Pages

Monday, February 15, 2010

Exercise and Physical Fitness

Exercise and Physical Fitness:


Being active can help you stay healthy, control your weight, and get the most out of life. No matter what your age or condition, there is a type of exercise that's right for you.

There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Schedule 30 of them for physical activity!

Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.

Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. Examples include walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation or bicycling. Stretching and weight training can also strengthen your body and improve your fitness level.

The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly.
Overview:

What is fitness?

Fitness means being able to perform physical activity. It also means having the energy and strength to feel as good as possible. Getting more fit, even a little bit, can improve your health.

You don't have to be an athlete to be fit. Athletes reach a very high level of fitness. And people who take brisk half-hour walks every day reach a good level of fitness. Even people who can't do that much can work toward some level of fitness that helps them feel better and have more energy.

This topic focuses on health-related fitness, which helps you feel your best and lowers your risk for certain diseases. Making small changes in your daily lifestyle helps you improve your fitness.

What are the benefits of fitness?

Fitness helps you feel better and have more energy for work and leisure time. You'll feel more able to do things like playing with your kids, gardening, dancing, or biking. Children and teens who are fit may have more energy and better focus at school.

When you stay active and fit, you burn more calories, even when you're at rest. Being fit lets you do more physical activity. And it lets you exercise harder without as much work. It can also help manage weight.

Different Types of Stretching Techniques for Being Fit and Fine.

Stretching is an exercise that is particularly designed to extend the muscles and limbs to their complete and full extent. It helps in the expansion of the muscles and limbs by widening or lengthening and is comprehensive to the overall fitness of the human body.

The main purpose of stretching is to provide enough stability and flexibility to the body and act as a simple and helpful tool before commencement of rigorous exercises. It helps to lengthen the muscle tissues of the body and helps in easy muscle performance.

Even after knowing the benefits of stretching, people and athletes sometime tends to ignore this very useful and simple activity. This is a great home exercise that is beneficial for the purpose of warming up the body and reducing the threat of connective tissue and muscle injuries.

Stretching can not alone be helpful to the cause of great muscular development but it can be useful for warming up and toning up the body. Rigorous exercises must be preceded by stretching to ensure optimum utilization from the workout at the gym.

Stretching can be done for 3 times a week and must not be less than 20 minutes per session and must be done slowly and carefully as strong and fast movements can lead to pain and injury. The number can be increased with the passage of time but can not be assumed to deliver all the benefits of rigorous exercises alone.

Types of Stretching:

*Side Stretch.

*Forward Bend

*Downward-Facing Dog

*Quad Stretch

*Cobra

*Child's Pose

*Hip Stretch

*Corpse Pose

The two basic Types of stretching exercises are the static stretch and the Ballistic Stretch.

Precautions/ Steps before commencing stretching:

Warm-up is a must before stretching as it helps in the lubrication of the joints and warms the body muscles.

Do it sensitively and do not over-stretch as that can lead to injuries.

Stretching must not be done in case of stretch torn and injury to the muscles.

Stretching must be under the guidance of a certified trainer in the initial stages.

The stretch must be for a period of 20-30 seconds to maximize benefits.

Cool-down and relaxation of the body must be done after stretching.

*Yoga and Fitness*(For more Details)  

*Quick and Easy Fitness Tips* (For More Details) 

No comments: