Winston Salem Gyms: Flexibility Training Tips

October 30th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms: When it comes to the Big 3 of exercise—cardiovascular, strength, and flexibility training—it’s pretty clear which one can get overlooked. After all, while we prize cardiovascular and strength training for their role in helping us lose weight, build muscle and get fit, the benefits of flexibility training are less immediately alluring.

However, as the population ages, more of us are learning to appreciate the rewards of stretching. Staying limber can offset age-related stiffness, improve athletic performance, and optimize functional movement in daily life. Research shows that flexibility training can develop and maintain range of motion and may help prevent and treat injury. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine has added flexibility training to its general exercise recommendations, advising that stretching exercises for the major muscle groups be performed 2 to 3 days per week.

How can you include an effective flexibility workout in your fitness program? Here are some guidelines:

Think Serious Flexibility Training, Not Just Brief Stretching

Squeezing in one or two quick stretches before or after a workout is better that nothing, but this approach will yield limited results. What’s more, generic stretches may not be effective for your particular body. The more time and attention you give to your flexibility training, the more benefits you’ll experience. A qualified personal trainer, physical therapist, or health professional can design a functional flexibility program specifically for you.

Consider Your Activities

Are you a golfer? Do you ski,run, or play tennis? Do your daily home or work routines include bending, lifting, or sitting for long periods? Functional flexibility improves “the stability and mobility of the whole person in his or her specific environment,” says physical therapist Deborah Ellison. She recommends an individualized stretching program to improve both stability (the ability to maintain ideal body alignment during all activities) and mobility (the ability to use full, normal range of motion).

Pay Special Attention to Tight Areas

Often the shoulder, chest, hamstrings, and hips are particularly tight, but you may hold tension in other areas, depending on your history of injuries and the existing imbalances in your muscle groups. Unless you tailor your flexibility training to your strengths and weaknesses, you may stretch already overstretched muscles and miss areas that need training.

Listen to Your Body

Stretching is an individual thing. Pay attention to your body’s signals and don’t push too far. Avoid ballistic stretching, which uses bouncing or jerking movements to gain momentum; this approach can be dangerous. Instead, slowly stretch your muscles to the endpoint of movement and hold the stretch for about 10 to 30 seconds. Older adults, pregnant women and people with injuries may need to take special precautions.

Get Creative

Varying your flexibility training can help you stick with it. You can use towels, resistance balls, and other accessories to add diversity and effectiveness to your stretching.

Warm Up First!

If you’re stretching on your own, don’t forget to warm up your muscles before you begin. Walking briskly for 10 to 15 minutes is a simple way to do this.

Find a Flexibility Class that Works for You

Classes that include stretching are becoming more popular and more diverse. Some combine cardiovascular and strength components with the flexibility training; others focus exclusively on stretching.

Stretch Yourself—Mind and Body

Did you know that your emotional state may affect your flexibility? If your body is relaxed, says Ellison, it will be more responsive to flexibility training. Listening to music and focusing on your breath can help you relax as you stretch. You also may want to explore yoga or exercise inspired by the work of Joseph Pilates. In addition to stretching, classes in these disciplines may include relaxation, visualization and other mind-body techniques designed to reduce stress and increase mindfulness.

It’s Not Just for Wimps

Forget the idea that stretching is just for elderly, injured, or unconditioned people. Many Olympic and professional athletes rely on flexibility training for peak performance.

Do It Consistently

It doesn’t help to stretch for a few weeks and then forget about it. Integrate regular stretching into your permanent fitness program. For inspiration, look to cats and dogs—they’re dedicated practitioners of regular stretching!

Winston Salem Gyms Information Source: © Simple Fitness Solutions

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Winston Salem Gyms: Health Benefits of Physical Activity v.2

October 30th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms: Studies clearly demonstrate that participating in regular physical activity provides many health benefits. These benefits are summarized in the accompanying table. Many conditions affected by physical activity occur with increasing age, such as heart disease and cancer. Reducing risk of these conditions may require years of participation in regular physical activity. However, other benefits, such as increased cardiorespiratory fitness, increased muscular strength, and decreased depressive symptoms and blood pressure, require only a few weeks or months of participation in physical activity.

Health Benefits Associated With Regular Physical Activity

The health benefits of physical activity are seen in children and adolescents, young and middle-aged adults, older adults, women and men, people of different races and ethnicities, and people with disabilities and chronic conditions. The health benefits of physical activity are generally independent of body weight. Adults of all sizes and shapes gain health and fitness benefits by being habitually physically active. The benefits of physical activity also outweigh the risk of injury and sudden heart attacks, two concerns that prevent many people from becoming physically active.

The following sections provide more detail on what is known from research studies about the specific health benefits of physical activity and how much physical activity is needed to get the health benefits.

Premature Death

Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity reduces the risk of premature death (dying earlier than the average age of death for a specific population group) from the leading causes of death, such as heart disease and some cancers, as well as from other causes of death. This effect is remarkable in two ways:

• First, only a few lifestyle choices have as large an effect on mortality as physical activity. It has been estimated that people who are physically active for approximately 7 hours a week have a 40 percent lower risk of dying early than those who are active for less than 30 minutes a week.
• Second, it is not necessary to do high amounts of activity or vigorous-intensity activity to reduce the risk of premature death. Studies show substantially lower risk when people do 150 minutes of at least moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity a week.

Research clearly demonstrates the importance of avoiding inactivity. Even low amounts of physical activity reduce the risk of dying prematurely. As the figure on page 11 shows, the most dramatic difference in risk is seen between those who are inactive (30 minutes a week) and those with low levels of activity (90 minutes or 1 hour and 30 minutes a week). The relative risk of dying prematurely continues to be lower with higher levels of reported moderate- or vigorous-intensity leisure-time physical activity.

All adults can gain this health benefit of physical activity. Age, race, and ethnicity do not matter. Men and women younger than 65 years as well as older adults have lower rates of early death when they are physically active than when they are inactive. Physically active people of all body weights (normal weight, overweight, obese) also have lower rates of early death than do inactive people.

The Risk of Dying Prematurely Declines as People Become Physically Active

Minutes per Week of Moderate- or Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity

The Risk of Dying Prematurely Declines as People Become Physically Active—Data Points

Cardiorespiratory Health

The benefits of physical activity on cardiorespiratory health are some of the most extensively documented of all the health benefits. Cardiorespiratory health involves the health of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

Heart diseases and stroke are two of the leading causes of death in the United States. Risk factors that increase the likelihood of cardiovascular diseases include smoking, high blood pressure (called hypertension), type 2 diabetes, and high levels of certain blood lipids (such as low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol). Low cardiorespiratory fitness also is a risk factor for heart disease.

People who do moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity have a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease than do inactive people. Regularly active adults have lower rates of heart disease and stroke, and have lower blood pressure, better blood lipid profiles, and fitness. Significant reductions in risk of cardiovascular disease occur at activity levels equivalent to 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Even greater benefits are seen with 200 minutes (3 hours and 20 minutes) a week. The evidence is strong that greater amounts of physical activity result in even further reductions in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Everyone can gain the cardiovascular health benefits of physical activity. The amount of physical activity that provides favorable cardiorespiratory health and fitness outcomes is similar for adults of various ages, including older people, as well as for adults of various races and ethnicities. Aerobic exercise also improves cardiorespiratory fitness in individuals with some disabilities, including people who have lost the use of one or both legs and those with multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury, and cognitive disabilities.

Moderate-intensity physical activity is safe for generally healthy women during pregnancy. It increases cardiorespiratory fitness without increasing the risk of early pregnancy loss, preterm delivery, or low birth weight. Physical activity during the postpartum period also improves cardiorespiratory fitness.

Metabolic Health

Regular physical activity strongly reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as the metabolic syndrome. The metabolic syndrome is defined as a condition in which people have some combination of high blood pressure, a large waistline (abdominal obesity), an adverse blood lipid profile (low levels of high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, raised triglycerides), and impaired glucose tolerance.

People who regularly engage in at least moderate intensity aerobic activity have a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than do inactive people. Although some experts debate the usefulness of defining the metabolic syndrome, good evidence exists that physical activity reduces the risk of having this condition, as defined in various ways. Lower rates of these conditions are seen with 120 to 150 minutes (2 hours to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of at least moderate-intensity aerobic activity. As with cardiovascular health, additional levels of physical activity seem to lower risk even further. In addition, physical activity helps control blood glucose levels in persons who already have type 2 diabetes.

Physical activity also improves metabolic health in youth. Studies find this effect when young people participate in at least 3 days of vigorous aerobic activity a week. More physical activity is associated with improved metabolic health, but research has yet to determine the exact amount of improvement.

Obesity and Energy Balance

Overweight and obesity occur when fewer calories are expended, including calories burned through physical activity, than are taken in through food and beverages. Physical activity and caloric intake both must be considered when trying to control body weight. Because of this role in energy balance, physical activity is a critical factor in determining whether a person can maintain a healthy body weight, lose excess body weight, or maintain successful weight loss. People vary a great deal in how much physical activity they need to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Some need more physical activity than others to maintain a healthy body weight, to lose weight, or to keep weight off once it has been lost.

Strong scientific evidence shows that physical activity helps people maintain a stable weight over time. However, the optimal amount of physical activity needed to maintain weight is unclear. People vary greatly in how much physical activity results in weight stability. Many people need more than the equivalent of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to maintain their weight.

Over short periods of time, such as a year, research shows that it is possible to achieve weight stability by doing the equivalent of 150 to 300 minutes (5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity walking at about a 4 mile-an-hour pace. Muscle-strengthening activities may help promote weight maintenance, although not to the same degree as aerobic activity.

People who want to lose a substantial (more than 5 percent of body weight) amount of weight and people who are trying to keep a significant amount of weight off once it has been lost need a high amount of physical activity unless they also reduce their caloric intake. Many people need to do more than 300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week to meet weight–control goals.

Regular physical activity also helps control the percentage of body fat in children and adolescents. Exercise training studies with overweight and obese youth have shown that they can reduce their body fatness by participating in physical activity that is at least moderate intensity on 3 to 5 days a week, for 30 to 60 minutes each time.

