Exercise and Fitness

 Exercise makes you feel better overall  You feel less tired and more limber  It strengthens the muscles, skeleton, and other parts of the body.  It can even slow the onset of certain disorders such as osteoporosis.  It contributes to the functioning of:  The Nervous System – Exercise improves your reaction time; it helps you respond more quickly to stimuli.  The Circulatory System – Exercise strengthens the heart, allowing blood to be pumped more effectively and more efficiently. You can do more with less effort.  The Respiratory System – Exercise makes your respiratory system work more slowly and effectively; you take fewer but deeper breaths.

 Regular exercise reduces the risk of obesity.  We get energy from food.  The energy content of food is measured in Calories, a certain number of which your body requires daily in order to maintain itself.  If you take in more energy than you use, the excess is stored as fat.  Approximately 3,500 unused calories will turn into 1 lb (.45 kg) of fat.  Exercise and Metabolism  The rate at which your body uses the energy that it intakes is called your metabolism.  When you exercise, your metabolism speeds up, meaning that you burn food faster.  By exercising, you increase the amount of energy that you use.  If you use more energy than you take in daily, you will lose weight.

 Exercise helps reduce emotional stress  EX: Stretching exercises can help to relax the muscles, allowing you to sleep better.  Exercise can increase your level of creativity by releasing chemicals that stimulate the creative centers of the brain.  Exercise serves as a good outlet for frustration, anger, and tension.  It also can increase your self-esteem because when you exercise you will both look and feel better.

 The way to improve cardio- respiratory endurance is through aerobic exercise  Aerobic exercise is vigorous activity in which oxygen is continuously taken in for a period of at least 20 minutes.  Aerobic exercise raises the capacity of the lungs to hold air and strengthens the heart.  Examples include Jogging, swimming, dancing, cycling, and brisk walking.

 The best way to improve muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility is through anaerobic exercise.  Anaerobic exercise consists of intense bursts of activity in which the muscles work so hard that they produce energy without using oxygen.  EX: Running the 100-meter dash, calisthenics, and weight training.  Resistance Training – Exercise where muscles are built up by requiring them to resist a force. There are 3 types.  Isometric – Uses muscle tension to improve muscular strength with little or no movement of the body part.  Isotonic – Activity that combines muscle contraction with repeated movement.  Isokinetic- Activity that requires resistance through an entire range of motion.