You must Exercise regularly

Better Love Making - Exercise Regularly

2011-10-09T14:22:00.000+08:00

According to researches, both men and women who have consistent exercise regimes will have a better sex life. By exercising regularly, you can perform better when you are making love with your partner.

For men with regular exercise, your body will be healthier and this will contribute to a good healthy erection and reduction of the risks for impotency. Why it is that exercise can give you a much healthier and firmer erection? It is because it actually increases the blood circulation in your body where your penis will receive enough blood.

With regular exercise, both men and women will be able to maintain a slimmer and toner body shapes. These will help boost the confidence and ego of yours, and therefore be able to attract the opposite party more effectively.

For a person who exercises regularly, he or she will be able to maintain his or her breathing pace much better than those who do not exercise at all. This will help a lot when it comes to love making with your partner. When you are able to control your breathing and last longer in bed, you will stand a higher chance to please and satisfy your lover.

Some of the exercises that you can do are brisk walking, jogging and swimming. Try to create a timetable of where you at least take out 3 days every week to exercise. For each exercise session, make it at least 45 minutes long.

With regular exercise, you will be able to have a healthy body, as well as to enjoy a much healthy sex life. You can also boost your self-esteem, ego, confidence and reduce stress as well. It is definitely a triple wins for you.

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Excercise Health and Fitness - Some Tips

2011-08-16T09:44:00.002+08:00

How about this scenario: You come home from work and your children come and ask for a game of touch football, you aswered them saying that you would play with them after you get some rest from the stressful day at work. Will you go outside and play with them after you rest? Read on for some exercise health and fitness exercises so that you will have the energy to say yes to your children to play touch football or any other activity that you enjoy.

A moderate amount of exercise, about thirty minutes everyday, will give you a lot more energy and make you feel better both physically and mentally. It will also improve your appetite and help you to sleep better and get more rest. The benefits of just a small amount of exercise is amazing. It's really hard to believe that just thirty minutes a day can effect such a change in the way you feel.

If you don't do any exercises at all then start your exercising by only doing about fifteen to twenty minutes of exercises two or three days a week; building up to thirty minutes everyday. Don't push yourself too hard at first, don't force your body, if you get hurt then stop and take a break for a day or two.

Some of the exercises that you can try are:

-Walk around the playground, neighborhood park or just up and down your street. Start off slow at first and work yourself up to a fairly brisk pace.

-Play some sport that you enjoy such as basketball, soccer, football, handball, tennis, something that will give you a workout.

-You can also get a good workout just by doing yardwork like mowing the grass or raking leaves.

-If there is an exercise program where you work, look into doing that before or after work.

-Sometimes local hospitals have a gym that you can use and will suggest a workout for your physical condition.

-Doing chores around the house can also burn off some calories such as vacuuming or washing the car.

-At work, park your car as far as you can from the entrance and take the stairs instead of the elevator.

-Join a gym, one of those that's open 24/7 so you can go anytime.

-If you think about it, you can find many ways to exercise.

After exercising for a few weeks, you will be amazed at how easy it was to do it. You will find it hard not to exercise, it will get to be addicting, a good addiction for sure. So get up off of the couch and get started with some exercise health and fitness, you can do it and you will be glad that you did.

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Is it Okay to Exercise During Menstruation?

2011-07-13T14:29:00.002+08:00

A common question among women's fitness groups is whether or not it is healthy to exercise during menstruation. While many fears and beliefs about our monthly cycle have changed over the years, whether or not strenuous activity is right for every woman is probably best determined on a case by case basis.

Each woman is different both physically and mentally. Women who have a heavy flow may find that increased activity causes them to bleed even more. Other women have reported a decrease in the length of their cycle and an alleviation of cramps by exercising straight through their monthly period.

While it is never good to bleed too heavily, foregoing a whole week of exercise is unacceptable to most women who have grown accustomed to a women's workout routine. As a personal trainer, I have found that by having some light exercises to offer to the ladies gives them an alternative to just sitting out the entire week. Instead of running, a brisk walk will keep your body stay active, without jostling your uterus and aggravating your symptoms. Strength training exercises are fine and you can lessen the amount of weights, squats or other exercises that might increase your blood flow.

If you are worried about the messiness of a heavy flow, you might want to wear a tampon when you exercise during your period. Just remember to keep it changed regularly to control bacterial infection. You might want to wear a pair of bike shorts under a pair of loose fitting shorts for protection against spills.

Women have come a long way from the times of our ancestors, when women were cordoned off during their time of the month. However, we still have the blessing of a body that is engineered for childbirth and therefore from the time of puberty until menopause a woman's body will automatically ready itself for the possibility of pregnancy. Although month after month it's hard to think of this time as something wonderful, without it, we wouldn't be much different than our male counterparts.

Keeping your body hydrated is very important to your women's fitness program but even more so during your period. A healthy diet that is low in sodium is also a must before and during your cycle. Salt tends to intensify bloating and inflammation, which trigger cramps and back pain that will make you feel worse. Exercise, especially walking helps to decrease inflammation and relieve bloating.

Intense exercise, such as those performed by professional or extreme athletes, may cause amenorrhea or the termination of your menstrual period. This is generally temporary and reverses naturally when the exercise regimen is moderated. Since there are many reasons for amenorrhea, consult your doctor if your period becomes irregular, to make sure there are not some other underlying health problems that you need to be aware of.

The important thing is to listen to your body and get to know it. If you feel you need to take it easy, then do so. Don't let your period be an excuse to get out of exercise, but don't push yourself to do something that your body is telling you not to. It's your body and your right to exercise, go out for a walk and if you feel like a slow jog, go for it.

However, if you feel you need to take a day off and rest, then by all means allow your body that time for rejuvenation. The following day, you'll probably feel better and will be ready to increase your women's workout routine.

Karen Ficarelli is the founder and CEO of Fitness4Her.com, a diet, exercise program and women's fitness blog, developed especially for women. A mother of three, Karen knows how hard it is to fit everything into a busy schedule. A fitness author, personal trainer, Pilate's instructor, sports nutritionist, fitness model, wife and mom, Karen is passionate about helping other women reach their fitness goals. She knows firsthand that the desire to attain a healthy, slim and well-toned body is just as important as any other dream that a woman can have. But going a step further, Karen understands that to achieve that dream, you first must believe in it. Think it, believe it, achieve it... www.Fitness4Her.com ... the website for women's fitness.

