In today’s world, balancing work, family, and recreational pastimes can be a challenge. Many people can feel a sense of anxiety when trying to incorporate physical activity, and then feel unbalanced when they are physically active. It is in this context that we propose an exercise equation and emphasize the importance of balance among the different types of physical activity for good health.
The Sedentary Pandemic of Exercise Equation
Before we get into tackling the workout equation, let’s first take a moment to think about the binding effect that exists today. As a technologically savvy community, our physical activity has gone down substantially for many reasons, while our sedentary lifestyles (think about how you spend your time, desk for work, and devices, etc. ).
The new sedentary lifestyles (and health) of people have changed for the worse so much recently that the rates of chronic conditions, weight gain, signs of diabetes, rising rates of cardiovascular disease, or some other critical illness are rising.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO,) adults should engage in 2 hours of moderate-intensity exercise, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, every week, and to strength exercise on two or more days a week. Despite that, most people do not exercise according to the recommendations, thus leading to the worst.
- Understanding the exercise equation
The exercise equation is a fairly foolproof but easy way to process various types of physical activity and get people to balance the three types. The three main components of the exercise equation are cardiovascular/endurance, exercises for strength, and exercises for flexibility. Now let’s look at each component in depth:
- Cardiovascular Exercise:
Cardiovascular exercise, or cardiovascular activity, is defined broadly as anything that raises your heart rate and breathing rate. Cardiovascular exercise is an important factor governing cardiovascular health, calorie expenditure, and sustaining endurance. As for what form of cardiovascular exercise can be done, there are many options to consider: brisk walking, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, etc. As a goal, you should aim for at least 2 hours of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise, or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardiovascular exercise per week. You could do stationary office exercises for 10 minutes, which add up to your weekly goal from your sedentary desk job.
- Strength Training:
Any time you use weights, resistance bands, or your body weight, it is classified as Strength Training. Strength training can do so much for your body than just build muscle; strength training can increase your metabolism, improve your posture and bone density, and more. A key part to strength training is to work all major muscle groups in the body, which are the shoulders, back, chest, legs, and core. You should at minimum assign 2 days a week to strength training. When you include strength training every time that you exercise, you will work different muscles every time. Start with light weights, and then gradually increase your resistance.
- Flexibility Work:
Flexibility exercises are often the neglected exercises, but they are so important in keeping all of your joints moving well and preventing injuries. Flexibility exercises include Pilates, yoga, and stretching. In general, flexibility exercises are great if you are looking for good posture, a stress-relieving time for your muscles, and want to increase your range of motion. You should schedule a minimum of 2 to 3 days each week for flexibility and stretching, either in conjunction with a warm-up or as a refreshing routine.
Discovering the Appropriate Balancing of the Exercise Equation
Having explained the three parts of the exercise equation for our purposes, it is necessary to find the appropriate balance between the three. The correct balance amongst all three will differ for each person depending on their goals, the degree of their fitness, and the time they have. Below are some suggestions that may help you find a suitable balance:
- Listen to Your Body:
Listen to your body. Take a day or two off if you are tired and sore from strength training. If you are itching to do some exercise on your rest days, opt for restorative yoga or stretching.
- The Importance of Consistency:
To properly benefit from exercising, you want to be consistent. Instead of trying to do it all at once, after you have gotten used to a routine, you want to build on it. Start with a small routine, and when you feel comfortable, you can start to increase the time or intensity.
- Set Realistic Goals:
To help with OH my, it feels too heavy, and I don’t want to stop, set realistic and measurable fitness goals. Specific and measurable goals may help you to stay on task. Whether your goals are to run a specific number of km, do several pushups, or touch your toes without pain, having goals may help you stay on track.
Get Some Professional Help:
If you do not feel confident in putting together a well-balanced training program or you have some specific goals for fitness outcomes, reach out to a fitness professional or personal trainer. They can help to develop a program that is specific to you and provide you with most likely ensure you are doing it correctly so that you do not injure yourself.
Conclusion:
To obtain and sustain good health through physical activity, the exercise equation gives a simple model to do just that. Incorporating aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility exercise, you can increase your overall fitness, reduce your risk for chronic disease, and enhance your overall quality of life.
It’s about consistency and adhering to a routine that suits you. Now is the time to get the proper balance in the workout equation for a healthier, happier you.
