Exercise 101: Back to Basics

How much exercise do I need? What kind? How often? What's safe after an illness or injury?

Have you ever decided to start exercising more, and then found yourself spiraling down an internet rabbit hole trying to figure out exactly what to do? Or maybe you tried your best friend's favorite fitness class, and had your plans come to a screeching halt because you hated it, or it made your **fill in applicable body part** hurt? You're not alone. All of the exercise options out there can be overwhelming, but lucky for you I'm here to help you sort through them.

Fortunately, our exercise needs are pretty simple if we look past all the trends and gimmicks. We need three types of exercise throughout our lives to promote health and prevent disease, and a fourth one becomes important after we pass 55 years of age. Read on to learn a little about each one, so you can build a simple weekly plan for yourself that covers them all.

Should I exercise?

This depends on the current state of your health. While exercise has MANY benefits, it is a physical challenge to the body, and in the case of certain medical conditions it should be avoided or performed only in a medically supervised setting. Check out this screening form to help you figure out if it's safe to begin an exercise program, or if you should consult your doctor first.

The recommendations that follow are for adults who have completed a pre-exercise screening without any areas of concern and/or who have been cleared by a physician to begin exercising.

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What kinds of exercise should I do?

There are three main types of exercise- aerobic, strength training, and flexibility- that together support the health of our organs, bones, muscles, and joints. They also help us maintain a healthy body weight. Each one has different benefits for the body, so it's important to include some of each into your routine.

With increasing age, you should also include exercises that train your balance, to help prevent injuries associated with falling.

If you're training for a specific sport or competition, you'll need to add things like agility, coordination, reaction time, and speed. These will vary based on your sport and aren't needed to maintain general health or movement abilities.

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Getting Started

Complete your pre-exercise screening form, and see your doctor if the screening form recommends it. No concerns? Then it's time to get moving!

It's important to start slowly, so if you're not currently exercising, don't try to meet all the recommendations this week! Choose one type of exercise and work it into your weekly schedule.

Looking for some personalized guidance to get going? Need advice about exercising with an injury or medical condition? Book your free online video consultation with me to get your questions answered!

Spotlight: Aerobic Exercise

For many people, starting with some basic aerobic exercise is a great plan, like taking a walk or using one of the cardio machines at the gym. If you're wondering how to decide if your cardio counts as moderate or vigorous, try the TALK TEST. When you're doing moderate exercise, you should be able to say one sentence aloud before you need to take a breath. If you can say more than this you're probably in the light zone (good for your warm-up or cool-down), and if you can only get out a few words you're probably doing vigorous exercise. Tally your weekly minutes accordingly, but also remember even light exercise is better than none at all. Listen to your body closely in the early weeks-- if you go too hard too soon, you're less likely to stick with it and more likely to get injured.

References

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans <-- great info here for everyone!

American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 10th Edition <-- movement professionals, check out the latest guidelines here!

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My goal is to help my readers build a well-rounded exercise program that is safe and enjoyable, to keep you moving through all the seasons of life.

In upcoming posts I'll talk more about flexibility and strength training, provide tips for adding them into your routine, and even show you how to sequence your exercises in a way that builds a cardio bonus into any strength training routine.

Subscribe now so you don't miss out!

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This blog and the posts contained within it are not intended as medical or professional advice. The information is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to serve as medical or physical therapy advice to any individual.  Any exercise has potential to cause injury or pain if it is incorrectly done or is not the right exercise for an individual’s medical or physical condition. You should consult with a physical therapist or medical provider for individualized advice.