We all have heard that regular exercise is key to living a healthier, longer life, but the type, duration, frequency and intensity of what that exercise should be, is a little different for everyone. Beginners should understand that getting a physician's clearance before starting an exercise program is a good practice. Another rule of thumb for beginner exercisers is to understand that muscles learn patterning first and then build strength. So for the first six weeks of starting a new exercise program, realize two things:
Multiple sets of the same exercise will not get you necessarily that much stronger than doing just one set.
The biggest changes that occur for the body
during this initial phase is muscle and nerve pathway memory which is good reason to keep progressions and adding resistance slow.
A complete exercise program takes into consideration the heart, muscles, and joints. This corresponds directly to three parts of your workout: cardiovascular, strength-resistance training and flexibility training. Missing one part of the picture may result in over training, injury or less than desirable results. Basic recommendations according the American Heart Association and the the American College of Medicine is recommended as follows for healthy adults under age 65
Do moderately intense cardio 30 minutes a day, five days a week
Or
Do vigorously intense cardio 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week
AND
Do eight to 10 strength-training exercises, eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise twice a week.
Moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.
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