Musculoskeletal Health

Bones, muscles, and joints support the body and help it move. Healthy bones, joints, and muscles are critical to the ability to do daily activities without physical limitations.

Preserving bone, joint, and muscle health is essential with increasing age. Studies show that the frequent decline in bone density that happens during aging can be slowed with regular physical activity. These effects are seen in people who participate in aerobic, muscle–strengthening, and bone-strengthening physical activity programs of moderate or vigorous intensity. The range of total physical activity for these benefits varies widely. Important changes seem to begin at 90 minutes a week and continue up to 300 minutes a week.

Hip fracture is a serious health condition that can have life-changing negative effects for many older people. Physically active people, especially women, appear to have a lower risk of hip fracture than do inactive people. Research studies on physical activity to prevent hip fracture show that participating in 120 to 300 minutes a week of physical activity that is of at least moderate intensity is associated with a reduced risk. It is unclear, however, whether activity also lowers risk of fractures of the spine or other important areas of the skeleton.

Building strong, healthy bones is also important for children and adolescents. Along with having a healthy diet that includes adequate calcium and vitamin D, physical activity is critical for bone development in children and adolescents. Bone-strengthening physical activity done 3 or more days a week increases bone-mineral content and bone density in youth.

Regular physical activity also helps people with arthritis or other rheumatic conditions affecting the joints. Participation in 130 to 150 minutes (2 hours and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity, low-impact physical activity improves pain management, function, and quality of life. Researchers don’t yet know whether participation in physical activity, particularly at low to moderate intensity, reduces the risk of osteoarthritis. Very high levels of physical activity, however, may have extra risks. People who participate in very high levels of physical activity, such as elite or professional athletes, have a higher risk of hip and knee osteoarthritis, mostly due to the risk of injury involved in competing in some sports.

Progressive muscle-strengthening activities increase or preserve muscle mass, strength, and power. Higher amounts (through greater frequency or higher weights) improve muscle function to a greater degree. Improvements occur in younger and older adults. Resistance exercises also improve muscular strength in persons with such conditions as stroke, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, and cognitive disability. Though it doesn’t increase muscle mass in the same way that muscle-strengthening activities do, aerobic activity may also help slow the loss of muscle with aging.

Functional Ability and Fall Prevention

Functional ability is the capacity of a person to perform tasks or behaviors that enable him or her to carry out everyday activities, such as climbing stairs or walking on a sidewalk. Functional ability is key to a person’s ability to fulfill basic life roles, such as personal care, grocery shopping, or playing with the grandchildren. Loss of functional ability is referred to as functional limitation.

Middle-aged and older adults who are physically active have lower risk of functional limitations than do inactive adults. It appears that greater physical activity levels can further reduce risk of functional limitations.

Older adults who already have functional limitations also benefit from regular physical activity. Typically, studies of physical activity in adults with functional limitations tested a combination of aerobic and muscle strengthening activities, making it difficult to assess the relative importance of each type of activity. However, both types of activity appear to provide benefit.

In older adults at risk of falls, strong evidence shows that regular physical activity is safe and reduces this risk. Reduction in falls is seen for participants in programs that include balance and moderate-intensity muscle-strengthening activities for 90 minutes a week plus moderate-intensity walking for about an hour a week. It’s not known whether different combinations of type, amount, or frequency of activity can reduce falls to a greater degree. Tai chi exercises also may help prevent falls.

Cancer

Physically active people have a significantly lower risk of colon cancer than do inactive people, and physically active women have a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Research shows that a wide range of moderate-intensity physical activity—between 210 and 420 minutes a week (3 hours and 30 minutes to 7 hours)—is needed to significantly reduce the risk of colon and breast cancer; currently, 150 minutes a week does not appear to provide a major benefit. It also appears that greater amounts of physical activity lower risks of these cancers even further, although exactly how much lower is not clear.

Although not definitive, some research suggests that the risk of endometrial cancer in women and lung cancers in men and women also may be lower among those who are regularly active compared to those who are inactive.

Finally, cancer survivors have a better quality of life and improved physical fitness if they are physically active, compared to survivors who are inactive.

Mental Health

Physically active adults have lower risk of depression and cognitive decline (declines with aging in thinking, learning, and judgment skills). Physical activity also may improve the quality of sleep. Whether physical activity reduces distress or anxiety is currently unclear.

Mental health benefits have been found in people who do aerobic or a combination of aerobic and muscle– strengthening activities 3 to 5 days a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. Some research has shown that even lower levels of physical activity also may provide some benefits.

Regular physical activity appears to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression for children and adolescents. Whether physical activity improves self-esteem is not clear.

Adverse Events

Some people hesitate to become active or increase their level of physical activity because they fear getting injured or having a heart attack. Studies of generally healthy people clearly show that moderate-intensity physical activity, such as brisk walking, has a low risk of such adverse events.

