Keep Moving - The Types and Benefits of Exercise

The benefits of exercise - stretching, endurance, flexibility, balance

Listening to a recent webinar with Dr Dugald Seely, N.D, M.Sc and integrative medicine doctor sparked my interest and broadened my understanding of the importance of exercising, but varying the type of exercise to build all round fitness.  Dr Seely, has been actively pursuing the growth and development of integrative medicine and pioneered an innovative model of cancer care and research through the creation of the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre, operating since in 2011. He reminded me of the importance of exercise in overall fitness and as part of treating a patient for cancer. In this blog I am going to focus on movement and exercise and the importance of a varied regime to build all round fitness and support wellbeing.

What is meant by all round fitness? Let’s take an example, a football player who plays league football, I think we would all agree that he or she is fit as having to be able to run up and down the pitch for 90 minutes using skill to move the ball in the direction you want it to go requires stamina. I think you would also agree that a ballet dancer is fit, as he or she has to perform on stage, contorting their bodies into incredible positions! Are the two the same level of fitness or are they just different types of fitness?

Fitness by definition according to the Cambridge dictionary means the “Condition of being physically strong and healthy.” Do both the footballer and ballet dancer meet this definition? This really comes down to what they are doing, the level of exertion they are able to apply, and what is meant by healthy. Are they sleeping well, eating a well-balanced diet of wholesome foods that feed both mind and body so that they have adequate energy to perform. Are they hydrated, free from pain and able to lead a normal and full life without the support of medications of one kind or another?

Of course, most of us are not top athletes or performers where the demand on the body is enormous to perform at a level that meets both personal and team expectations. As individuals, movement and exercise is one of the foundation pillars to all round health and wellbeing together with hydration, good sleep, a well-balanced diet and a positive attitude to not only life in general, but also to oneself. All round fitness throughout life will protect flexibility, bone and muscle, resilience and cardio health as well as balance. But as humans we tend to limit ourselves to one or two kinds of exercise or to a single form which we enjoy doing. Don’t get me wrong this is giving good benefit to your health, but the wider variety of exercise that we practice on a regular basis, the more balanced and all round our level of fitness. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of exercise and movement that bring benefits.

Aerobic Exercise

Aerobic exercise generally speeds up the heart and breathing rate which is important for many body functions, especially the heart and lungs. Aerobic exercise helps to relax blood vessel walls and lower blood pressure, over time reducing the risk of heart disease or a stroke. Aerobic exercises increase endurance by increasing blood to the muscles, helping them work more efficiently and in turn helping to burn body fat which aids weight loss when combined with dietary changes. The two together help lower or manage levels of LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Exercise is commonly understood to boost mood and aid with management of depression by altering mood and reducing stress, tension and fatigue.

Moderate intensity aerobic exercise should increase your heart and breathing rate, such that you can talk but not sing. Common examples are brisk walking, incline walking on a treadmill, jogging, cycling and swimming. Vigorous exercise makes talking hard. Aim for 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity, such as swimming, dancing, jogging, cycling, brisk walking and any kind of aerobics class such as Zumba, cyling and HIIT.

Strength Training

As part of the aging process we lose muscle mass and strength training can help build this back or stop the loss in the first place. Regular strength training helps with many day -to-day tasks such as gardening, carrying the groceries (a good reason to go to the supermarket rather than order online for home delivery), lifting young children and other objects around the house. Strength training also helps with the things we do without thinking, getting up from a chair, going upstairs and taking out the rubbish on collection day.

One of the main benefits of strength training is that it stimulates bone growth, aids in weight control, builds core muscles to support the lower back and joints as well as improving posture and balance.

To do strength training it is not necessary to go to a gym to lift weights, you can simply use your own body weight to do exercises such as squats, lunges and push ups or work with a resistance band to strengthen legs and arms. Leg circling while lying on the floor will help develop the stability of the lumbar spine and pelvis  while improving motion of the hip joint and strengthening the anterior leg muscles. If unsteady on your feet, you can still do strength training sitting down using a kitchen ingredient to lift, adding weight or a resistance band.

Stretching Exercise

Maintaining flexibility improves how the body ages. Naturally as we age we lose flexibility in the muscles and tendons as muscles shorten losing functionality, increasing the risk of muscle cramps and pain. Over time this leads to a tendency to be unstable, increasing the risk of falling, hampering easy tasks such as bending down to weed or to pick something up, tie shoe laces or put socks on.

Taking time to stretch muscles on a routine basis helps in slowing the muscle shortening down and keeping them more flexible, reducing the risk of injury while helping to maintain range of movement and reduce any pain. Yoga is an ideal practice to keep muscles subtle and flexible. Aim to stretch at least 3-4 times per week being slow and deliberate in reaching and holding the stretch for 30-60 seconds each time. A session does not need to be long, 15-20 minutes is good practice. Start by warming the muscles first with simple dynamic movement such as marching on the spot, circling your arms and gently rotating your hips clockwise and then anticlockwise for 3 turns each way. This can also be done with the whole body. Follow with slower, static stretches, holding for 30-40 seconds before returning to the start position. Stretching different parts of the body including hamstrings, torso and spine psoas and chest and abdominal stretch as well as upper torso and shoulder stretch. “Greeting the Sun,” a yoga routine with 12 poses is a beautiful series of movements that stretch all parts of the body and when co-ordinated with breathing helps hold the stretch while filling muscles with oxygen, regulating the nervous system, helping remove surplus fat and build keep the body fit. Doing this outside in the early morning sun makes it even more appealing waking the body and mind to greet a new day.

Balance Exercise

Improving balance is especially important as we get older making you feel steadier and helping prevent falls. The systems that help maintain balance include vision, the inner ear, feet, leg and joint muscles.  

Balance exercises can be fit into your day at different moments when you are waiting for something, for example the kettle to boil, the bus or train to come or on waking early. Typical balance exercises include standing on one foot, walking heel to toe with eyes open or closed and various Tai Chi or Yoga exercises. The more you practice the more stable you become.

Including all types of exercise into your weekly routine will help in keeping muscles and tendons healthy as you age, maintaining resilience, energy levels and joint flexibility, resulting in the quality of life that you wish for into your senior years and old age. The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology recommends “2.5 hours a week of moderate to vigorous intensity aerobic activity and muscle strengthening exercises twice per week.”

Remember the phrase “If you don’t use it, you lose it.”  There is no better time than now to start enjoying exercise and gaining the many benefits from some dedicated time for yourself as well as by slotting this into your regular routines of taking children to school, shopping, travelling to work, during lunch and coffee breaks and during days off.

 

 

Reference:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/the-4-most-important-types-of-exercise

The Pilates Back Book, Tia Stanmore

Yoga 28 day Exercise Plan, Richard Hittleman

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