Why Exercise?

Exercise of any kind makes you feel better and helps you relax.  Any exercise we choose to do should also be a real pleasure.

In addition, regular and adequate exercise is protective against coronary heart disease.  

This is a powerful message of hope and a call for action by us all.  Age is no bar to doing suitable regular exercise: physical disability of any kind of severity is no reason for avoiding regular exercise within our capacity to do it.

Most do not need a medical examination before starting an exercise programme: if any unexpected symptoms arise during exercise them medical advice should be sought.

What is Exercise?

It is muscular activity.  This may be "active" or "passive".  Active exercise is wanted which gets oxygen into our lungs.  This is then passed into the blood circulation and reaches all our organs, like the heart, brain, kidneys and muscles.  Technically it is aerobic exercise and is always beneficial. 

When we are unfit the exercise may make us short of breath and raise the pulse (heart) rate.  As fitness improves these effects should not be noticed.  The aim of good exercise is to bring us on to this platform of fitness and by regular, enjoyable exercise to remain there.

What Exercise Should I Do?

The aim is to achieve a minimum of three vigorous units every week.

WALKING

SWIMMING

CYCLING

AT HOME

Is the simplest because everyone does it to some extent. 

Brisk walking so as to cover three miles in one hour is one vigorous unit: or walk for 20 minutes and cover one mile which gives us one third of a unit.

Pools are readily available an can be used at times convenient to ourselves. Six lengths of a standard 30 metre pool is one vigorous unit of exercise. 

It does not really matter what stroke one uses or how fast we do it – just move through 180 metres of water.

There is no need to dive in or get your hair wet.

Is a marvelous way of getting about, movements of the body are smooth and regular. One hour on a pedal cycle or 20 minutes continuous pedaling on an exercise machine are qualifying units.

Some like to take exercise in the privacy of the home.

Much benefit can be obtained from this but they miss out on the social involvement. 

The exercises suggested do not qualify as vigorous units but they increase suppleness, stamina and the strength of different muscle groups. Several valuable programmes are available almost all based on periods of 15 minutes, four times a week. 

Breathing is important and it is soon discovered how the speed and rhythm of each exercise fits into the normal breathing rate.

Bowls, dancing, stairs, gardening and jogging are all valuable aerobic exercises.

Games of golf, tennis, badminton, squash and table tennis are all qualifying vigorous exercises. These are all competitive, as we do not want to give our opponents an easy time. If we are used to these competitive exercises then fine but we must always be prepared to stop when we feel we have done enough.