The risk of musculoskeletal injury increases with the total amount of physical activity. For example, a person who regularly runs 40 miles a week has a higher risk of injury than a person who runs 10 miles each week. However, people who are physically active may have fewer injuries from other causes, such as motor vehicle collisions or work-related injuries. Depending on the type and amount of activity that physically active people do, their overall injury rate may be lower than the overall injury rate for inactive people.

Participation in contact or collision sports, such as soccer or football, has a higher risk of injury than participation in non-contact physical activity, such as swimming or walking. However, when performing the same activity, people who are less fit are more likely to be injured than people who are fitter.

Cardiac events, such as a heart attack or sudden death during physical activity, are rare. However, the risk of such cardiac events does increase when a person suddenly becomes much more active than usual. The greatest risk occurs when an adult who is usually inactive engages in vigorous-intensity activity (such as shoveling snow). People who are regularly physically active have the lowest risk of cardiac events both while being active and overall.

The bottom line is that the health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks of adverse events for almost everyone.

Winston Salem Gyms Information Source: Health.gov

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Winston Salem Gyms: Be Active Your Way

October 29th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Finding out what kind and how much physical activity you need

How do I do it?

It’s your choice. Pick an activity that’s easy to fit into your life. Do at least 10 minutes of physical activity at a time. Choose aerobic activities that work for you. These make your heart beat faster and can make your heart, lungs, and blood vessels stronger and more fit. Also do strengthening activities which make your muscles do more work than usual.

Why should I be physically active?

Physical activity can make you feel stronger and more alive. It is a fun way to be with your family or friends. It also helps you improve your health.

How many times a week should I be physically active?

It is up to you, but it is better to spread your activity throughout the week and to be active at least 3 days a week.

How do I build up more physical activity?

Do a little more each time. Once you feel comfortable, do it more often. Then, you can trade activities at a moderate level for vigorous ones that take more effort. You can do moderate and vigorous activities in the same week.

How much physical activity do I need to do?

This chart tells you about the activities that are important for you to do. Do both aerobic activities and strengthening activities. Each offers important health benefits. And remember, some physical activity is better than none!

How can I tell an activity at a moderate level from a vigorous one?

Vigorous activities take more effort than moderate ones. Here are just a few moderate and vigorous aerobic physical activities. Do these for 10 minutes or more at a time.

For more information, visit www.healthfinder.gov and type activity in the search box.

Tags: It’s your choice. Pick an activity that’s easy to fit into your life. Do at least 10 minutes of physical activity at a time. Choose aerobic activities that work for you.

Winston Salem Gyms: Health Benefits of Physical Activity

October 28th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms: Health Benefits of Physical Activity—A Review of the Strength of the Scientific Evidence

Adults and Older Adults

Strong Evidence

• Lower risk of:
  • Early death
  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Adverse blood lipid profile
  • Metabolic syndrome
  • Colon and breast cancers
• Prevention of weight gain
• Weight loss when combined with diet
• Improved cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness
• Prevention of falls
• Reduced depression
• Better cognitive function (older adults)

Moderate to Strong Evidence

• Better functional health (older adults)
• Reduced abdominal obesity

Moderate Evidence

• Weight maintenance after weight loss
• Lower risk of hip fracture
• Increased bone density
• Improved sleep quality
• Lower risk of lung and endometrial cancers

Children and Adolescents

Strong Evidence

• Improved cardiorespiratory endurance and muscular fitness
• Favorable body composition
• Improved bone health
• Improved cardiovascular and metabolic health biomarkers

Moderate Evidence

• Reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression

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Winston Salem Gyms: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans

October 26th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms – The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans At-A-Glance: A Fact Sheet for Professionals is designed as a quick desk-side reference to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

These Guidelines are needed because of the importance of physical activity to the health of Americans, whose current inactivity puts them at unnecessary risk. The latest information shows that inactivity among American children, adolescents, and adults remains relatively high, and little progress has been made in increasing levels of physical activity among Americans.

Key Guidelines

Substantial health benefits are gained by doing physical activity according to the Guidelines presented below for different groups.

Children and Adolescents (aged 6–17)

• Children and adolescents should do 1 hour (60 minutes) or more of physical activity every day.
• Most of the 1 hour or more a day should be either moderate- or vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity.
• As part of their daily physical activity, children and adolescents should do vigorous-intensity activity on at least 3 days per week. They also should do muscle-strengthening and bone-strengthening activity on at least 3 days per week.

Adults (aged 18–64)

• Adults should do 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of moderate-intensity, or 1 hour and 15 minutes (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes, preferably spread throughout the week.
• Additional health benefits are provided by increasing to 5 hours (300 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, or 2 hours and 30 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity physical activity, or an equivalent combination of both.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.

Older Adults (aged 65 and older)

• Older adults should follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible due to limiting chronic conditions, older adults should be as physically active as their abilities allow. They should avoid inactivity. Older adults should do exercises that maintain or improve balance if they are at risk of falling.

For all individuals, some activity is better than none. Physical activity is safe for almost everyone, and the health benefits of physical activity far outweigh the risks. People without diagnosed chronic conditions (such as diabetes, heart disease, or osteoarthritis) and who do not have symptoms (e.g., chest pain or pressure, dizziness, or joint pain) do not need to consult with a health care provider about physical activity.