How To Exercise On The Go

2011-07-07T14:34:00.002+08:00

The number one reason people don't exercise is because they don't have the time to fit it in their already over scheduled life.

From the time we get up, our lives are filled with constant projects and obligations. You get up and get ready for work and head straight into traffic for the next 45 minutes. Then, for lunch you grab something quick because your boss decides at the last minute he needs a report done by the end of the day.

After work, you can rest and relax right? Of course not, you have to get the kids and drive them to extra curricular activities before heading home. When you get home, you have to prepare dinner, help with homework, and feed Fido. All this in one day -- no wonder you don't have any time to exercise.

So where do you find the time? Well, let us recap the day. When you are preparing to leave home, try doing lunges while walking from room to room. If you watch the news in the morning, do it while walking on the treadmill or running in place. You can also carry weights to add strength training to a cardiovascular exercise. For Fido, take the dog for a walk or run around the block. These exercises can be repeated or done once you return home.

While stuck in traffic, try these exercises. Suck in your stomach for 20 seconds the release it. Repeat this until you get to work and you will feel like you did 100 sit ups. For those times when you are completely stopped try squeezing your thighs together then relaxing. This can be repeated on the way home.

There are many things you can do while working to get your body moving. For example, the stomach exercise mentioned above is great for at your desk. You can modify the stomach exercise by doing side crunches as you hold your stomach in. Flex your calves while sitting straight by lifting your help up and down. During your break, jog up and down the stairs or take a brisk stroll around the building or your floor.

Off to get the kids! Don't let them be the only one getting fit during soccer practice. Bring a change of clothes and run around the field. Do jumping jacks or something to get your exercise in also. If they are inside a building, take a hike up and down the stairs or go outside and enjoy the fresh air. Every little bit counts to a healthier you.

Author Joseph D. Cooper is an avid blogger and speaker in the health and fitness industry. Rather than relying on weight loss plans like the Medifast diet, Joseph believes that individuals can take control of their on health and well being. You can learn more about what he recommends for his personal clients who are looking for diets that work and healthy weight loss plans.

Time-Saving Excercise Tips for the Busy Professional

2011-07-05T16:13:00.000+08:00

You may be a very busy professional. But that is no excuse for avoiding exercise. Even if you do not have the time or convenience to work out at the gym, you can keep yourself fit through a simple exercise program that you can do even while you are stuck at the office. The key to this fitness program is that the exercise sessions are all very short and last only from five to 10 minutes at a time.

The best way to go about this type of program is to have a checklist of all the exercises you will be doing. You can vary the sequence of exercises and you can be flexible about when you do them, it is only important that you are able to check off the exercises on your list by the end of the day.

So what type of exercises will you be doing? You will need to do aerobic exercise and stretching. You can also do strength training if you want to make your body more fit and shapely. The amount of aerobic exercise should add up to at least 30 minutes per day, although 60 minutes would be ideal. You need not do 30 minutes of exercise all in one go, but can accumulate it throughout the day. One of the best ways you can do this is through brisk walking whenever possible. Brisk walking can burn up five to 6 calories per minute, compared to the 3.5 calories per minute that are used up in regular walking.

Also, when you are not in a hurry, you should take the stairs instead of the elevator. Climbing stairs can burn up 8 calories per minute. You can check your progress with the use of a pedometer. This is a device that can count the number of steps that you take. For full exercise, work for achieving 10,000 to 15,000 steps every day.

Stretching can be done in your office or cubicle between long work sessions. You should do stretches for your arms, legs and neck. If you also do strength training for your chest, then do chest stretching exercises as well. Stretching is perfectly natural and should not bother anyone at the office. Besides, stretching promotes alertness and concentration.

For strength training, you can keep light and portable equipment under your desk at work. Small dumbbells, ankle weights, and exercise rubber bands are some things that you might use. You can do one or two training sessions every hour, for at least five minutes per session, and not worry about sweating in your office clothes.

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Why You Should Exercise Regularly

2011-07-02T21:57:00.002+08:00

The weather is bad, maybe it's raining or snowing or extremely windy. Perhaps at another time of the year it's too hot and too humid. Maybe you are tired or have eaten too much or drunk too much alcohol. Whatever you use as your excuse you decide you haven't got the energy or motivation to exercise today, or tomorrow or next week or next month. So your exercise routine fails again and you decide you can get along very nicely thank you very much without doing any exercise.

Yet there is a reason to keep going, there is a reason to re-motivate yourself to exercise on a regular basis, whatever the weather, however tired you feel. It's a matter of looking after yourself.

Why do you need to look after yourself? To have a full and long and healthy life.

Why should you include exercise in your self care regime? Because part of being healthy is to have limbs and joints that can move, to have a body that is as flexible as possible for your own body shape, age and ability and to keep blood circulating into all the nooks and crannies of your body. When you keep fit through exercise you will enable yourself to maintain a more healthy body weight too than if you sit around and never exercise at all.

What can you do if you start to make the excuses mentioned?

Dress appropriately if your exercise involves going outside. There is no such thing as bad weather only the wrong clothes. You can exercise indoors or outside as you wish. You can vary the type of exercise and how strenuously you do the exercise. So if you are unwell or feeling extra tired do something more gentle that when you are bounding with energy. However the most important thing is to do something. Walking, swimming, yoga, dancing and T'ai Chi are all forms of exercising which you can do gently or more vigorously. Pick several different forms of exercise to do during the week. But a minimum would be to walk for thirty minutes for at least five days a week. This can be divided into three shorter bursts of ten minutes if necessary.

Commit yourself to doing something on a very regular basis. Do whatever you must do to keep motivated. Perhaps you can get a friend to exercise with you but whatever you do you must fit exercise into your daily routine without fail.

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Why weight training is the fast track to sculpting your body

2008-11-19T21:30:00.000+08:00

Resistance is NOT futile! When it comes to changing your body for the better quickly and permanently, nothing comes close to good old-fashioned weight training.

The shape of your body is determined by three things: muscle, bone and fat. While there's really nothing you can do about changing your bone structure, there is a whole lot you can do about muscle and fat. This ratio of muscle to fat is commonly known as your body composition.

And what is the fastest way to change your body composition? Weight training. Why is it so effective? Because it builds muscle.

