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Rob
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| Rob Wilkins - It's Hip To Be Fit | |||
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Rob
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| Rob Wilkins - It's Hip To Be Fit | |||
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IT’S
HIP TO BE FIT! By Rob WilkinsProfessional Member of the National Strength andConditioning Association (NSCA) By now, everyone on the
planet has read or heard about the positive benefits of exercise such as
improved overall health and well being.
However, over 60 percent of U.S. adults do not engage in the recommended amount of activity and 25
percent of U.S. adults are not active at all.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that we
should strive for a daily regimen of 30 minutes or more of moderate physical
activities most days of the week. THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: Before beginning a fitness program I
strongly recommend you have a medical checkup and develop personal goals. Is your goal to lose those extra pounds you
put on during the winter? How about the
desire to improve your health or increase your stamina so you can take part in
local 5k fitness run. Scientific studies have shown regular physical
activity improves health and reduces the risk of many diseases, including heart
disease. I recommend you begin a
physical fitness program with short sessions of 15-30 minutes (especially if
you have been sedentary) and gradually build up to the desired level of
intensity. Research indicates
that significant health benefits can be obtained from simply
moving from a sedentary lifestyle to minimal physical
activity, with significant decreases in the
risk of premature death. Components of a well designed
fitness program should include resistance training for
muscular strength and endurance, aerobic exercise for cardiovascular fitness,
and flexibility exercises to maintain range of
motion, mobility, and reduce the likelihood of injury. BASICS OF EXERCISE: STRENGTH
TRAINING, AEROBIC CONDITIONING, FLEXIBILITY The three keys to a healthy and active life are
strength training, aerobic conditioning, and flexibility. Strength training is the process of
exercising with progressively heavier resistance to build, strengthen, or
retain muscle. Strength training has many positive benefits such as
improving strength, balance,
flexibility, and over all muscle tone. It can also lead to an increase in lean
muscle tissue, which utilizes over 25% of the body’s caloric use. An increase
in muscle tissue causes a corresponding increase in the number of calories your
body will burn and a decrease in body fat.
The purpose of the “It’s Hip to be Fit” program is to develop and maintain a
significant amount of muscle mass, endurance, strength, and flexibility to
improve your level of physical conditioning.
The next part of the “It’s Hip to
be Fit” program is aerobic conditioning. Aerobic exercise increases the health and
function of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system. For maximum
effectiveness, aerobic exercise needs to be rhythmic, continuous and involve
the large muscle groups (primarily located in the lower part of your body.)
Walking, jogging, cycling, aerobic dance, and stair climbing are examples of
activities that use large muscle groups. Activities combining upper and lower
body movements such as cross-country skiing, rowing, and swimming can lead to
even higher levels of aerobic capacity.
The final key element to this program is the flexibility factor. Flexibility is a critical
portion of an exercise program that is often overlooked. Stretching is
important for a number of reasons; increases physical performance, decreases
risk of injury, increases blood supply and nutrients to the joints, reduces
soreness, improves balance, decreases risk of low back pain, and reduces stress
in muscles. Strength training and
flexibility training should go hand in hand. It is a common misconception that
there must always be a trade-off between flexibility and strength. Obviously, if you neglect flexibility
training altogether in order to train for strength then you are certainly
sacrificing flexibility (and vice versa). However, performing exercises for
both strength and flexibility need not sacrifice either one. As a matter of
fact, flexibility training and strength training can actually enhance one
another. An ideal time to stretch is right after a strength-training workout. Static stretching of fatigued muscles performed immediately following the exercise(s) that caused the fatigue, helps not only to increase flexibility, but also enhances the promotion of muscular growth, and actually helps decrease the level of post-exercise soreness (1). In order to reap the benefits of physical activity you can use the following workout guide to get started. Tailor the routine to suit your fitness goals and schedule. Explanation of the recommended strength exercises is provided following the description of the routine. The following is the “It’s Hip to be Fit” routine:
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