Adults With Disabilities

Follow the adult guidelines. If this is not possible, these persons should be as physically active as their abilities allow. They should avoid inactivity.

Children and Adolescents With Disabilities

Work with the child’s health care provider to identify the types and amounts of physical activity appropriate for them. When possible, these children should meet the guidelines for children and adolescents—or as much activity as their condition allows. Children and adolescents should avoid being inactive.

Pregnant and Postpartum Women

Healthy women who are not already doing vigorous-intensity physical activity should get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity aerobic activity a week. Preferably, this activity should be spread throughout the week. Women who regularly engage in vigorous-intensity aerobic activity or high amounts of activity can continue their activity provided that their condition remains unchanged and they talk to their health care provider about their activity level throughout their pregnancy.

Source: Health.gov

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Winston Salem Gyms: Physical Activity Has Many Health Benefits

October 25th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms – All Americans should be regularly physically active to improve overall health and fitness and to prevent many adverse health outcomes. The benefits of physical activity occur in generally healthy people, in people at risk of developing chronic diseases, and in people with current chronic conditions or disabilities. This chapter gives an overview of research findings on physical activity and health. The box below provides a summary of these benefits.

Physical activity affects many health conditions, and the specific amounts and types of activity that benefit each condition vary. In developing public health guidelines, the challenge is to integrate scientific information across all health benefits and identify a critical range of physical activity that appears to have an effect across the health benefits. One consistent finding from research studies is that once the health benefits from physical activity begin to accrue, additional amounts of activity provide additional benefits.

Although some health benefits seem to begin with as little as 60 minutes (1 hour) a week, research shows that a total amount of 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, such as brisk walking, consistently reduces the risk of many chronic diseases and other adverse health outcomes.

Examining the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Health

In many studies covering a wide range of issues, researchers have focused on exercise, as well as on the more broadly defined concept of physical activity. Exercise is a form of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive, and performed with the goal of improving health or fitness. So, although all exercise is physical activity, not all physical activity is exercise.

Studies have examined the role of physical activity in many groups—men and women, children, teens, adults, older adults, people with disabilities, and women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. These studies have focused on the role that physical activity plays in many health outcomes, including:

• Premature (early) death;
• Diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression;
• Risk factors for disease, such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol;
• Physical fitness, such as aerobic capacity, and muscle strength and endurance
• Functional capacity (the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living);
• Mental health, such as depression and cognitive function; and
• Injuries or sudden heart attacks.

These studies have also prompted questions as to what type and how much physical activity is needed for various health benefi ts. To answer this question, investigators have studied three main kinds of physical activity: aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and bonestrengthening. Investigators have also studied balance and fl exibility activities. These latter two activities are addressed in Chapters 4, 5, and 6.

Aerobic Activity

In this kind of physical activity (also called an endurance activity or cardio activity), the body’s large muscles move in a rhythmic manner for a sustained period of time. Brisk walking, running, bicycling, jumping rope, and swimming are all examples.

Aerobic activity causes a person’s heart to beat faster than usual.

Aerobic physical activity has three components:

• Intensity, or how hard a person works to do the activity. The intensities most often examined are moderate intensity (equivalent in effort to brisk walking) and vigorous intensity (equivalent in effort to running or jogging);
• Frequency, or how often a person does aerobic activity; and
• Duration, or how long a person does an activity in any one session.

Although these components make up a physical activity profile, research has shown that the total amount of physical activity (minutes of moderate–intensity physical activity, for example) is more important for achieving health benefits than is any one component (frequency, intensity, or duration).

Muscle-Strengthening Activity

This kind of activity, which includes resistance training and lifting weights, causes the body’s muscles to work or hold against an applied force or weight. These activities often involve relatively heavy objects, such as weights, which are lifted multiple times to train various muscle groups. Muscle-strengthening activity can also be done by using elastic bands or body weight for resistance (climbing a tree or doing push-ups, for example).

Muscle-strengthening activity also has three components:

• Intensity, or how much weight or force is used relative to how much a person is able to lift;
• Frequency, or how often a person does muscle strengthening activity; and
• Repetitions, or how many times a person lifts a weight (analogous to duration for aerobic activity). The effects of muscle-strengthening activity are limited to the muscles doing the work. It’s important to work all the major muscle groups of the body: the legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms.

Bone-Strengthening Activity

This kind of activity (sometimes called weight-bearing or weight-loading activity) produces a force on the bones that promotes bone growth and strength. This force is commonly produced by impact with the ground. Examples of bone-strengthening activity include jumping jacks, running, brisk walking, and weight-lifting exercises. As these examples illustrate, bone-strengthening activities can also be aerobic and muscle strengthening.

Winston Salem Gyms Information Source: Health.gov

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Winston Salem Gyms: Exercise and Injury Prevention

October 24th, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms – Whether you are a highly-skilled and highly-paid professional athlete or a three-times-a-week walker, chances are that sometime during your regular (and very necessary) exercise routine you will have to deal with an injury.