Muscle is the key to changing your body. While fat certainly gives your body shape, muscle is what gives you the shape you actually WANT!

One of the greatest things about muscle is that it burns calories all day long, even when you're lying on the couch. What this means is that the more muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn during the day and the more you'll be able to eat without gaining weight. Sound interesting? There's more.

Weight training stimulates your metabolism more than aerobic training such as cycling or walking. This means that you'll continue to burn calories long AFTER you've completed your weight training session. The calorie-burning effect of aerobic training generally declines rapidly once you stop the exercise.

Beginning trainers, who are just starting with exercise, are often under the impression that they should stay away from weight training because they might gain weight before they start losing it.

I like to use a car as an analogy. Imagine your body is a car, your muscles are the cylinders in the engine, and your bodyfat is the gas.

With a four-cylinder car, you only burn a minimum amount of gas/fat. Weight training and building more muscle is the equivalent of putting more cylinders into your engine. As you can imagine, you'll burn a whole lot more gas even while idling! And, just like a car with more cylinders, you'll be a lot more powerful too!

The bottom line to you is this...with more muscle, you'll get greater fat loss with less effort.

While it certainly is a possibility that you could gain weight before losing it, if you gauge your success solely by numbers on a scale then you're not getting an accurate picture of yourself. Measure your progress by how you feel, how you look and how well your clothes are fitting, not by which direction the needle on a measuring device is moving.

At the end of the day, I'm not suggesting for a moment that you should eliminate cardiovascular training from your exercise routine, but, if you are struggling to lose fat and keep it off, weight training may be just the thing you need to lose that fat and keep it off for good!

Walking

2008-06-18T12:41:00.000+08:00

The Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons (AARP), an advocacy organization for people over the age of 50, endorses walking as an aerobic activity fit for all. People of any age and in virtually any physical condition can engage in some sort of walking program. Experts suggest beginning by walking three times a week at a comfortable distance and speed. For some people, this may be a mile, and for others it is around the block. The goal, of course, is to increase activity without causing muscle cramping or injury. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that people wear a pedometer and aim for 10,000 steps every day. Over time, people can gradually increase their walking speed, distance and number of walking sessions per week. Research has shown that increased intensity walking may provide increased health benefits.

People are urged to choose carefully when and where they are going to walk. The risk of injury is reduced when walking on flat, even ground with little to no traffic, such as in a mall. One should also wear comfortable, supportive and appropriate footwear. There is also less risk of being involved in a crime when walking in public, well-lit areas.

The following guidelines are offered for patients who choose to carry weights while walking:

* Carry equal weights in each hand or around each wrist.

* Never strap weights to the ankles or lower legs, due to increased risk of a knee injury.

* Don’t swing the arms too far while walking; keep the swing natural to reduce the risk of a back injury.

Some people choose to walk with a dog, which tends to make the walk more enjoyable for both the pet and the owner. However, all pet owners need to take the dog’s comfort into consideration when heading out on particularly hot or especially cold day. Finally, neither humans nor animals should dash off on a fast walk right after eating a heavy meal.

Exercise & the Heart

2008-05-10T11:24:00.000+08:00

It is hard to overstate the benefits of a lifelong commitment to exercise and physical fitness. It has long been known that people who get regular exercise remain healthier and stronger than people who do not get regular exercise. Exercise has been linked to decreased rates of heart disease, stroke, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity and diabetes. Specifically, the benefits of exercise for heart patients are well documented. Exercise has been shown to:

* Decrease cholesterol levels and other harmful blood lipids

*
Decrease blood pressure

*
Increase the pumping efficiency of the heart and increase the overall health of the circulatory system

*
Slow and even reverse the progression of “hardening of the arteries,” or atherosclerosis

*
Reduce inflammation throughout the body, which has been linked to coronary artery disease

*
Slow the progression of heart failure

*
Contribute to weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity, both of which are components of the metabolic syndrome, which is associated with dramatically increased risk of heart attack and heart disease

Even slight amounts of exercise have been linked to improvements in health. Studies have shown that people who exercise once a week, for an hour at a time, have improved heart health. And the benefits increase with greater levels of activity. Based on these results, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2006, produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week to lower the risk of chronic disease. To prevent weight gain, or lose weight, the government recommends at least 60 minutes of exercise most days. These recommendations are in line with guidelines issued by leading medical organizations.

Despite these proven benefits, however, America is still facing a crisis of inactivity. By some estimates, almost 70 percent of adult of Americans are overweight or obese, and more than half of adult Americans do not get enough exercise. This lack of exercise causes an estimated 200,000 deaths every year, including deaths from coronary artery disease, colon cancer and type 2 diabetes. Alarmingly, the lack of exercise is also extending to children, prompting near-epidemic proportions of childhood obesity and a rise in diabetes among children.

Many people, however, find it difficult to initiate and remain committed to an exercise program. This has plagued researchers attempting to study the benefits of exercise because study subjects frequently drop out. One common problem is people beginning their programs exercise too strenuously at first, which results in painful recovery and decreasing motivation. It is important that any exercise program be launched under the guidance of a physician. This will include a pre-exercise screening to make sure the patient is not risking injury.

Once cleared, there are many ways to obtain the necessary exercise. Patients should choose a form of exercise that is enjoyable, fits with their lifestyle and is effective. Popular forms of exercise include yoga, aerobics, lifting weights, bike riding, hiking, walking, swimming and many others. Qualified physical trainers are widely available to help people get started after they have received clearance from their physicians.

Abdominal Sit-Ups

2008-03-07T22:51:00.000+08:00

Why Is This Exercise So Effective?

This is a sit-up movement that works the abs instead of the
hip flexors. It will work all the major and even the minor
muscles in your midsection in one single exercise.

The standard Crunch only addresses part of the function of
the abdominals. This exercise targets the flexed (arched back)
range of motion of the abs and utilizes the weight of your
entire torso as resistance.

The contraction and tension you can place on your abs with
this simple bodyweight exercise is really quite amazing! It
will help you develop your abs extremely quickly, making it
a perfect complement to the "Metabolic Surge" program.

How To Do It:

Lie on your back on the floor. Roll up a towel or mat and
slip it underneath your lower back just above the waistband
(the size of the towel affects your body position during this
movement - use a fairly large towel).

