What You Can Benefit from Physical Exercise

Going to the gym, doing sports, dancing, performing yoga, and more on the list. These are just some of the physical activities people perform daily. These set of activities are also a form of exercise. Most often, schools require physical activity as a part of their curriculum to improve the physical health of their students. Young adults and professional spend monthly membership in a fitness gym to get physical fitness. Some older adults join mass dancing or Zumba as a form of exercise. Others like at home mothers do yoga even inside their living room. Daily tasks such as walking, running, or using the stairs can be considered a form of physical exercise.

What is physical exercise?

A physical exercise is a group of body movements that are planned and coordinated in order to improve conditions of certain parts of the body. Physical activities often maintain physical fitness and develop the overall health of an individual.

The Purpose of Exercise

Physical exercises are proved to be useful in treating and preventing individuals from health conditions such as obesity, heart diseases, osteoporosis, and even depression. A well-coordinated and balanced exercise can build endurance, improve physical health and slow the effects of aging. The effects of exercise are not purely on the physical aspect but as well as developing emotional and social wellbeing of a person.

The Importance of Physical Exercise

Physical exercises are essential in preventing diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and heart diseases. It is important to have a routine daily exercise to maintain physical fitness such as normal body weight, strong muscles, and bones, and improve the physiological well-being of a person.

Different Types of Exercise

Physical exercises are usually categorized into different kinds. Each one depends on the effect they have on the body.

Flexibility Exercises

This type of exercise is a group of body movements that stretch the body to a full extent. Being flexible offers you more freedom of body movements and enables you to perform other daily task requiring a stretch of body muscles.

Flexibility exercise includes the following:

• Yoga
• Upper arm stretch
• Should stretch
• Calf stretch

Aerobic Exercises or Endurance Training

This type of exercise is used to improve cardiovascular stamina. It increases heart rate and breathing. Improving one's endurance enables them to do many of everyday tasks. Endurance exercises help maintain the circulatory system healthy and improve lung functionality. This type of exercise also fights off the chance of getting diabetes or any heart disease.

Some activities related to aerobics or endurance exercise are:

• Running
• jogging or brisk walking
• Mowing
• Digging
• Raking
• Climbing the stairs
• Swimming
• Dancing
• Playing tennis
• Walking

Anaerobic Exercise or Strength Training

This type of exercise increases muscle strength, bone strength, muscle mass, and metabolism of the body, in a short period of time. It makes the body muscles stronger. Strength exercises are helpful when doing activities like climbing or carrying. It is also called resistance training. Strengthening exercise help attain a certain level of muscle desired in order to perform daily tasks such as walking, running, and climbing stairs. There are also studies that prove strength training is a better exercise to improve body image and self-esteem. Strength training can be performed in either an isokinetic, isotonic, or isometric strengthening.

Isokinetic Exercise

This type of exercise uses equipment that controls the speed within the range of motion. It attempts to combine both weight training and isometric exercise. An example of which is the stationary bicycle with a fixed rotation of 90 per minute.

Isotonic Exercise

This type of exercise has movement joint movement on a muscle contraction. Weight training with barbells and dumbbells is an example of isotonic exercise. Another example is calisthenics that includes sit-ups, push-ups, and others that uses body weight as a form of the resistance force.

Isometric Exercise

Isometric exercises are movements that do not affect joints. This exercise is usually performed on a steady surface and involves pressing on the wall. Isometric training is proven effective in developing strength of a specific muscle. It is mostly used as a rehabilitation exercise.

Examples of strength exercises are:

1. functional training
2. weight training
3. bodybuilding or sprinting
4. weight lifting
5. Use of resistance band

Balance

Another type of exercise is the balance. It helps the body prevent from falling which is a common problem, especially in adults. Doing lower-body exercises could improve the balance of the body.

Examples of balance exercises are:

• Heel to toe walk
• Standing on one foot
• Tai Chi

Benefits of Regular Exercise

Weight Control

When you involve yourself in physical exercise, you prevent yourself from gaining excessive weight and sustain weight loss. You can burn more calories if you engage in more intense exercises. You do not need to go to the gym in order to attain an intensive exercise. Walking up and down the stairs and doing household activities can also be considered a form exercise. You just need to be consistent.

Fights disease and health condition

Most common health conditions include high blood pressure and heart disease. The change of getting these can be reduced when people are doing regular exercises. Being active increases the good cholesterol in your body and lessens the harmful triglycerides. Doing a regular activity improves blood flow and reduces the odds of getting heart diseases. Other health conditions like stroke, diabetes (type 2), arthritis, and cancer can also be prevented through consistent physical exercises.

Enhances Mood

Another benefit of physical exercise is an emotional enhancement. Regular exercise or even a 30-minute walk can reduce stress. People who are consistently doing physical activities are much happier since there are some chemicals the brain produces such as endorphins to make a person more relaxed.

Fitness

People who perform physical activities are like to increase fitness. The increase in muscle from resistance training in defined by testosterone and diet.