Oftentimes the injury is not from an established exercise regimen, but a new or unfamiliar activity:  maybe a long hike in the mountains, a 10K charity run, or learning to water ski.  Injuries also occur from overuse or not cross-training enough, which can lead to muscle imbalances.  Regardless of the origin of the injury, you will need to take steps to adapt your workout to prevent further injury and promote healing.

The best way to prevent injury is to maintain total body fitness.   Total body fitness is best achieved through a well-balanced fitness program utilizing various types of exercises and activities that keep the body strong and flexible through a functional range of motion.  In other words, cross-training.  Basically, this means that just one activity alone, like walking, is not enough to achieve total body fitness.

When the body is repetitively put through the same few motions over and over again without cross-training, we end up with some muscles that are strong and some that are weak.  Some muscles become flexible and some become tight.  This is called a muscle imbalance.    For example, a runner who does not cross-train and stretch will end up with strong, tight quadriceps and hip flexors and weak hamstrings and gluts.  This could lead to a strain or rupture of the hamstring muscle.  So, add variety to your workout program.  Try at least two or three different activities.  Consult with a qualified certified personal trainer for the best results.

Another strategy to reduce your risk of injury is to prevent over-training.   While you may associate over-training with elite marathon athletes, it may occur at any level when any move is done too often.  This could be because you do not cross-train enough, you do not cross-train properly or you simply exercise too much.  For example, if your workouts always consist of biking 45 minutes 5 days per week and walking on the treadmill 2 days per week, you run the risk of an over-training injury.

These two activities are very similar and use the same muscle groups.  Be sure to choose exercises that are utilizing your body in many planes of motion.  For example, if biking is your preferred exercise you should try a total body weight training program once a week and yoga or Pilates another day in addition to your biking schedule.  These activities will use many different muscle groups providing a good base of total body strength, flexibility and endurance that will decrease your risk of an overuse injury.

Improper cross-training and over-training are the leading causes of injuries.  Next in line is improper body mechanics.  You have heard the phrase, “if you can’t do it right then don’t do it at all.”  This is very true for exercise.  If you have improper form when performing an exercise, not only will you get less fitness gains from the exercise, but you also increase your chance of getting injured.  The best way to ensure that you are maintaining good form through all of your exercises is to consult with a certified personal trainer.

And finally, ensure that your equipment is well maintained and up-to-date.  Replace walking and running shoes two to four times per year, do not use machines without proper instruction and do not use equipment that is rusty or makes funny noises.

If an injury does occur, the first line of action is to prevent further damage.  Stop the activity immediately, and use the RICE treatment:

Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

• Rest means simply stop the activity that caused the injury to prevent further damage and allow healing.
• Ice will stop swelling as it constricts injured blood vessels and limits the bleeding in the injured area.
• Compression further limits swelling and supports the injured area.
• Elevation uses gravity to reduce swelling in the injured area by reducing blood flow.

It is important to begin RICE as soon after an injury as possible.  Use a sheet or towel to protect skin and apply ice immediately.  Next wrap an elastic bandage around the ice and injured areas.  Don’t wrap this so tightly that you cut off the blood supply, but it should be snug.  Leave ice on the injury for about fifteen minutes every three hours or so during the day.  Once the swelling decreases, you can begin gentle range of motion exercises for the affected joint.   Never apply heat to an acute injury.  Heat will increase circulation and increase swelling.

The most common sports injuries are abrasion (a result of a fall that causes outer layers of skin to rub off), blisters (fluid-filled sacks on the surface of the skin), delayed onset of muscle soreness (muscle pain or stiffness that occur 24-48 hours after unaccustomed or particularly intense exercise) and minor sprains.  These are usually self-healing injuries and generally do not require a trip to see your physician.

So when should you call a doctor?  Use your common sense—you know your own body best of all.  But here is a list of injuries that may be serious enough to warrant a visit to a medical office.

• If you have a chronic medical condition that may interfere with your body’s ability to heal (such as diabetes, immune deficiency, etc.)
• You have any injury to a joint that produces significant swelling.  If left untreated, joint injuries can become permanent.
• If you have severe pain, or if pain lasts for more than two weeks.
• Pain radiated to another part of the body.
• You experience “point tenderness.”  That is, you can cause pain by pressing on a specific area, but pain is not produced at the same point on the other side of the body.
• You cannot move the injured part, or you have a very limited range of motion.
• Your body injury doesn’t heal in three weeks.
• An infection with pus, red streaks, a fever or swollen lymph nodes.

Healing time can be longer if you return to an activity too soon.  Never begin to exercise the injured part when you have the pain at rest.  Start with simple range of motion exercises.  If you feel pain, stop and rest.  Over time you can return to your activity at low intensity, and gradually build up to your previous level.  Be sure to follow the instructions of your physician as you return to activity.

Remember, you have one body.  Treat it with respect… fuel it with good food, exercise, rest and most importantly listen to what your body is telling you.  It’s usually right!

Winston Salem Gyms Information Source: Rosemary Miller – Exercise Physiologist and Certified Personal Trainer and Owner of Just Workout

Tags: exercise, exercise and injury, exercise and injury prevention, gyms, gyms exercise, injury prevention, winston salem, winston salem gyms

Winston Salem Gyms: Quick Relaxation Tips

October 23rd, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

These can be done anywhere, anytime. Practice them until they come automatically.