Your knees should be bent about 90 degrees. Keep your feet
close together and knees fairly wide apart. This prevents
the hip flexors from having a direct line of pull, helping
to minimize their involvement.

Do not anchor your feet or have someone hold them down. This
automatically activates the hip flexors. You will get the
most out of this exercise by minimizing their involvement.

The difficulty of this exercise depends on where you hold
your hands. The hardest position is above your head at arms-
length, then beside your head, then across your chest, then
straight down between your legs or at your sides. Start with
the easiest first then progress to the other positions as
you get stronger.

You are now ready to crunch.

- Keeping your torso straight and stiff, start the sit-up by
tightening your lower abs.

- As you continue up, imagine trying to push your face up
against the ceiling (think up, not around).

- When you reach about 25 to 30 degrees above horizontal,
hold for a second and squeeze hard.

- Keep your back in contact with the towel at all times and
always maintain tension in the abs.

- Lower yourself down slowly and under control. Do not just
drop back to the ground. The negative portion of this
exercise is extremely effective.

Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss

2008-03-03T20:23:00.000+08:00

A Fat-Loss Program That Actually Allows You To Build Strength
AND Muscle? How Is That Possible?

It's possible with a scientifically-designed program that
harnesses and applies the real power of your own natural
metabolism.

With the right training and nutrition, your body is fully
capable of building muscle even when on a fat-loss program.
You see, your body reacts to certain nutrients and certain
training styles in very predictable ways.

By exploiting your body's natural reactions, the right
program not only maximizes the positive fat-burning and
muscle-building effects of Growth Hormone, it also maximizes
the anabolic effects of Insulin while minimizing Insulin's
possible negative impact on fat burning.

It's a combination that has the potential to transform your
body in a remarkably short period of time!

Let me put it this way - if I only had one program that I
could do for the rest of my life, this program would be it.

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The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of

2008-03-03T20:11:00.001+08:00

Learn Amazing New Exercises and How You Can Use Them To Squeeze More Results Out of Every Single Rep You Do!

What happens when you work your body with the same exercises or routines day in and day out? Have you tried varying your exercises but just aren't getting anywhere?

You can change all that in a heartbeat with "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of." This groundbreaking eBook contains 53 of the most effective, innovative exercises in existence. They work and they work FAST!

Inside you'll learn:

-How you could be BENCHING 30 to 50 POUNDS MORE in a matter of weeks. Discover the secret exercise that shatters bench press plateaus.

-The way to create stunning washboard abs in record time with an exercise that can double and even TRIPLE the tension on your midsection.

-How you can exercise ANYWHERE and still get great results. Learn simple exercises you can do at home with a minimum of equipment that put expensive health club machines to shame.

-A revolutionary new exercise that will literally FORCE stubborn calves to grow. This exercise works the calves through their ENTIRE anatomical range of motion in one movement for maximum results.

-How to rehab or prevent Rotator Cuff injuries with an exercise that combines 3 different strengthening movements into one time saving exercise. It can even help boost your bench press!

-How you can dramatically improve your performance in every sport you do. Add distance to your golf drives, speed to your throws, and power to your hockey slapshot or tennis serve. Unique core-training exercises will help you develop rock-solid abdominals and astonishing midsection power.

-Much more!!

There is nothing as frustrating as spending endless hours in the gym and coming away with little to no results for all your hard work. "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" can help you get far more results without any more effort than you're putting in right now.

The information in this eBook is clear, detailed and extremely useful. The book is packed with more than 200 full-color pictures and videos. There are tricks and tips for making the exercises even more effective, as well as examples of common errors to make sure you're doing every single exercise correctly and efficiently.

I highly recommend this book as a valuable tool for your training success.

John Woon

Click the following link to learn about how you can use these powerful exercises to take your body to the next level.

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Testimonials:
Dear Nick:

I thought the book was awesome! Some of the exercises I have tried were great...in particular the ab exercises. They really targeted my ABS like no other ab exercises I've tried. I am a natural bodybuilder and I have performed numerous exercise variations. These exercises were new to me and really isolated the specific muscles. Great job...great book!

Thank you,
Georgette P.

"The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of" should be renamed "The best thing that ever happened to me". I've worked out off and on for the last ten years but couldn't get to next level. Inserting these exercises into my routine periodically has done it. I'm now hitting new levels for first time in years!

"The Best Exercises you've Never Heard of" is the best best hands-on guide to exercises I've ever seen. The detail into how each exercise is done is second to none. Try to find a store bought book that even comes close - I dare you! After getting this book you'll want to kick the authors a-- for sending you into a new hemisphere of muscle growing pain!

Al Hargest

"The book was delightful to read! There are some very useful exercises there for all trainers. This is probably the best book I have read in over 20 years on bodybuilding. You mention 7 years as a trainer but my point is, it is not the length of time but the knowledge gained and what you have many with over 30 years experience will not have worked out.

I have been training for over 20 years have read many magazines but the information in your book really has fascinated me. This is from a man who thought he knew it all.

Is there a follow up due?"

Naghman Moghal

Being Fit Can Lower Stroke Risk

2008-02-29T19:54:00.001+08:00

According to a new study (by University of South Carolina's Prevention Research Center in Columbia), mere walking briskly half an hour a day can lower the risk of having a stroke. Also, it seems that benefits observed in men for many years are also observed in women.

Stroke is USA's third-leading cause of death. Physical activity can help prevent blood clots and the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. Stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is stopped when a blood vessel is blocked by a clot or bursts.
The American Stroke Association recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity on most days of the week in its stroke prevention guidelines.

The Differences Between Physical Activity And Exercise

2008-02-17T12:12:00.001+08:00

Although the terms physical activity and exercise may seem synonymous, there are differences between the two.

1) Physical activity encompasses any movement of the body in which your muscles contract and your metabolism increases. Everything from washing dishes to playing soccer falls under this umbrella.

2) Exercise is a subcategory of physical activity. It refers specifically to a systematic program of activity aimed at achieving or maintaining physical fitness.
On one hand, there is a sedentary lifestyle, an absence of any significant physical activity. On the other, there is the peak level of exercise training exhibited by a well-conditioned athlete.

If you are currently sedentary, simply increasing the amount of physical activity in your daily life is an important way forward. However, you will need to establish an exercise program to achieve physical fitness.

