Exercise and Lifelong Fitness

Benefits of Physical Activity Physical activity: any movement that requires your large muscle groups to work Physical Benefits Cardiovascular system Heart becomes stronger Blood pressure is reduced Lowers cholesterol level Weight Maintenance Regular physical activity increases your BMR Bone strength Balance and coordination

Benefits of Physical Activity Psychological Benefits Continuous exercise causes the brain to release endorphins Raises self-confidence Reduces stress levels Social Benefits Way to bond with family and friends Can help build new relationships

Fitness Program Continued FITT Principle F- Frequency: How often I- Intensity: How hard you work out T- Time: How much time you spend exercising T- Type: The activities you choose

FITT Principle for Cardiorespiratory Endurance F- When starting out do 3-5 sessions per week I- Development works when heart is working between 40-85% of heart rate reserves Find maximum heart rate (MHR)= 220-age Find resting heart rate Subtract resting heart rate from MHR Calculate training intensities by multiplying the result by 60% and 85% (this is if you have been exercising) If you have not been exercising multiply by 40% and 60% I- Perceived Exertion Chart Associate your own perception of the task with where you fall on the chart

FITT Principle for Cardiorespiratory Endurance Continued T- 20-60 minutes depending on the intensity level Does not have to all be done at once For weight management: 60 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days of the week T- Give specific example

FITT Principle for Muscle Training F- 2-3 times per week Can do more if you only do upper body one day, the lower body the next, etc. I- high weight and low reps are used to build strength Low weight and high reps are used to build endurance T- however long it takes you get in all of your exercises and reps T- Free weights, machines, body weight, etc.

FITT Principle for Flexibility F- 5-6 times per week Once degree of flexibility has been attained, it can be maintained with 2-3 sessions per week I- degree of stretch Only go to point of mild discomfort T- each exercise done 4-5 times and held for 10-30 seconds each T- stretches specific to your exercises

Cardio Strength F: 5 days a week Monday-Friday at 3:00 I: Have my heart rate stay in the range of 94.2-133 beats per minute for the entire workout T: 45 minutes T: Jogging outside Strength F: 3 days a week Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 3:00 I: Endurance (light weights, high reps) T: 8 lifts (alternating upper body lifts and lower body lifts) 3 sets each exercise (15 reps each set) T: Dumbbell and resistance band training Flexibility F: 6 days a week Monday-Saturday at 3:00 I: Only to point of mild discomfort T: 6 stretches done 4 times each Hold each for 20 seconds T: Quad, hamstring, calf, hip flexor, groin stretches

Fitness Program Monitor your progress Start seeing changes in 12 weeks Feel better, sleep better, and feel more alert Gain muscle weight or lose weight Monitoring only your change in weight is a bad idea Good indicator is drop in resting heart rate A good heart rate is between 50 to 100 beats per minute for teens

Fitness Program Continued Alter your fitness plan As your fitness improves, your workouts may become too easy Your progress will plateau and you may no longer see progress Can combat this by: Increasing intensity Increasing the time of your workout

Tips Set aside a regular time for exercise Exercise early in the day Select activities you enjoy Combine different activities Use proper clothing and equipment Find a friend to exercise with Set goals and share them with others Purchase a pedometer and build up to 10,000 steps a day Don’t become a chronic exerciser: listen to your body Exercise in different places and facilities Exercise to music Keep a regular record of your activities Conduct periodic assessment Listen to your body If a health problem arises, see a physician

Phases of Exercise Warm up 5-10 minutes of mild exercise Should include some of the same motions your planned activity does, but at a slower pace 5-10 minutes of stretching Know your limits You should feel tension but not pain Hold each stretch for about 15 seconds The workout When you perform an activity at its peak level

Phases of Exercise Continued Cool down Period of mild exercise performed after you workout Should be at least as long as your warm-up Your body and heart rate should return slowly to their resting states If you stop abruptly, you could become dizzy Stretching Loosens muscles that have tightened during exercise Can prevent muscle and joint soreness Spend at least 5 minutes repeating the same stretches you did during warm-up

Overtraining Overtraining- exercising too intensely or for too long without allowing enough time to rest Signs of overtraining: Fatigue during exercise or a few hours after workout Nausea or vomiting during or after exercise Loss of appetite Irritability If any of these are experienced, reduce: Intensity Length of workout Rule of thumb: Hard day of training should always be followed by a rest day or a day of light activity