
minutes per session for general health maintenance. For weight loss, gradually
work up to 45 minutes or longer at low to moderate intensities in a low- or
no-impact activity.
3. Strength conditioning gives you a choicePick
calisthenics, free weights or machines. 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's comfortable to handle and keep it up 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.
Stretch for flexibilityProper stretching involves
holding a mild stretch of 10 to 30 seconds while you breathe normally. Always
warm up before you stretch. Like strength conditioning, flexibility exercises
should include stretching for all the major muscle groups.
One last thing to remember . .
. Always check with your doctor
before beginning any exercise program, especially if you're over 40, or have
cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, high
cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart disease.