“Fitness training: 5 elements of a rounded routine - MayoClinic.com” plus 1 more

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Fitness training: 5 elements of a rounded routine - MayoClinic.com Posted: 21 May 2010 09:52 AM PDT Fitness training balances five elements of good health. Make sure your routine includes aerobic fitness, muscular fitness, stretching, core exercise and balance training. By Mayo Clinic staff Whether you're a novice taking the first steps toward fitness or an exercise fanatic hoping to optimize your results, a well-rounded fitness training program is essential. Use the five primary elements of fitness training to create a balanced routine. 1. Aerobic fitness Aerobic exercise, also known as cardio or endurance activity, is the cornerstone of most fitness training programs. Aerobic exercise causes you to breathe faster and more deeply, which maximizes the amount of oxygen in your blood. The better your aerobic fitness, the more efficiently your heart, lungs and blood vessels transport oxygen throughout your body — and the easier it is to complete routine physical tasks and rise to unexpected challenges, such as running to your car in the pouring rain. Aerobic exercise includes any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and increases your heart rate. Try walking, jogging, biking, swimming, dancing, water aerobics — even leaf raking, snow shoveling and vacuuming. Aim for at least two hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity — preferably spread throughout the week. 2. Muscular fitness Muscular fitness is another key component of a fitness training program. Strength training at least twice a week can help you increase bone strength and muscular fitness. It can also help you maintain muscle mass during a weight-loss program. Most fitness centers offer various resistance machines, free weights and other tools for strength training. But you don't need to invest in a gym membership or expensive equipment to reap the benefits of strength training. Hand-held weights or homemade weights — such as plastic soft drink bottles filled with water or sand — may work just as well. Resistance bands are another inexpensive option. Your own body weight counts, too. Try push-ups, abdominal crunches and leg squats. 3. Stretching Most aerobic and strength training activities cause your muscles to contract and flex. For balance in your fitness training program, it's important to stretch those muscles, too. Stretching improves the range of motion of your joints and promotes better posture. Regular stretching can even help relieve stress. Before you stretch, warm up by walking or doing a favorite exercise at low intensity for five to 10 minutes. Better yet, stretch after you exercise — when your muscles are warm and receptive to stretching. Ideally, you'll stretch whenever you exercise. If you don't exercise regularly, you might want to stretch at least three times a week after warming up to maintain flexibility. Activities such as yoga promote flexibility, too. Next page (1 of 2) See Also Hand Scheduled Section Focus Golf injuries: Why it pays to play it safe Overuse injury: How to prevent training injuries Fitness programs: 7 tips for staying motivated Fitness programs: 6 steps to guide your selection Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity Hot-weather exercise: How to keep cool Barriers to fitness: Overcoming common problems Cross-training: Rev up your exercise program with variety Fitness programs: 5 steps to getting started Exercise: When to check with your doctor first Fitting in fitness: Finding time for physical activity Exercise and cold weather: Stay motivated, fit and safe Fitness for less: 4 low-cost ways to shape up Body fat analyzers: How accurate are they? Slide show: Balance exercises Exercise and illness: Should you exercise when you're sick? Target heart rate calculator Heart rate: What's normal? Core exercises: 7 reasons to strengthen your core muscles Office exercise: How to burn calories at work Exercising with arthritis: Improve your joint pain and stiffness Exercise: Rev up your routine to reduce stress Make your New Year's resolutions reality Late-day exercise: Can it cause insomnia? Slide show: How to stretch your major muscle groups BMI calculator Related Links References Physical activity and public health guidelines. American College of Sports Medicine. http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&TEMPLATE=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=7764. Accessed May 21, 2009. 2008 physical activity guidelines for Americans. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.health.gov/paguidelines/pdf/paguide.pdf. Accessed June 3, 2009. Aerobic or anaerobic? Quick activity. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3003065. Accessed June 3, 2009. Physical activity. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4563. Accessed June 3, 2009. Expert: Muscle training dos and don'ts. American College of Sports Medicine. http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home_Page&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=7166. Accessed June 3, 2009. Beedle BB, et al. No difference in pre- and post-exercise stretching on flexibility. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2007;21:780. Everyone benefits from yoga when properly executed and individually adapted. American College of Sports Medicine. http://www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Search&template=/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfm&ContentID=4245. Accessed June 4, 2009. Selecting and effectively using stability balls. American College of Sports Medicine. Accessed June 4, 2009. Warm up, cool down and be flexible. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00310. Accessed June 4, 2009. Laskowski ER (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 9, 2009. Gillespie LD, et al. Interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD007146. HQ01305 Sept. 5, 2009 © 1998-2010 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Water Exercises for Seniors - Associated Content Posted: 21 May 2010 12:01 PM PDT Water Exercises for Seniors: Conclusion: Water exercises for seniors or for all ages can be very effective when done in an aquatic setting. The heart rate is decreased, the opportunity for injury is low, and the overall fitness can make the whole thing very rewarding. Simple swimming or water marching can be some of the best exercise for water. Of course you will want to make sure that if you are a senior you are doing this under the supervision of a lifeguard or fitness pal. Only do these exercises when you have cleared any potential complications with your doctor. Source: http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm Five Filters featured article: The Art of Looking Prime Ministerial - The 2010 UK General Election. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

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