It’s probably no surprise that exercise is good for you. The physical therapists in the Physiquality network recommend physical activity as part of living a healthy lifestyle, and we all know it can help you lose weight and feel better. But how exactly can it improve your health? Here are a few ways exercise can actually prevent health problems.
Heart disease
The oft-cited parameters to work out 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week (or 150 minutes a week) were published by the American Heart Association in 2011. They are part of the AHA’s simple seven rules for maximal heart health:
- Get active
- Control cholesterol
- Eat better
- Manage blood pressure
- Lose weight
- Reduce blood sugar
- Stop smoking
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Last summer, yet another fitness fad/trend received some attention. It was first published in the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health & Fitness Journal, and then it received coverage in a variety of newspapers and websites, including the New York Times. While high-intensity circuit training (HICT) is not new, the specific circuit training cycle discussed in the article received attention because the circuit duration lasted approximately 7 minutes. In addition, the authors theorized that it could also benefit “the masses.”
It is important to understand that this article was a case report on how the two authors manage limited training schedules and environments for their elite-level athletes: using body-weight resistance without any other equipment, in a seven-minute workout cycle, and repeated as many as 1-3 times based on time availability. For their purposes, the authors felt that this training tool was an effective way to help their athletes manage their workouts while maintaining intensity and improving aerobic conditioning in the presence of busy lives.
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We all know the health benefits of exercise: It makes you feel better. It helps you live longer. It reduces your risk of diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s and even the common cold. It stimulates your brain. It maintains your weight and strengthens your heart, lowers blood pressure and improves muscle tone. It lifts your mood, leading some doctors to even prescribe it for depression.
But many people are daunted by the goal set by the American Heart Association of 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. So how can you fit in enough exercise to reach that goal?
Kim Gladfelter, a physical therapist and owner of PhysioFit Physical Therapy (a Physiquality network clinic in California), says, “Exercising three to five times a week is enough to make a positive difference in your health.” If it’s difficult to begin an exercise program, she notes, start with shorter amounts of activity. “Even 10 to 15 minutes a day can improve your mood and reduce depression,” she points out. Read More
Question:
What is the difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise? What are the benefits of each? Is there any crossover between the two?
Answer:
The difference between aerobic and anaerobic exercise is that anaerobic exercise is for a short duration or any activity that lasts less than 45 seconds. A good example of anaerobic exercise would be a set of 10 reps on the leg press machine. Aerobic exercise is longer duration and is generally thought of as sustained activity, or anything longer than one minute. A good example of aerobic exercise would be running a mile or push mowing the lawn. Both types are beneficial; anaerobic for building lean muscle and strengthening your bones, aerobic for increasing your endurance and keeping your heart healthy. There is some crossover between the two. A good example would be interval running, where you run fast for a short amount of time and then rest for an equal length of time. Another example of crossover between aerobic and anaerobic is circuit weight training, where you move from one strength exercise to the next with no rest, is a good way to incorporate aerobic and anaerobic exercise into one session.
