What is it
exactly that we "get" out of exercise? Aside from the well-known
physical benefits in terms of lean muscle mass development and enhanced
cardiovascular functioning, we also derive a sense of personal power, satisfaction
from a job well done, and increased concentrations of endorphins flowing
through the blood stream.
Which type
of exercise is right for me?
Many people ask themselves if lifting weights is going to give them the best result. Or if they should concentrate on running thinking
it will help strengthen their heart. Then others ask…What about yoga? Everyone says yoga is good for
flexibility. All of us, at one point or another, have had these conversations
with ourselves. We're continually bombarded with exercise-related stories on
television, in magazines, and online. But many of us don't know how to put the
information we're receiving to good use.
For most of us, a very good answer
to the exercise question is to do a variety of activities on a weekly basis. We
know this intuitively. Concentrating on one type of exercise will usually lead
to the loss of other important benefits. Again for most of us, across-the-board
benefits are required. We need to maintain or increase a healthful amount of
lean muscle mass. We gain this benefit from strength training. We need to
maintain or improve cardiovascular strength and health. These are obtained from
aerobic-type exercise such as brisk walking, running, swimming, or bicycling. We
need to maintain or improve flexibility and stretchability. These benefits are
gained from activities such as yoga. Each category of physical fitness is
necessary for ongoing health and well-being. Based on your current state of
health I recommend completion of each of the three categories of exercise
(listed above) to ensure we obtain the full range of benefits.
It's important to be aware that each
exercise category provides a distinct benefit, and as such no individual
category is a "better" than the others. Doing exercise consistently
is what counts. Going further and consistently doing a range of exercises can
provide lasting health benefits. There might be times when a person chooses to
focus on one specific category. That's fine, provided that the other two
categories continue to be incorporated on a temporarily reduced basis. After a
while, the person will usually choose to return to a broader approach.
Finally, most people are familiar
with strength training and the various types of cardiovascular exercise. Not
everyone is familiar with yoga. There are numerous other activities that
promote flexibility and stretchability, and yoga is not the only means of
obtaining these benefits. But many people have discovered that yoga in itself
is a complete exercise. Regular yoga practice provides strength training,
cardiovascular training, and deep training of the proprioceptive system (the
body's awareness of position in 3-dimensional space) which leads to improved
agility and balance.
If you have never been introduced to
yoga I recommend attending one of our chair yoga classes. This is an easy way
to begin the yoga journey and gives the benefits of a short and effective
workout with no equipment needed. Regular yoga practice adds lean muscle mass
and lowers the heart rate (as a result of improved cardiovascular capacity). Yoga
is a remarkable exercise system and could be sufficient in itself for
long-lasting health and wellness. BUT
when a person adds a weight lifting program and specific cardiovascular
training the benefits of cross-training can truly kick in. The overall gains
achieved from exercising are noticeably enhanced. So if you’re building a new program, look for a change or in an exercise
“rut”, I suggest a broad program of strength training, cardiovascular
training, and yoga to lead to the best results.
Go ahead start
TODAY!
1.) Snel M, et al:
Effects of Adding Exercise to a 16-Week Very Low-Calorie Diet in Obese,
Insulin-Dependent Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients. J Clin Endocrinol Metab
2012 May 8 (Epub ahead of print)
2.) Galantino ML,
et al: Impact of Yoga on Functional Outcomes in Breast Cancer Survivors With
Aromatase Inhibitor-Associated Arthralgias. Integr Cancer Ther 2011 July 6
(DOI: 10.1177/1534735411413270)
3.) Kiecolt-Glaser
JK, et al: Adiponectin, leptin, and yoga practice. Physiol Behav 2012 Jan 27
(Epub ahead of print)
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