Carefully Change It Up for More Results
Carefully Change It Up for More Results
A change of pace for added health benefits
Whether you have just started to be more physically active or if you have been active for a while, there comes a point when you need to shake things up a bit. Many folks ask "what should I do first—move harder, move longer, move differently or move more often?" To avoid injury and ward off boredom, here is a safe progression that can help you gain added health benefits from physical activity. For any type of physical activity:
- Increase the duration or the number of minutes you do an activity.
- Increase the frequency or the number of days per week you do the activity.
- Increase the intensity or how hard you work to do the activity.
As far as when to add a new or different type of activity, that is up to you. Many folks like to start with one type of activity first—like walking. This helps them form a habit without getting overwhelmed. Others like to do two different activities on different days of the week to keep them from getting bored too soon. Whatever approach works for you is fine, just remember, for every activity you do, follow the progression of duration, frequency, then intensity to avoid getting injured.
There are many different types of activities that promote good health
Aerobic activities (also referred to as endurance or cardio activities) move the legs and/or the arms for a sustained period of time, causing the heart to beat faster than usual. These activities burn calories and strengthen the heart. Walking, running, swimming and bicycling are some other examples of aerobic activity. Enjoy it at least 3 days a week for greater health benefits.
Muscle-strengthening activities (also called strength or resistance training activities) require muscle groups to work or hold against an applied force or weight, which are lifted multiple times to train the muscles to get stronger. The force or weight can be lifting dumbbells, one’s own body weight or resistance tubing. Examples of muscle-strengthening exercises are weight lifting, certain yoga poses, or push-ups.
Having strong muscles helps make daily life easier, so that carrying bags of groceries is a snap. And you’ll look better (as in jiggle-free arms)!
In order for muscles to get stronger without injury they need time to rest and recover. Perform muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week, but no more than every other day. It’s fine to do muscle-strengthening on consecutive days if you rotate muscle groups (example: lower body muscle groups one day and then upper body muscle groups the next day).
Move for bone health
Some physical activities also exert a force on our bones. These activities are referred to as weight-bearing or bone-strengthening activities. Strong bones help prevent injuries and osteoporosis (a painful condition due to softening of the bones). Muscle-strengthening activities are examples of weight-bearing activities, but some aerobic activities like brisk walking, running and jumping rope also exert a force on bones to improve bone health. Swimming and bicycling are NOT bone strengthening activities because your weight is supported by the water or bike. Aim to include weight bearing activities at least two days per week.
Be flexible
Tight muscles have a limited range of motion and are at a greater risk of being injured. Inactivity can lead to tight muscles. However, muscles also tighten in response to physical activity. To prevent injury and soreness, it is a good idea to stretch muscles to maintain flexibility. Stretching activities can be done daily after warming up the muscles. Stretching muscles that are not warm can lead to tears or injury. The benefits of stretching go beyond maintaining flexibility. Stretching also helps:
- Reduce muscle tension
- Increase the range of motion of joints
- Increase circulation to muscles and increase energy level
- You feel good!
For more information and instructions on different types of aerobic, muscle-strengthening or weight bearing activities go to www.acefitness.org and click on the "health + fitness info" page.