Treadmills

2008-02-09T15:59:00.000+08:00

Treadmills are the most popular piece of cardio equipment, because they're versatile and a cinch to use and offer a calorie-incinerating workout.

Treadmills are a staple of gyms. They provide a safe, variable cardio workout you can do despite whatever weather is swirling outside. And how else can you run a few miles while chatting with your best gym buddy?

A range of treadmills are also available for home use. There are two basic types: those with motors and those without. Although they are more expensive, motorized treadmills are of higher quality. Good treadmills allow you to adjust both the speed and the incline of your workout and give you feedback on distance traveled, calories burned, pace and workout time.

Advantages of of Treadmills:
1) Bad weather? Too late to walk alone? A treadmill lets you work out on your own terms wherever and whenever you want.
2) It's useful for short, high-intensity workouts because you set a speed and then must keep up with it.
3) Setting the treadmill in front of your TV can let you multitask as you get your run in while catching up on how your stocks did or the latest celebrity gossip.

Disadvantages of Treadmills:
1) The treadmill becomes a dreadmill if there's nothing to keep your mind occupied.
2) Running uphill on a treadmill does not burn quite as many calories as running hills outdoors because you don't have to move against wind resistance.
3) The expense of a gym membership or purchasing a quality home treadmill may make you want to run away.

Getting in Shape Reduces Death Risk

2008-01-25T21:14:00.000+08:00

The more fit you are, the longer you are likely to live, according to a large study of veterans. The researchers found that the very fit men in the study had half the risk of death as those who were the least fit.

The research builds on what is already known about the benefits of exercise and fills in some gaps by addressing the effects of fitness.
Hence a little bit of exercise goes a long way. Thirty minutes a day, five days a week of brisk walking is likely to reduce the risk of mortality by 50 percent if not more.

Tai Chi

2008-01-24T21:19:00.000+08:00

An ancient Chinese form of exercise, tai chi is considered a martial art.

Tai chi is characterized by soft, slow, flowing movements that emphasize precision and control rather than brute strength. It improves balance, coordination, flexibility and strength, and it calms the mind. In recent years, growing numbers of people have turned to this ancient practice to heal their modern aches, pains and illness.

Tai chi involves shifting your body weight in a series of 13 slow, graceful movements called forms. Many of these forms are named for animals and are patterned after the ways specific creatures contort their bodies. For example, one movement involves lifting your arms in the same manner that a white crane spreads its wings.

Each form in tai chi flows smoothly into the next, which keeps the body in constant motion. During the movements, the practitioner breathes deeply and meditates by blocking out distracting thoughts.

Proponents believe tai chi offers many health benefits, including facilitating gas exchange in the lungs and aiding the work of the digestive system. Studies show that Tai Chi does indeed provide cardio-protective benefits.

The slow movements are beautiful to watch and calming to perform – a great break from hardcore workouts. Nearly anyone can do it. If you have trouble with some movements, keep practicing and you'll probably get them before too long. There's virtually no chance of getting injured during a tai chi class.

7 benefits of Exercise

2008-01-23T09:50:00.000+08:00

Regular, moderate exercise can delay, and in some cases prevent, the onset of type 2 diabetes. It also offers dramatic benefits for people with type 1 diabetes, gestational diabetes and other forms of diabetes. Routine physical activity is a cornerstone of diabetic management, along with diet, regular monitoring and medication.

To gain maximum benefits, patients are often advised to exercise for about 30 minutes a day at least five days a week. However, it is important for individuals to consult their physician before starting an exercise program and to use more or less exertion as instructed. Scientists have found that diabetes patients are much more likely to exercise when their physician helps them devise a program.

Exercise offers many benefits for people with diabetes. They include:
1) Lower glucose (blood sugar)
2) Reduced insulin resistance (a condition in which the cells have a diminished response to insulin)
3) Lower blood pressure
4) Improved cholesterol
5) Achievement and maintenance of a healthy weight
6) Fewer dietary restrictions
7) Decreased stress

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2007-11-05T21:43:00.000+08:00

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Exercise Builds Strong Brains

2007-11-01T21:52:00.000+08:00

According to a new study done by Medical College of Georgia in Augusta,children who are active and play hard every day may be making their brains, as well as their bodies, stronger.

As a result, they are better in organizing schoolwork, doing class projects and learning mathematics. Hence, children who are not active may be at a disadvantage academically.

The researchers also performed brain scans and found that the children who were exercising appeared to have more neural activity in the frontal areas of their brains, an important area for executive function.
Other researchers also found strong associations between math performance and aerobic fitness among elementary-school-age children.

Physical education programs and other opportunities for physical activity at school shouls therefore be highly recommended.

Mild Exercise May Aid Immune System

2007-10-12T19:47:00.000+08:00

We all need a well-functioning immune system to protect our body against bacteria, viruses, toxins and other invaders that can make us sick.

Studies show that low to moderate intensity exercise such as 20 to 30 minutes of brisk walking most days of the week., as long as it is performed regularly, has the ability to protect and even enhance the immune system.

In fact high intensity exercise seems to cause a temporary decrease in immune system function due to the release hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline that could raise blood pressure and cholesterol levels and suppress the immune system. Hence, enough rest and recovery days should be given to allow the immunity to recover after a very strenuous exercise.

In general, if one has mild cold symptoms, but without fever, light or moderate exercise can help one to feel a bit better and actually boost one’s immune system.

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2007-10-06T12:49:00.000+08:00

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Do you need to do stretching?

2007-10-05T23:13:00.000+08:00

Whenever you do any form of exercise, make stretching part of your regular routine. Stretching increases the range of motion of your muscles and joints, including the joints in the neck and back. Increased range of motion means better flexibility.

Stretching either before or after exercise would not necessarily prevent injury according to an extensive review published in the March 2004 issue of Medicine & Science in Sports & Medicine, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

However stretching does improve your flexibility by increasing your range of motion. As you get older, you tend to lose range of motion in your joints and spine due to the loss of elasticity of body tissues. Although stretching could not stop the physical changes, it can slow the rate at which range of motion declines. With stretching, you will recapture some flexibility and take better advantage of what your joints are designed to do.

Even Low Levels of Exercise Have Major Health Benefits

2007-08-29T21:36:00.000+08:00

For optimum health, adults are recommended to engage in 30 minutes of moderately strenuous exercise on at least five days of the week.

