Exercise matters
Love it or hate it there is no denying the benefits of regular exercise are many and varied and extend far beyond weight management.
From increased energy levels to reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and improved stress management, research confirms that regular physical activity is hugely beneficial to health and wellbeing.
With modern day conveniences like automated washing machines, cars, televisions and more sedentary jobs, only half of all New Zealand adults meet the New Zealand Ministry of Health exercise recommendations. The Ministry of Health recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (equivalent to brisk walking) on most, if not all, days of the week, plus additional high intensity exercise where possible.
Types of exercise
There are three basic types of exercise that we should incorporate into our weekly routines.
Strength training
When many of us think of strength training (resistance training) we conjure up images of body builders or professional athletes. However, building muscle strength through activity is something that holds value for all of us.
Benefits include
• Weight management- our body requires more energy to fuel muscle than fat, increasing our metabolic rate.
• Strong bones - regular strength training increases our bone mineral density by having a positive impact on bone formation and turnover.
• Improved balance and agility - regular movements which develop muscles and bones, also develop our nervous system and the style in which our body moves and stays upright.
• Reduced stress on joints.
How to ........
Skeletal muscles create movement by contraction. If muscles perform these actions often (repetition), against a resistance and for longer duration they will adapt and increase in strength. This is the basis for strength training. Repetition and duration can be increased as you feel comfortable. There are many different types of resistance you can use, either in a gym or at home. Common training programmes include weight machines, free weights and dumbbells, resistance bands or your own body weight.
Cardiovascular training
Cardiovascular training is known by different names such as aerobic training, endurance training or cardio. It is the type of exercise that gets our heart pumping hard to provide large amounts of oxygen to our working muscles.
Benefits include
• Reduced blood pressure
• Increased weight loss or weight maintenance
• Reduced likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease
How to ...........
Cardio exercises include any exercise that increases your heart rate and gets you puffing such as running, biking, swimming, brisk walking, stair climbing and rowing. Aim for at least 30 minutes per day. This can be done at one time or separated into intervals over the day. Try to also include a warm up and cool down – begin with slow movements to slowly increase your heart rate, then towards the end of your workout, slow down the movements and finish with stretching exercises.
Flexibility training
Flexibility training (stretching) is often overlooked in many of our training regimes. Often we feel we don’t have time to stretch and would rather spend that time actually performing ‘real’ exercise. There is much debate about the role of stretching in injury prevention, but aside from this there are other benefits to following a regular stretching programme.
Benefits include
• Increased joint range of motion (flexibility)
• Reduced muscle tightness
• Improved posture
How to........
Try to incorporate basic stretches into your other exercise plans, targeting areas you have been working out. Also consider your other activities, such as work. For example if you sit at a computer all day you may need to focus on shoulder and neck stretches. Try to also include one or two longer sessions per week which are solely focussed on stretching, to target all areas of your body.
There are two main types of stretching:
Dynamic stretching – where the limbs move through the full range of motion that will be used in during your sporting activity. Repeat up to 12 times.
Static stretching – each stretch is slowly applied and held for at least 30 seconds.
So now you know what to do, there’s no excuse. Choose your favourite fun form of exercise and get moving.