EXERCISE AND HEALTH.
Few months ago I found 3 young mothers exercising early in the morning as I was doing my morning runs, I joined them and we kept the conversation going. By the end of the run I had learnt from them a lot on what we are actually doing wrong.
This is what I learnt;
- They didn’t have set goals- this is the reason why you exercise/what do you want to achieve?
- They didn’t know how much they needed to exercise in a day- to them morning jogging was absolutely fine.
- Nobody had done prescreening before they started the program.
- They didn’t have a trainer or anyone trained in physical medicine or exercise physiology to guide them- it’s not really a must to have one but it’s important to have one.
- Among many other issue including not having a way to measure progress. This is mostly determined by set goals.
Who should exercise?
Everyone is eligible to exercise, both the children, adults and elderly persons.
The following are WHO recommendations;
Children 5-17years: 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity daily. These physical activities include play, games, sports, chores, planned exercise among others.
This exclude video games.
They should perform both aerobic and strength exercise.
Adults 18-64 years: at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity throughout the week or 75 minute of vigorous intensity aerobic exercise throughout the week. Aerobic exercise do be done in bouts of 10 minutes each. The exercises include walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, and sports among others
Above 65 years: similar to adults, however for optimum results, time should be increased to 300 and 150 minutes respectively. Emphasis on aerobic and strength exercise.
What exercises should one do?
The exercise one should do are dependent on your goal. What you want to achieve from the exercise. Is it weight loss, keeping fit or any other reason.
This is where having a trainer or physical therapist or a knowledgeable individual in the field is helpful. S/he will help you identify your goals, screen you, design your exercise program and follow up with you.
However the exercises may involve aerobic and strength exercises.
Precautions and what to do before exercise.
Before any exercise, consider the following;
What are your goals- write them down. They should be specific, timely, measurable, realistic and achievable.
Always do a prescreening to rule out any other contraindication to exercising. This can also identify any underlying medical conditions that may need urgent treatment.
Stop exercising if you experience any of the following and consult with your physician.
- Chest pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Vision problems
- Numbness
- Dizziness
- Extreme fatigue
- Unusual shortness of breath
- Muscle pain
- Chest tightness
- Sudden headaches
So the next time you start jogging, know why you are doing it, when to do it, how much to do it and if you’re fit to and when to stop.
Success
Contact information
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