Before starting any new exercise programme or regime, it is important to visit your local medical practitioner, especially if you’re substantially overweight, are getting on in years, or have not exercised regularly in a long time. A doctor will perform a few tests, including checking your heart and lung function and will perhaps even perform a fitness test. Once your doctor has given you the OK, then you can strap on your sneakers and get out there an exercise.
Broadly speaking, exercise can be classed into two broad categories – aerobic and anaerobic. Aerobic exercise, or cardio, is things like walking, jogging, cycling, etc. An exercise is classed as aerobic when your heart rate is increased to above 65% of your maximum heart rate – which can be determined, very roughly, by subtracting your age from 220. Anaerobic (which means “without air/oxygen”) exercise is exercise that works your muscles – i.e. working out in the gym, bodybuilding, etc
In order to get the most benefit out of an cardio regime, it is important to regularly exercise aerobically. This can be for as little as 30 minutes, three times a week, although doing something every day, for even 20 minutes, is even better. As mentioned earlier, in order to be of benefit, you need to get your heart rate above 65% of your maximum. Your local college, or university sport department is able to assist you in determining this figure accurately, but in reality there is no real need to know it, unless your a professional sportsman or woman. The sport scientists are also able to measure things like your VO2 max, which is the volume of oxygen that your blood is able to store, and is a good measure of your maximum aerobic capacity.
A regular aerobic programme consists of a minimum of three 30 minute exercise sessions a week, although trying to do something every day, even if for only 20 minutes is even better. A particular exercise has benefit if you increase your heart rate to a minimum of 65-70% of your maximum heart rate. You can determine a rough estimate of this by subtracting your age from 220. So a 33 year old would have a maximum heart rate of 187. Obviously this is not a very accurate measure, but it is a good guideline for a beginner. If you’re interested in determining your actual maximum heart rate, then you’ll need to speak with your local sports scientist who can put you through your paces. However, this should only be undertaken if you are very fit, as the process is very demanding.
Anaerobic exercise is designed to improve the functioning of the body’s high intensity response. An exercise is said to be anaerobic when it is carried out in short, less than 30 seconds, and highly intense efforts. For runners or cyclists, the sprint is an anaerobic exercise, and sprinters train their “fast twitch” muscles so to get a quick response when pushing for the line. Bodybuilders use the anaerobic system to increase the size of their muscles. Note that, despite popular belief, building muscles actually improves the metabolic rate of the body, and so if you increase your muscle size, you will burn more calories every day.
What follows is a list of simple exercises that will train the anaerobic system, when performed intensely enough, but don’t require the facilities of the gym. Perform these 3 times a week to see improvements in your shape.
Crunches – start with five and try to work your way up to twenty. When you can do twenty, add another set. Work your way up to 3 sets. If you like you can hold a weight over your chest to increase the intensity.
Wall squats – lean up against a wall, with your legs out at an angle. Slowly slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel with the floor, then come back up to the starting position, this is one rep. Try to get up to 15 reps for 3 sets, then add weight.
Push ups – if you struggle to do a full push up, then start on your knees. When you can do 10-15 from your knees, try full push ups. Again, complete 3 sets.
Toe raises – Start with your feet flat on the floor, and slowly rise up to stand on tippie toes. Lower back down for one rep. Complete 25 for one set. To increase the intensity, you can either start on a box or raised platform, or add weight, or both.
By completing a few simple exercises, and doing something like going for a walk every day, you can lose weight and feel fitter and look better. There is no excuse to not having an exercise regime!
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/a-simple-exercise-regime-that-anyone-can-follow-1052140.html
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