However, a new study shows that even a low level of weekly exercise has major health benefits. Just 30 minutes of walking three days a week has a positive impact to drive down blood pressure and improve overall fitness. Also, waist and hip girth could fall significantly.

These results may encourage people who do not have time to exercise on five days each week to consider finding time to commit to a lower weekly target of exercise.

What is Your Fitness Level?

2007-06-16T17:29:00.000+08:00

There are several ways to judge your level of physical fitness. This measures body's ability to perform physical activity.

Functional Fitness
This is the ability to perform daily activities — such as walking, bending, lifting and climbing stairs — without pain or discomfort. This fitness is a result of having healthy lungs, heart, muscles, bones and joints. Good indicators of your functional fitness are the number of minutes you engage in physical activity each week and the number of calories you burn in the process.

Physiological Determinants
Physical fitness can also be measured using a series of physiological assessments that determine how effectively your body rises to the demands of physical activity.

Cardiorespiratory endurance.
Cardiorespiratory endurance, also known as aerobic fitness, is perhaps the best-studied gauge of fitness. Measurements of cardiorespiratory function indicate how efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels can supply oxygen to your cells during extended bouts of physical exertion.

Muscle strength and muscle endurance.
Measurement of muscle strength assesses the amount of power your muscles are able to exert. Your muscle endurance indicates how long your muscles can work before becoming fatigued.

Flexibility.
Flexibility is the ability of your joints to move easily through their entire range of motion. As you age, flexibility becomes increasingly critical for avoiding injury and maintaining independence.

Body composition.
Also relevant to your overall fitness is your body composition — the proportion of fat you carry in relation to your lean muscle mass. Many diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes, are linked to the accumulation of extra fat, particularly in the abdominal area.

How Your Body Responds To Physical Activity And Exercise

2007-05-31T19:01:00.000+08:00

When the human body performs any type of physical work such as something as simple as walking across the room, the cells start a series of activities that require additional oxygen to fuel the metabolic functions.

To meet this demand, the respiratory and circulatory systems are both prompted spontaneously to deliver oxygen-rich blood to the working muscles.

This accelerated metabolism, in turn, produces greater amounts of waste products that are in turn transported back to waste-removal sites, such as the lungs and kidneys, for expulsion from the body.

As a result we breathe more rapidly and our hearts pump more vigorously and faster. Another byproduct of increased energy production is heat. Sweating — a telltale sign of strenuous exertion — is our body's way of cooling the skin and keeping the body temperature at a safe level.

Mental attitude is required for a successful exercise regime

2007-05-10T20:00:00.000+08:00

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2007-04-25T12:55:00.000+08:00

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How To Start A Fitness Program?

2007-04-09T14:44:00.000+08:00

Once you've decided to become more active, the next move is creating an exercise program that will work for you. This process can be broken down into four simple steps:

* Set some goals.
* Measure your fitness level.
* Choose your activities.
* Make a commitment to exercise.

Set some goals. Ask yourself what you want to achieve. Are you hoping to lose some weight, lower your blood pressure or increase your stamina? Choosing the right goals will make a big difference in your ability to stick with your program.

Measure your fitness level. Before you begin any exercise program, it is important to gauge your current level of fitness. This will help you to determine a safe and realistic starting point and fine-tune your personal fitness goals. There are several simple assessments you can perform to figure out where you are on the fitness spectrum. One of these is your body mass index (BMI), a mathematical calculation that gauges your body composition. Determining your resting heart rate and taking a one-mile walking test will give you an indication of your cardiorespiratory fitness. Other self-tests can help you measure your muscle strength and flexibility.

Choose your activities. The best form of exercise is one that you will stick with. In addition to incorporating all the necessary fitness components (resistance training, aerobic activity and stretching and flexibility exercise), the ideal exercise regimen should suit your lifestyle, schedule and present fitness level. Think about what forms of exercise you enjoy (you may love biking but hate swimming, for example). Also consider other factors. For example, do you prefer to exercise indoors or outdoors? Do you prefer exercising by yourself, or do you find that exercising with others is more motivating?

Make a commitment to exercise. This may be the hardest step of all. Work, family, school and other obligations can all eat into your exercise time. In addition, frustration, boredom or even something as seemingly harmless as a minor cold can throw you off track. Arming yourself with techniques to help you stay motivated and recover from setbacks can make all the difference.

Exercise may help older women avoid arthritis pain

2007-04-08T19:26:00.001+08:00

An Australian study based on 8,700 women who were middle-aged or older found that exercise may help older women avoid arthritis pain by doing as little as an hour and 15 minutes of exercise a week. The researchers found that women in their 70s who exercised 75 minutes a week reported fewer symptoms of arthritis over a three-year period compared to women who exercised less.

Women who got at least 2 1/2 hours of exercise a week had even less pain. However, exercise did not affect the arthritis symptoms reported by middle-aged women. The researchers could not explain this difference between the two age groups.

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2007-04-04T16:50:00.000+08:00

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2007-04-04T15:20:00.000+08:00

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Exercise may produce less of harmful, stress-related chemicals

2007-03-16T14:43:00.000+08:00

An exercise biology researcher at University College London reported that people who are physically fit may be protected from damaging artery inflammation that flares up during times of mental stress, a pioneering study reports today.

Aerobic fitness was found to affect the release of chemicals linked to damaging inflammation in adults who are stressed namely interleukin-6, or IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or TNF.

Increases of these chemicals raise the risk for heart disease. Inflammation is thought to be involved in creating plaque that blocks arteries.
Stressed but fit middle-aged adults produce far less of the two chemicals and have less inflammation than couch potatoes.

The least fit had five times the increase in TNF as the most fit. The fittest adults also had one-third of the increase in IL-6 found in the blood of unfit adults.
It's already known that exercise can lower cholesterol and weight and reduce the risk of diseases such as diabetes. So the new findings are just one more reason to get more exercise.

Exercising With A Heart Condition

2007-02-26T17:23:00.000+08:00

If you've recovering from a heart attack or have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease or congestive heart failure, regular exercise can be a vital part of your therapeutic program. However, this exercise should be tailored to your medical situation. In most cases, you will need a specific rehabilitation prescription that is designed and supervised by a physician or cardiac rehabilitation specialist.

