EZ Fitness Guide » health http://ezfitnessguide.com Thu, 07 Jul 2011 01:48:36 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 The Essentials of Fitness http://ezfitnessguide.com/the-essentials-of-fitness/ http://ezfitnessguide.com/the-essentials-of-fitness/#comments Sun, 06 Jun 2010 02:39:15 +0000 admin http://ezfitnessguide.com/?p=91 Most of us want to be fit, right? Activity promoting fitness can prevent disease, make disease we suffer from more manageable, give us more energy, and raise our self-esteem. But what are the essentials of fitness, and how do we get there? Some may think fitness is synonymous with health. Others may think it means being thin, or good looking. And some may think it is being free of disease. Unfortunately fitness is something that has been twisted and turned into something different than it is. We go through the check-out line at the store and see these skinny, sexy movie stars and for most of us, that is our image of fitness. But being fit is a life style, not just an image. The essentials of fitness training include three components, which are muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility.
Muscle strength and endurance is vitally important in living a fit life, and is attained through resistance exercises like weight lifting and through many cardiovascular exercises. The idea of being muscular is usually something guys want for themselves, but that most women steer away from. Most of us think of big, strong, ripped guys when we think of muscle strength. Again, I believe this is mostly because of how the media has twisted the real definition of fitness, so just try to eliminate all preconceived notions about being strong and muscular. Muscle strength is something that is essential to your body working properly everyday. We get out of bed in the morning, walk up and down stairs, push our kids on the swing, and bend over to pick up the keys we just dropped. We can do all of these actions because of our muscles. And the stronger the muscles, the easier it is for the body to perform simple daily tasks as well as more arduous activities. The weaker the muscles the harder those activities become and the more likely you are to injure your body.

Now, when I talk about muscle strength I’m not implying that you have to be ripped and look like Arnold or someone like that. Aside from looking more muscular there are so many more important benefits that come along with strength training – a decreased risk of osteoporosis, an increased metabolic rate, an increase in lean body tissue and a decrease in fatty tissue, an increase in spinal, hip, and shoulder support, and an increase in self-esteem. Weight resistant exercises like weight lifting put stress on your joints and bones. But that’s a good thing, because your bones will respond to that stress by reforming, remodeling, and becoming stronger and denser. This is especially important for women because of their increased risk of osteoporosis. Stronger core muscles like your abdominals, obliques, and lower back muscles will help stabilize your spine, decreasing your chance of throwing out your back or having disc herniations. And if you already have back pain, strengthening those muscles will help relieve some of that pain. With regards to self esteem, I believe people are happier, more optimistic, and more excited when they are doing strength training. There is something empowering about putting your body through the stress of lifting and watching your body transform and become stronger.

Having a healthy and strong heart is the next component of fitness, cardiovascular endurance. Our heart is an incredible muscle, and like all other muscles, it gets stronger by working it out. And exercise can be considered cardiovascular if it gets the heart rate up for a prolonged period of time. Ideally, I recommend 30-45 of sustained exercise at an elevated heart rate of 75% your maximum heart rate. Your maximum heart rate is easy to calculate. Take 220 and subtract your age. That’s it. If you can exercise four or five days a week for 30-45 minutes at 75% your maximum heart rate, than you’re in good shape to have a very strong and healthy heart. This aspect of fitness is in my opinion the most important because of how much it can prevent and manage disease. Heart disease is the cause of 40% of all deaths in the U.S. each year, and cardiovascular exercise (running, biking, swimming, aerobics, Pilates, yoga, etc.) plays a major role in its prevention and management. Also, diabetic patients can greatly benefit from working out, which is one of the first things a diabetic’s doctor is going to recommend. Conditioning your heart is not only the most important aspect of fitness, but one of the best things you can do for your overall health.

The last component of the essentials of fitness and the one most overlooked in diet and exercise programs is flexibility. In contrast to muscular strength, most men overlook this and avoid it, and most women seek after and do exercises that promote flexibility. It is one of the best things you can do to prevent injury. The more flexible you are, the wider range of motion your joints and body can function within, and that will prevent injury. Exercises like yoga, Pilates, and stretching can enhance your flexibility. A myth about this is that once you’ve reached a certain age you can’t improve your flexibility. I think that just an excuse for those who don’t want to try to improve. I assure you it can be improved if you work at it.

Remember, fitness is more than just an image. I have met people that would probably never be on the cover of a magazine, but that could kick any one of those magazine models butts. They were strong, flexible, and could exercise for what seemed an eternity. They were truly fit. When looking to start a diet or an exercise program, make sure your program includes the essentials of fitness training- muscle strength and endurance, cardiovascular endurance, and flexibility. This will help you sift through all that diet and exercise garbage out there; if they leave one of these things out, then move on – there are better things out there.

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