20 Sep 2016 The five W’s of exercise
by Karl Lenser
WHO should exercise?
Everyone who is physically able to move should be doing some sort of physical activity. The human body was created and designed to move with more than 600 muscles that work with nerves, tendons, bones and ligaments to allow movement. Young children need to be getting 60 minutes of physical activity every day, and adults need at least 150 minutes of regular exercise every week. The less we move, the greater the chances are of developing diseases that impair our daily living and quality of life. If we are moving, we are improving! Exercise is health. Exercise is medicine.
WHAT exercises are best?
The best exercises are the ones that you enjoy doing and thus will be more likely to stick with. If you don’t enjoy the activity, the odds are pretty good that you will stop doing it. Some individuals, for example, would love to become a runner and enjoy the fitness and social aspect of this sport.
Unfortunately, running or jogging for some individuals is simply too difficult and not enjoyable, and they have to find another activity that they enjoy. Find your exercise niche and stick with it! Try new activities and add some variety to your routine.
For overall health, it’s best to perform cardiovascular and strength training workouts as they both provide a multitude of health benefits. Both will help you burn calories, enhance your metabolism, energize you and reduce your risks for hypertension, diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, osteoarthritis and many other diseases. Performing strength workouts three times each week is sufficient to gain the many benefits that come with resistance training. Walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, elliptical workouts and other cardio workouts can be performed five or six days per week.
WHEN should I exercise?
The best time is whenever you can get it done. Some of us are early birds that function well at 5 a.m., while others like a lunch-hour pickup or an evening workout. To each his own when it comes to choosing a time.
WHERE should I go?
Fitness centers are ideal as most of them will offer group exercise classes, personal training and a variety of cardio and strength equipment.
However, the great outdoors works well for many individuals. The key is to be comfortable in whatever environment works best for you. Find something you like to do and stick with it.
WHY exercise?
Reduce the risk for developing heart disease, diabetes, strokes, hypertension, osteoporosis, lower back pain and certain cancers.
Gain energy.
Feel better about yourself.
Sleep better.
It is a great stress reducer that is inexpensive.
Expands your social network.
Improves daily function ability.
Critical component in weight loss efforts.
A Conway resident, Karl Lenser is the employee wellness coordinator at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. An accomplished runner, he can be reached at [email protected].