Before you begin an exercise program, your doctor will need to assess your needs and abilities. He or she will ask about your health history, especially your specific heart problems. Your doctor also will review your medications, diet, physical activities patterns and home situation.

Click here to read the whole article.

The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Exercise

2007-01-28T22:28:00.000+08:00

The terms physical activity and exercise may seem synonymous, but there are critical differences between the two.

* Physical activity encompasses any movement of the body in which your muscles contract and your metabolism increases. Everything from washing dishes to playing ice hockey falls under this umbrella.

* Exercise is a subcategory of physical activity. It refers specifically to a structured program of activity geared toward achieving or maintaining physical fitness.

Levels of physical activity can be viewed on a continuum. At one end of the spectrum is a sedentary lifestyle, an absence of any significant physical activity. On the other end is the peak level of exercise training exhibited by a well-conditioned athlete. How you move along this continuum depends on both your starting point and your exercise goals. If you are currently sedentary, simply upping the amount of physical activity in your daily life is an important push forward.

Click HERE to read the whole article.

Young couch potatoes have more to worry about than just their weight

2007-01-24T23:14:00.000+08:00

Young couch potatoes have more to worry about than just their weight. New research shows that watching TV and not getting exercise increase children's risk of later developing type 2 diabetes, as well as heart disease and other conditions.

Type 2 diabetes is a burgeoning health problem in America and around the globe. It was once found almost exclusively in older adults, but studies are showing an alarming trend of younger people developing type 2 diabetes.

Physical activity also makes diabetes pills and insulin therapy work better in controlling blood sugar.

Although exercise can help prevent diabetes from occurring in the first place, it is also an important part of controlling diabetes once the disorder has been diagnosed. Exercise is one of the three main tools (along with diet and medication) that doctors recommend to manage diabetes. Exercise lowers blood sugar, insulin, blood fats and blood pressure. It also helps diet and medication work better and has many other health benefits.

The amount and type of exercise a person needs varies. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that people with type 2 diabetes get plenty of aerobic exercise such as walking or bike riding - at least 150 minutes a week at moderate intensity or at least 90 minutes a week at vigorous intensity, spread over at least three days.

The ADA also recommends strength training three days a week. But remember to talk with a doctor before starting or changing an exercise program.

A doctor can tell you which exercises are best for you, which you might need to avoid, at what level you should start and how fast you may progress. Then you'll be able to enjoy the many benefits of exercise, including:

* Lower blood sugar and better control of diabetes
* Weight loss
* Better control of high blood pressure
* Improved cholesterol levels
* Better cardiovascular health
* Lower risk of diabetic kidney disease, foot problems, eye conditions, nerve damage, sexual dysfunction and other problems
* Less stress and improved mood

Exercise can work hand in hand with other treatments for diabetes. For instance, loss of excess weight is usually easier through the combination of physical activity and a sensible diet than through only one of these methods. Diabetic patients who regularly exercise are often allowed greater choices and more leeway in their diet. Physical activity also makes diabetes pills and insulin therapy work better in controlling blood sugar.

Exercising With A Heart Condition

2007-01-20T10:45:00.000+08:00

Regular Exercise Reduces Fatigue

2007-01-08T12:59:00.000+08:00

What does one do when one is fatigued? The last thing one wants to do is exercise!
According to research, people suffering fatigue assume that physical activity will further reduce their energy. However, studies show that exercise raises levels of neurotransmitters that elevate mood and promote energy. Hence, regular physical activity helps people feel more energetic and less tired.

This finding was a result of a study based randomized trials conducted by to researchers at the University of Georgia, USA involving a total of 6,807 volunteers.
Routine exercise reduced fatigue in nearly every population studied, including healthy people and patients with conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or cancer.

Exercise and diabetes control

2006-11-08T17:23:00.000+08:00

Researchers from New Zealand’s Auckland University of Technology found that combining resistance training (e.g. weight lifting) with aerobic workouts appears to be the most beneficial for type for long-term control of blood sugar control than either form of exercise alone. Exercise is an important part of therapy for type 2 diabetes since physical inactivity increases diabetes risk.

However, a combination exercise, diet and medication is still the best approach to produce a significant risk reduction.

Inactive Adults can Reverse Diabetes Risk with Exercise

2006-09-21T10:28:00.000+08:00

Study conducted by researchers from Duke University, USA find that adults who place themselves at risk of developing type 2 diabetes can cut their risk level or eliminate it completely, simply by investing as much time engaged in exercise as they previously spent inactive. For example, researchers found that adults who showed key risk factors for type 2 diabetes, including weight gain and elevated blood sugar, and who had spent the previous six months inactive were able to completely reverse the effects of their inactivity after an additional six months of regular exercise.

Obesity and exercise

2006-08-30T12:54:00.000+08:00

Weight is largely determined by how you balance your intake of calories from food with the energy you use in everyday activities. If you consume more calories than you use, you gain weight. Your body stores calories that you do not need for energy as fat.

Obesity involves having an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Doctors define obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher and overweight as having a BMI of 25 or higher.

Fat is important for storing energy and insulating your body, among other functions. The human body can handle carrying some extra fat, but beyond a certain point, body fat can begin to interfere with your health.

Eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity are the main causes of obesity, especially in combination. But many factors can contribute to obesity.

According to official figures, the adult obesity rate rose from 15 percent in 1980 to 32 percent in 2004. Combine that with the number of Americans who are overweight but not obese, and the figure stands at 64 percent. And the childhood obesity rate more than tripled between 1980 and 2004, from 5 percent to 17 percent.

Being either overweight or obese increases the risk for a variety of serious health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and some cancers.

Diabetics to adjust your medication as you exercise

2006-08-17T19:50:00.000+08:00

Studies have repeatedly proven that one of the best remedial steps a diabetic can take is to start a new exercise and fitness regimen. Exercise has been shown to lower blood glucose and improve the body's ability to break down and metabolize glucose without the aid of injected insulin. Hence diabetics undertaking a new exercise program may need to adjust their medication dosage by their doctors. It is important to monitor your blood glucose levels both before and after exercise and keep your doctors informed of any drastic changes.

Long-term benefits of exercise include the reduction or prevention of the following:

2006-08-13T18:01:00.000+08:00

1) Dying early.

2) Developing coronary artery disease. Men who are not active have about twice the risk of developing heart disease as men who are regularly physically active.