• Get comfortable.
• Remain passive – whatever thoughts come into your mind are okay. Do not work at it -just let it happen.
• Take note of the sounds around you and let them pass.
• Focus inward on your breathing as a natural, easy process.

Whole Body Tension

• Tense everything in your whole body, stay with the tension, and hold it as long as you can without feeling pain.
• Slowly release the tension and visualize it leaving your body.
• Repeat this three times.

Pick a Spot

• With your head level and your body relaxed, pick a spot to focus on (eyes open) When ready, count 5 breaths backward. With each breath out allow your eyes to close gradually.
• When you get to 1 your eyes will be closed. Focus on your body. Feel it relaxing more and more.

Shoulder Rotation

• Rotate your shoulders back, down and around, first one way, then another.
• Do one shoulder then the other.
• Now do both at the same time.

Cat S-T-R-E-T-C-H

• Stand – feet slightly apart.
• Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms overhead.
• Slowly exhale as you lean forward, bringing arms and head down.
• Do slowly and gently 5 times.

Tags: gyms, relaxation tips, winston salem, winston salem gyms

Winston Salem Gyms: Body Image

October 22nd, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Mental Health Tips, Strength Training. No Comments

Winston Salem Gyms - Body image is the visual and mental perception of your body. Body image disorders occur when the body is seen negatively and this negative image becomes a preoccupation that interferes with everyday activities. These negative thoughts about your appearance can have a detrimental affect on you eating and exercise behaviors.

Both men and women are affected by body image disorders. Society portrays men and women’s figures that are difficult to obtain. Many men and women strive everyday to reach goals that are either unattainable or unhealthy. Most beauty magazines are filled with pictures of tall, lean women while the average American woman is 5’5”, 144 lbs, and wears a size 12-14.

Changing your perception takes a great deal of time and effort – but it can be accomplished.

What you can do NOW to improve your body image!

Change your perception and negative self talk.

Body image is based on perception and perception can be changed.  Once a perception is   changed, it becomes reality.  For example:  a woman with large thighs can think of them as large and unattractive or can change her belief to thighs that take her where she wants to go and help her get through her day.  A mole can be thought of as unattractive or interesting and adding character.

Read magazines that show men and women of all shapes and sizes

The media is full of advertisements, actresses, magazines, and fashion models who portray that “thin is in”.  Most of the models you see today weight 23% less than the average woman.  Many women who try to achieve this look will become unhealthy due to excessive dieting and exercise. Read magazines such as Mode and Radiance who portray women of all shapes and sizes as being beautiful.

Surround yourself with people of all shapes and sizes.

Surrounding yourself with people who accept you for who you are and not what they would like you to be will help you accept yourself.  These people recognize that are differences are to be embraced and it makes each of us unique. Also asses your prejudices against people of all shapes and sizes. Do you have an aversion to thin, overweight, or fit people?

We all come from different backgrounds, environments, and are all genetically different.  Until you have walked in someone else’s shoes it is not fair to judge them.  Educate yourself so you can dispel myths such as “ large people have no willpower” or “skinny people are fit and healthy” .

Throw away clothes that no longer fit you.

Holding onto clothes that do not fit you can only remind you that you do not look the same as you once did.  This causes you stress and can affect your body image negatively.  Do yourself a favor and give the clothes that no longer fit you to someone that can use them.  If you can afford to, buy yourself new clothes that fit you and you feel comfortable in now!

Stop weighing yourself

Your weight may fluctuate 5 or more pounds within a single day or from one day to the next. This weight fluctuation can be caused by water retention, different clothing, weighing at different times of the day etc… It is very difficult to gain or lose even one pound of fat throughout the course of a day.  Gaining and losing fat are slow processes that add up over time.  Therefore weighing yourself after a large meal or exercise, with a different scale, or more than once a day is not a good indicator of fat gain or loss.

Do not try to keep your weight in the guidelines set by the height and weight charts. These charts were developed by insurance companies and are not good indicators of health.  The scale and height and weight charts do not take into account body composition components such as muscle and fat.  If you exercise, eat nutritiously, and are healthy on the inside (cholesterol, blood pressure etc…) then trying to abide by the guidelines set in these charts may do you more harm then good. Have things such as your body fat, cholesterol, and blood pressure checked regularly for a good indicator of your state of health.

Find exercise that you can enjoy and exercise for non-weight related reasons

Most people begin an exercise program and stop within a month because they don’t see immediate results, or don’t enjoy the exercise they have chosen.  Contrary to popular belief, exercise does not have to be tortuous to be effective.  Write down all of the physical activities you enjoy or things you would like to try.  Then gradually incorporate these activities into your life.  Incorporate exercise slowly and into your daily routine such as walking your dog, taking the stairs, parking far away, and walking to anything within reason.

Sit down with a qualified health specialist, fitness trainer, or dietitian to discuss reasonable, attainable fitness and weight goals.