Energy Booster

Regular exercise can improve muscle strength and endurance. When exercising, oxygen and other nutrients are delivered into the body tissues that help the cardiovascular system, to function more effectively. When lungs and heart are healthier, the more energy you can achieve to daily works.

Immune System

There are several studies that proved physical exercise boost the immune system. Moderate exercise has been connected to decrease of a chance of having upper respiratory infections by about 29%.

Healthy state of mind

Many studies confirm that doing physical exercise helps fight depression. Doing regular activities can distract people from worries and block undesirable thoughts. Exercise can improve sleep routines and mood.

A Guide to Physical Activity

• Be active on most of the days
• Doing physical activity is always better than doing nothing at all
• Do muscle activities at least two days every week
• Do moderate activities for about 150 to 300 minute each week

Physical Exercise and Related Studies

Physical Exercise and its connection with Alzheimer's Disease

A frequent target on research nowadays is the association of physical exercise as a treatment for Alzheimer's Disease. It is based on the premise that physical activities can influence the development of such disease.

Physical Exercise and Heart Risk Factor

Regular physical activity is also associated with lowering heart rate and a decrease in blood pressure which then reduces the oxygen needed by the myocardium. Further, exercise lower triglyceride levels, keeps weight checked, lessens plaque accumulation and stimulates enzymes that support the suspension of thrombi (fibrinolysin)

Physical Exercise as Treatment for Obesity during Childhood

If a child performs routine exercises, his metabolic rate increases, and his energy expenditure flourishes. This results in a perfect and healthier body. Routine physical exercise improves the capacity of a child physically and develops control, speed, and coordination. With the help of a proper diet, a child can maintain the ability of the body to perform physical exercise.

Physical Exercise and Menopausal Flashes

According to a study, physical exercise has been proved to become a possible cure for hot flashes.

Physical Exercise and Brain Health

A human brain is the same as the muscle in the body. Physical exercise is also beneficial to the brain especially aerobics type of exercise. Research shows that even a 20-minute physical activity can already facilities processing information in the brain and performs memory functions. Physical activities can affect the brain in many ways. For one, it increases the heart rate, which means it pumps more oxygen into the body and into the brain. It also helps in the development and release of an excess of hormones that provides growth of brain cells.

Physical Exercise and Mental Exercise

Some scientists consider these two the perfect pair. Balancing physical fitness and mental health is essential to improving an individual's total wellbeing. The combination of physical exercise and mental exercise increase the possibility of developing cognitive functions. Different styles and types of exercise are associated with different brain functions and activities. The best mental workouts are those exercise related to strategy, rhythm, and coordination.

Choosing the Right Exercise

• Any form of exercise that is good for the heart is basically also good for the brain.
• Morning exercises do not only spark brain functionality but also helps you prepare for possible mental stresses in the environment and helps you deal with more complex situations.
• Aerobic exercise is also considered as an aid for damaged brain cells.
• If you are mentally exhausted, doing few jumping jacks can improve brain condition.

At home Exercise You Can Try

If you don't want to go a gym and don't want to spend money on a membership, then at-home exercises are best for you. There are several routines you can perform at home and still get fit even without the equipment. Here are some exercise activities you can try at home:

Upper Body

• Push Ups are good for the upper body and arms.

Core

• Plank
• Mountain Climber
• Side Plank
• Hip Crossover
• Reserve Crunch

Lower Body

• Reverse Lunge
• Bent Knee Push-up
• Crunches
• Front Plank
• Lunge Jumps help the body burn fat, especially in the legs.
• Side Plank with Bent Knee
• Squat Jumps increases your heart rate.
• Hip Rotations
• Single Leg Stand
• Bodyweight Lunge - Lunges are good for the lower body and help correct imbalances.

Excessive Exercise May Be Harmful

Doing a lot or routine exercise without proper rest can be harmful to the body. It can cause circulation problems and may cause to develop muscle tissue slowly. Inappropriate exercise can also increase the chance of getting health problems. Exercise must be controlled as different bodies have its own limitation.

Ask for Doctor's Advice

Before doing any physical activity, it is recommended to see your doctor first especially if:

1. Physical activity can cause chest pain
2. You are more than 45 years old
3. Moderate activities make you breathless
4. You are pregnant
5. Has high risk of cardiovascular disease
6. Have potential heart problems

Most doctors provide a pre-exercise test to assess people with certain medical conditions as it may result in a higher risk of health problems. Physicians determine the level of fitness one has and the physical restrictions of one's exercise program. A person who is under rehabilitation exercise must be properly trained and supervised to avoid injuries and other health risks. It is important to use proper equipment for exercise that will fit one's needs.

Conclusion

If you want to have more energy and feel better, exercise is the best option. The health benefits of regular physical activities are evident in all kinds of ages and gender. Whether you go to a gym, hire a fitness instructor, and do it at home, the most important thing is to keep precautions at all cost.