Strength Training

Muscles are wonderful things. They hold your body together and help it move. If your muscles are strong, you will feel better and have more energy and better posture. Strength training keeps your muscles toned. It can also build them up (bodybuilding).

To become stronger, your muscles need to work against some kind of resistance. This causes them to contract, and the more they work by contracting, the stronger you get.

Types of strength training include exercises such as push-ups and chin-ups, working out with free weights or exercise bands, and working out with various weight machines.

As with any exercise program, begin a new strength training program slowly, using light resistance (lighter weights or low settings) and fewer repetitions, gradually adding more weight and repetitions. It is easy to hurt yourself by straining and overworking your muscles, so be sure to consult with a strength trainer or instructor to get advice on the best way to start your training and build up your strength.

Flexibility

While strong muscles are important for movement, flexibility allows you to move your muscles and joints through the full range of motion. Being flexible also helps reduce the chance of muscle injury. The best way to get and maintain flexibility is to do some type of stretching exercise. Ideally, stretching should be done before and after other types of exercise.

Stretching can feel great, but as with other physical activity, if you do it incorrectly you can hurt yourself. Follow these simple tips for stretching to get the most benefit and avoid injury. Other activities that can help increase your flexibility include yoga and tai chi.

Endurance - Aerobic Exercise

Endurance refers to how long you can keep performing an activity without tiring. Your heart and lungs must pump oxygen to your muscles, and the more oxygen your muscles get, the longer you can be active without getting tired.

Aerobic training strengthens your heart and lungs, which in turn increases your endurance. Aerobic training is also the best type of activity for burning calories and fat, and can help reduce your risk for diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Good activities for building aerobic fitness include:

• Walking


• Slide and step aerobics


• Water aerobics


• Running or jogging


• Bicycling


• Cross-country skiing


• Swimming

You can also incorporate aerobic activity into your daily activities.