How to Exercise

Thứ sáu - 26/04/2024 23:11
Exercise is a key part of staying healthy, but figuring out how to get more active can be tough. If you're not used to physical activity, start slow. Go for 10 to 15 minute walks, and work your way up to briskly walking or jogging for 30...
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Exercise is a key part of staying healthy, but figuring out how to get more active can be tough. If you’re not used to physical activity, start slow. Go for 10 to 15 minute walks, and work your way up to briskly walking or jogging for 30 minutes daily. Try adding strengthening exercises 2 or 3 days per week, and consider boosting your flexibility with yoga or Pilates classes. Whenever you work out, always listen to your body’s limits, and ask your doctor for advice if you have a history of any medical issues.

Part 1
Part 1 of 6:

Creating an Exercise Routine

  1. Step 4 Include strength training at least 2 days per week.
    Also known as resistance training, strength training involves using free weights, resistance bands, or your own body weight to strengthen your muscles. If you’re just starting out, try doing upper and lower body workouts 1 day a week each. In time, gradually work your way up to including 3 to 4 strength training days in your weekly routine.[4]
    • A sample intermediate upper body workout could be 2 sets of 30-second planks and 2 sets of 12 reps each for crunches, push-ups, dumbbell biceps curls, and dumbbell shoulder presses.
    • To strengthen your legs, do 2 sets of 12 reps each for squats, glute bridges, calf raises, and lunges.
    • Generally, rest for 30 to 60 seconds between sets. If building muscle power is your goal and you're doing high-intensity weight lifting, resting for 3 minutes can result in greater increases in strength.[5]
    • You can do strength training at home or use resistance machines at a local gym.
    EXPERT TIP
    Laila Ajani

    Laila Ajani

    Fitness Trainer
    Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 10 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).
    Laila Ajani
    Laila Ajani
    Fitness Trainer

    Not only does strength training build your body's muscles, it requires your brain to focus and work hard. What I find fascinating about strength training is that it combines mindfulness with physical activity. To improve your lifts and become better at strength training, you have to focus your attention during your workout.

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Part 2
Part 2 of 6:

Getting Aerobic Exercise

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Part 3
Part 3 of 6:

Learning Strengthening Exercises

  1. Step 3 Work your abdominal...
    Work your abdominal muscles with crunches. Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands across your chest or behind your head, engage your ab muscles, and exhale as you slowly raise your upper torso off of the floor.[15]
    • Lift your torso until your shoulder blades are off of the floor, hold for 1 to 2 seconds, then inhale as you slowly lower yourself back to the ground. Repeat the steps to complete 2 sets of 12 reps.
    • Use slow, controlled motions to avoid injury and make your muscles work harder.
    • If you place your hands behind your head, do not use them to pull up your head and neck. To avoid injury, just rest your fingertips on the back of your head, or cross your hands over your chest.
    EXPERT TIP
    Laila Ajani

    Laila Ajani

    Fitness Trainer
    Laila Ajani is a Fitness Trainer and founder of Push Personal Fitness, a personal training organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. With over 10 years as a trainer and exercise specialist, Laila has expertise in competitive athletics (gymnastics, powerlifting, and tennis), personal training, distance running, and Olympic lifting. Laila is certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA), USA Powerlifting (USAPL), and she is a Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES).
    Laila Ajani
    Laila Ajani
    Fitness Trainer

    As a beginner, you want to improve your strength and endurance. Begin with exercises such as lunges, bench presses, and ab workouts like crunches or planks. Adjust your workout to your fitness level to avoid injury and achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively.

  2. Step 7 Invest in free...
    Invest in free weights or a gym membership. While you can do plenty of strengthening exercises without weights, dumbbells, barbells, and resistance machines can add intensity to your workouts. To avoid injury, start with lighter weights, and avoid trying to push your body beyond its limits.[19]
    • Choose weights that challenge you, but still allow you to maintain proper form. Watch yourself in the mirror, and make sure your reps are smooth, steady, and controlled. If you look out of balance or struggle to make it through a set, choose lighter weights.[20]
    • Try doing 2 sets of 12 biceps curls. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and hold a dumbbell weight in each hand by your sides. Bend your elbows, keeping them close to your side, to lift the dumbbells to your shoulders. Inhale as you lower back to the starting position, and exhale when you exert your biceps.
    • Do shoulder presses by raising the dumbbells by your shoulders with your elbows bent. Exhale as you extend your arms straight above your head, bring the dumbbells back to your shoulders, and repeat to complete 2 sets of 12.
    • Consult a trainer or experienced friend to ensure you use proper form. If you use resistance machines at the gym, have a trainer instruct you on proper use.
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Part 4
Part 4 of 6:

Boosting Your Balance and Flexibility

  1. Step 1 Stretch...
    Stretch after you’ve warmed up your muscles. You should only stretch muscles that have been active and received increased blood flow. Stretching cold, inactive muscles poses an injury risk. Whenever you stretch, hold the pose steadily instead of bouncing in and out of it. Inhale as you move into a stretch, and exhale as you hold the pose.[21]
    • To stretch your hamstrings, sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. Reach toward your toes as far as you can until you feel a stretch in the backs of your legs, then hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds.
    • To stretch your quads, stand and use a chair or wall for support. Bring your right foot toward your rear end, grab your toes with your right hand, and gently pull until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds, then repeat on your left leg.
    • For a simple shoulder stretch, gently pull your right elbow across the front of your body towards the opposite shoulder until you feel a stretch in your right shoulder and back. Hold for 15 to 20 seconds, then repeat on your other arm.
    • Stretch your calves by standing next to a wall, then place your palms flat against it at shoulder height. Keeping your arms straight and feet on the floor, extend your right leg back, and bend your left knee slightly. Press into the wall until you feel a stretch in your right calf, hold the pose for 15 to 20 seconds, then repeat on the other side.
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Part 5
Part 5 of 6:

Fitting Exercise into a Busy Schedule

  1. Step 1 Find small chunks of time to get active throughout the day.
    You don’t have to dedicate hours of your day to exercising. Find ways to fit exercise into small blocks of time when you’d otherwise be sedentary.[25]
    • For instance, do squats while you wait for water to boil or for your coffee to be ready.
    • Squeeze in a minute for planks when you first wake up in the morning.
    • Take 5-minute breaks every hour at work to walk around the office and stretch.
    EXPERT TIP
    Allison Broennimann, PhD

    Allison Broennimann, PhD

    Clinical Psychologist
    Dr. Allison Broennimann is a licensed Clinical Psychologist with a private practice based in the San Francisco Bay Area providing psychotherapy and neuropsychology services. With over a decade of experience, Dr. Broennimann specializes in in-depth psychotherapy to provide solution-focused treatments for anxiety, depression, relationship problems, grief, adjustment problems, traumatic stress, and phase-of-life transitions. And as part of her neuropsychology practice, she integrates depth psychotherapy and cognitive rehabilitation for those recovering after traumatic brain injury. Dr. Broennimann holds a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and an MS and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Palo Alto University. She is licensed by the California Board of Psychology and is a member of the American Psychological Association.
    Allison Broennimann, PhD
    Allison Broennimann, PhD
    Clinical Psychologist

    If you're struggling to find time to work out, remember that exercise can be fun. Even a quick walk counts as exercise! We put tons of pressure on ourselves in this culture to work out hard, but what's most important is to just live an active lifestyle. For example, some people's barrier to exercise is that they don't want to get out of their pajamas. You can exercise in your pajamas if you want! You could dance, do a quick online workout video, or go for a stroll. Try to remove the barriers there are for you to exercise and find little ways to incorporate activity into your routine.

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Part 6
Part 6 of 6:

Exercising Safely

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Should I Stretch Before or After a Workout?


Sample Exercises and Routines

Fun Exercises and Workouts to Try
Beginner Cardio Routine
Beginner Strength Training Routine

Warnings

  • Avoid exercising the same muscle group 2 days in a row and working out when you’re experiencing muscle or joint pain.
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  • If you have any preexisting health conditions, then light physical activities may be safer than moderate and high intensity exercises.
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  • Ask your doctor for advice about exercising if you’re not used to physical activity or have a history of any medical conditions. Consult a doctor or physical therapist if you’ve recently suffered an injury before resuming exercise.
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