Since everyone is genetically programmed to be different by structure, height, weight, body composition, and metabolism, it is safe to say that not everyone’s goal should be the same.  The set point theory states that everyone has a weight and body composition that their body prefers.  When you do something to offset your natural setpoint such as dieting or overeating, your metabolism will adapt by lowering or raising to compensate.

Because of this, not every woman or man who is 5’5” should weight the same to be healthy.  For example: some 5’5” women will naturally (meaning without dieting or excessive exercise) be 125 lbs , while others may be 145 lbs.  The 145 lb woman should not necessarily have the same weight goals as the 125 lb woman.  The 145 lb woman may have to undernourish and overexercise herself to obtain this low of a weight– which is not healthy for her body.

We all have differences in genetics that will affect our goals. If you recognize and accept these genetic differences early on, it may prevent you from unneeded frustration, feelings of failure, and most importantly health problems.

Don’t rely on weight loss as a “Cure All”

We’ve all see the before and after pictures.  The “after” pictures look much better not because of the weight loss but because the person dyed/cut their hair, has on make-up, and has purchased a more flattering outfit.  Don’t rely on weight loss to make you feel better about yourself.  If this is your attitude then you may have a long time to wait before you boost your self esteem.

Do things that make you feel beautiful in other ways.  Weight loss through a healthy diet and exercise is a long process.  It may take you months or even years before you reach your goal. If you do not reach your goal right away you may stop your program and feel even worse.  Learn to love and accept yourself for who you are, no matter what your weight, shape, or size.

Tags: body image, gyms, mental health, winston salem, winston salem gyms

Winston Salem Gyms: How to Manage the Effects of Stress

October 21st, 2008 by Winston Salem, under Aerobic Conditioning, Exercise Tips, Fitness Tips, Health Tips, Strength Training, winston salem gyms. No Comments

What is stress?

Stress is our body’s physiological response to a stimulus or stressor, whether it is desirable (eustress) or undesirable (distress).  We need a certain amount of stress to be productive.  However, too much stress over a prolonged period of time can lead to a variety of illness including but not limited to: cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disorders, tension headaches and other musculoskeletal disorders, respiratory distress and other immune system complications.

How does stress affect my body?

Once our body perceives a stressor, whether it is eustress or distress, it begins to undergo a “fight or flight” response. This response includes increases in heart rate, circulating fats, adrenaline, stress hormones, and perspiration. Our ancestors developed this response for times of extreme stress such as when confronting a saber-toothed tiger.

Physiological changes occurred in their bodies which allowed them to stay and fight or run for cover.  Unfortunately the same response still occurs in modern day stressful situations.  Today our “saber toothed tigers” include rush hour traffic, deadlines, tests etc.

Once the stress is over, our body works to maintain homeostasis.  With long term stress the body goes through this process over and over again and is taxed beyond what it can handle.  If this occurs, exhaustion can set in leading to physical and mental illness.

What can I do to decrease my overall stress level

Stop it at its source – your perception

One very important step in reducing stress is to stop it at the source – your perception. Many times our everyday stresses are made into ”saber-toothed tigers”, which will  elicit a stress response. Stop to think about what has been triggering your daily stresses and think about how you react to it.  If you change your perception of the situation, you will change how your body reacts to it.

Try to look at the situation from a more positive angle. For example, if you get mad when someone cuts you off in traffic, try to think about the situation positively.  You could change your mindset to a less hostile one.  You may think to yourself “everyone makes mistakes and they probably didn’t see me until it was too late.”  This simple act of redirecting your thoughts and perceptions can stop the stress response at its source.

Remove yourself from stressful situations

List out situations in your day to day life that you consider stressful.  Now write down ways you can avoid or limit these situations or interactions. Although some situations can not be avoided, others can.  For example: if you know you get stressed during the morning rush hour traffic, plan to leave earlier and spend the extra time relaxing before you begin work or school.

Manage your time

The majority of people experience stress because they do not have enough time to complete all of their daily projects.  You can work out a time schedule to include how you have been spending your time and then develop a more effective way to manage it.  You may find you have more time to relax, exercise, or spend time with your family – all which are effective ways to manage stress! You can also prioritize your tasks and schedule in breaks.

Take personal time to relax everyday

Personal time does not necessarily mean  you have to spend time alone, it simply means taking time to do things you enjoy.  Personal time can be in the form of watching TV, spending time with your family, exercising, reading, talking to a friend etc… Taking time to relax will give you the energy you need to tackle the more difficult challenges you face throughout your day.

Learn to say “no”

Sometimes we feel as if we have to honor every request that is made of us when in fact we do not have the energy or time. Realize your limits and honor them. Practice saying “no” is small ways at first.  You can learn to turn down offers from telemarketers, salespersons etc…  You can then adapt this to family and friends who demand your time.

Limit caffeine consumption and nicotine

This is a good idea when you are feeling on the edge.  Both of these substances are stimulants and may increase your sensitivity to stress and can make you irritable.

Exercise

Exercise is a great way to minimize the physiological effects of stress.  Find exercises you enjoy and schedule them into your day. By scheduling exercise you will not increase your stress level by trying to find time to exercise.

Tags: gyms, stress management, stress tips, winston salem, winston salem gyms