3) Having a second heart attack. Also, people who get regular physical activity as part of a cardiac rehabilitation program have a lower risk of dying from a heart attack.

4) Developing high blood pressure. Regular physical activity can also lower blood pressure in those who have high blood pressure.

5) Developing type 2 diabetes. Physical activity may prevent type 2 diabetes through its effect on insulin, how the body processes sugar, and maintenance of body weight.

6) Developing colon and other cancers.

7) Becoming obese.

What if you don't have time to spend in the gym?

2006-07-08T02:12:00.000+08:00

A lot of dieters think that if they don't get at least 30-60 minutes in exercising, they're not doing enough to get fit. That is absolutely false. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to think "there’s no time in the day to exercise."

The following is list of what you can do to burn calories of energy:

1) Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.

2) Walk to have your lunch break instead of sitting down to eat.

3) Take small breaks throughout the day to walk around if you have remain in your seat to work.

4) Take a walk to your co-workers for a face-to-face discussion instead of using the phone, email or instant messaging. Of course this also helps creating a better team spirit and working environment.

5) Take your dog, if you have one, out for a walk in the evening.

6) Deliberately park your car farther away from the office, shopping mall or the banks and walk the extra distance.

7) Take the kids to the park and play and run with them.

8) Volunteer to cook up a storm in the kitchen and then do the dishes.

9) Help in gardening at home.

10) Wash your own car instead of sending to the car-wash shops.

11) Think of some other ways of your own for any given day. You'd be surprised what all these simple steps could do to help you to keep slim and fit at the same time.

2006-06-20T21:24:00.000+08:00

Thanks for dropping in........ Hope you'd find some useful tips here!

How should you proceed to exercise properly?

2006-06-20T21:02:00.000+08:00

If you are over 35 and have been inactive for several years, you should consult your physician before starting your exercise progrms. This is especially important if you have conditions such as high blood pressure, heart trouble, family history of early stroke or heart attack, extreme breathlessness after mild exertion and arthritis.

Fitness that we are trying to achieve is defined as the ability to perform daily tasks vigorously and alertly, with sufficient energy for enjoying leisure-time activities and meeting emergency demands with also the ability to withstand stress."
Fitness also influences to some extent mental alertness and emotional stability.

With fitness, you should be able to obtain the following objectives:

1) Cardiorespiratory Endurance - the ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, and to remove wastes, over sustained periods of time. Extended running and swimming are among the methods employed in measuring this component.

2) Muscular Strength - the ability of a muscle to exert force for a brief period of time. Upper-body strength, for example, can be measured by various weight-lifting exercises.

3) Muscular Endurance - the ability of a muscle, or a group of muscles, to sustain repeated contractions or to continue applying force against a fixed object. Pushups are often used to test endurance of arm and shoulder muscles.

4) Flexibility - the ability to move joints and use muscles through their full range of motion. The sit-and-reach test is a good measure of flexibility of the lower back and backs of the upper legs.

Your exercise program should include something from each of the four basic fitness components described previously. Each workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down. As a general rule, space your workouts throughout the week and avoid consecutive days of hard exercise.

The following are some of the of activities necessary for the average, healthy person to maintain a minimum level of overall fitness. Try to reach this recommended combination and timing slowly and gradually.

1) WARM-UP - 5-10 minutes of exercises such as walking, slow jogging, knee lifts, arm circles or trunk rotations. Low intensity movements that stimulate movements to be used in the activity can also be included in the warm-up.

2) MUSCULAR STRENGTH - a minimum of two 20-minute sessions per week that include exercises for all the major muscle groups. Lifting weights is the most effective way to increase strength.

3) MUSCULAR ENDURANCE - at least three 30-minute sessions each week that include exercises such as pushups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and weight training for all the major muscle groups.

4) CARDIORESPIRATORY ENDURANCE - at least three 20-minute bouts of continuous aerobic (activity requiring oxygen) rhythmic exercise each week. Popular aerobic conditioning activities include brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, rope-jumping, rowing, cross-country skiing, and some continuous action games like racquetball and handball.

5) FLEXIBILITY - 10-12 minutes of daily stretching exercises performed slowly without a bouncing motion. This can be included after a warm-up or during a cool-down.
COOL DOWN - a minimum of 5-10 minutes of slow walking, low-level exercise, combined with stretching.

Types of Exercise

2006-06-20T17:54:00.000+08:00

Exercises are generally grouped into three types depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:
1) Flexibility exercises such as stretching improve the range of motion of muscles and joints.

2) Aerobic exercises such as walking and running focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance.

3) Anaerobic exercises such as weight training or sprinting increase short-term muscle strength.

If possible all the three must be done.

2006-06-19T00:18:00.000+08:00

Thanks for dropping in........ Hope you'd find some useful tips here!

The many benefits of regular exercise

2006-06-18T22:48:00.000+08:00

Exercise is the performance of some activities such as jogging, cycling, and swimming in order to develop or maintain fitness and overall health. Frequent and regular exercise is an important factor in the prevention of the so-called modern diseases.

Exercise is considered important for maintaining fitness including healthy weight, building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints. It also promotes physiological well-being, reduce surgical risks, strengthen the immune system and especially, reduce stress.

Scientists may have identified a chemical which could explain why exercise is an anti-depressant. Until now, it has not been clear why exercise has that effect. But, doctors from Nottingham Trent University suggest that the chemical phenylethylamine could play a part. Phenylethylamine is a naturally produced chemical that has been linked to the regulation of energy, mood and attention.

When exercising it is also important to have good diet to ensure the body has the correct nutrients to aid the body with the recovery process following strenuous exercise. Proper rest and recovery is also as important to health as exercise, otherwise the body exists in a permanently injured state and will not improve or adapt adequately to the exercise.

Like other muscles, the heart likes a good workout. You can provide it with one in the form of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is any type of exercise that gets the heart pumping and the muscles using oxygen. When done regularly, such exercise make the heart stronger and more efficient in delivering oxygen (in the form of oxygen-carrying blood cells) to all parts of your body.

Strengthening the heart and other muscles is not the only important goal of exercise. Exercise also helps the body stay flexible, meaning that your muscles and joints stretch and bend easily. People who are flexible can worry less about strained muscles and sprains. Flexibility can also help improve a person's sports performance. Some activities, like dance, martial arts and soccer, obviously require great flexibility.