Your individual Exercise Program

"Walking is the best exercise."--M.G. Hardinge, M.D.

Jabbour Semaan, D.H.SC.,  is assistant pro fessor of health sciences, School of Health, Loma Linda University.


YOU  have  learned  how  exercise makes  you look  better,  feel  better,  live and  serve  better.  You  are  really  enthusiastic  about  it  and  want to  get  in shape,  but  you  just  don't  know  how  to begin.  You  ask  yourself, What  are the rules? What  kind of exercise is best for me? How much, how long, and how often should I exercise?

These  questions  deserve  serious  and valid answers.

There  is  exercise—and  exercise. Meditative  walks  and  light  gardening may  be  enjoyed  for  hours.  These  exercises  are  beneficial  in that they refresh soul,  mind,  and  body.  Problems  are faced  and  solved  and  often  wise  decisions  made.  There  are  also  the  vigorous recreational activities like skiing, and  the  taxing,  intense  marathons. Then there is physical labor. Many prefer these as not only adding strength to the  body  but  providing  some  tangible reward,  something  additionally  worth while that is accomplished.

Popular  today,  and  of  great value in our sedentary  society, is cardiovascular conditioning  exercise,  specifically  designed  for  each individual,  to-keep his heart,  lungs,  and  blood  vessels  in  as healthy  a  condition  as  possible.  It puts him to the stretch for a short time daily or  almost  daily,  and  gets the most  cardiovascular  fitness  possible  out  of  the least time.  It is invaluable, and most of this  article  will  be  concerned  with  it. But  it  cannot  and  should  not  be  expected  to  fulfill  all  of  your  exercise needs.

As  a  rule,  adults  contemplating  a cardiovascular-training  exercise  pro gram  are  advised  to  obtain  medical clearance  from  their  physician  before they  begin.  Previously  unrecognized disease  conditions  could  present a serious  problem  unless  they  are  properly treated.  However,  if  you  are  under  35 or  are  free  of  shortness  of  breath, high blood  pressure,  palpitation,  and  chest pain  either  at  rest  or  during  exercise, and have a yearly physical examination, you are probably in shape to begin.

What kind for you?

Any  cardiovascular  training exercise regimen  should  include  a  warming-up period,  an  aerobic or  vigorous  activity period, and a  cooling-down  period.

Warming-up  activities  include  calisthenics  and  muscle  toning  exercise such as head rotation, shoulder rotation, side  body  bends,  forward  trunk  bends with  knees  slightly  flexed,  bent-knee pushups,  bent-knee  situps,  side  leg raises. The purpose of these exercises is to  improve  muscle  tone  and  prepare muscles and joints for the more vigorous aerobic phase that follows. They prevent stiffness  and  promote  flexibility,  and should  be  performed  slowly,  smoothly, and  without  force  or jerky movements.

Aerobic  activities  include  walking, jogging,  cycling,  and  swimming.  Many prefer  vigorous  productive  kinds  of exercise  like  vigorous  gardening,  chop ping  wood,  and,  yes,  even  shoveling snow  or  cutting the lawn with a hand- powered  mower.  A  few  sports  may  be used  with  some  benefit  to  supplement your  program.  Most  beginners  should condition themselves by walking, swimming,  or  cycling  before  jogging,  running,  or  engaging  in  very  vigorous sports  or  such heavy work  as  chopping wood or shoveling snow.

Cooling down is usually accomplished by  slowing  your  aerobic  activity  or  by calisthenics.

Determining  a  safe  level  of  effort  is perhaps the most important element of a  cardiovascular  training  program  for adults. The best monitor of the intensity of  your  aerobic  activity  is  your  heart rate. It tells whether you are exercising too  much  or too  little  for this effect,  or whether  you  are  working  within  your prescribed safe level.

Wear  a  wrist  watch  with  a  second hand.  Periodically,  after  three  to  four minutes  of  steady  exercise,  stop,  and immediately take your pulse for six seconds  and  multiply  by  ten  to  get  your heart  rate  per  minute.  It  should  be within  the  THR  range.  Do  not  exceed your upper limit. After several weeks of conditioning you begin to notice  a drop in  your  resting  heart rate.  This means that  your  body  is  getting  conditioned. It is,  of  course,  very important to  stay within the lower limits of the THR during  the  first three months  of  your  conditioning program.

Start  your  program  slowly  and  progress gradually. For example, walk four weeks  at  a moderate  pace.  Stride  four weeks  at  a  brisk pace.  If you  decide to jog,  walk-jog  four weeks before you jog continuously.  Keep  within  your  THR regardless  of  the  type  of  activity.  It is normal  for  some  people  not  to  attain their THR during the walking phase of their program. The walking phase, how ever, is important in preparation for the more  intensive  phase  of  jogging,  and must not be eliminated.

Some  prefer to limit their exercise to walking or some such moderate activity. Brisk  walking will  produce  all the  desired  effects  of  jogging if the duration, frequency,  and  intensity are  adequate, i.e., 45 minutes of brisk walking at least five times per week.

It is  better to exercise before a meal than right afterwards. Wait at least two hours after eating (one hour is sufficient after a light meal).

To wrap it all up— 

Don't neglect frequent, longer periods of moderate physical exercise while you also  improve  your  soul  and  mind.  Al ways start your vigorous cardiovascular exercise with a warm-up and end with a cool-down.  Choose  an  activity that you enjoy.  Determine  your  THR  range and stay within it for 20-30 minutes.  Exercise at least three times a week. Observe proper  precautions.  Stay  with  it  and reap  the  great  rewards  of  (1)  looking better by controlling your weight, firing up  your  muscles,  and  improving  your posture;  (2)  feeling better by enhancing your  self-image  and  brightening  your outlook  on  life;  (3)  living  and  serving better  by  slowing  physiological  aging, restoring  youthful  vigor,  relieving tension  and  fatigue,  and  enjoying  your work,  family, and friends.

 

Jabbour Semaan, D.H.SC.,  is assistant pro fessor of health sciences, School of Health, Loma Linda University.

March 1976

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