Exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness.[1] Not to be confused with mental activity under Category:Exercises. Show
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These caregivers are setting a great example for their children by engaging in physical exercise. Adopting a regular physical exercise habit is one of the most important ways to maintain fitness and good health. From higher self-esteem to a healthier heart, physical exercise can positively affect virtually all
aspects of health, including physical, mental, and emotional health. What Is Physical Exercise?Physical exercise is any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellness. We generally think of physical exercise as activities that are undertaken for the main purpose of improving physical fitness and health. However, physical activities that are undertaken for other purposes may also count as physical exercise. Scrubbing a floor, raking a lawn, or playing active games with young children or a dog are all activities that can have fitness and health benefits, even though they generally are not done mainly for this purpose. How much physical exercise should people get? In the United States, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Surgeon General have recommended that every adult participates in moderate exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. This might include walking, swimming, and/or household or yard work. Types of Physical ExercisePhysical exercise can be classified into three types, depending on the effects it has on the body: aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise, and flexibility exercise. Many specific physical exercise examples (including playing soccer and rock climbing) can be classified as more than one type. Aerobic ExerciseAerobic exercise is any physical activity in which muscles are used below their maximum contraction strength, but for long periods of time. Aerobic exercise uses a relatively high percentage of slow-twitch muscle fibers that consume a large amount of oxygen. The main goal of aerobic exercise is to increase cardiovascular endurance, although it can have many other benefits, including muscle toning. Examples of aerobic exercise include cycling, swimming, brisk walking, jumping rope, rowing, hiking, and tennis. Anaerobic ExerciseAnaerobic exercise is any physical activity in which muscles are used close to their maximum contraction strength but for relatively short periods of time. Anaerobic exercise uses a relatively high percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers that consume a small amount of oxygen. The goals of anaerobic exercise include building and strengthening muscles and improving bone strength, balance, and coordination. Examples of anaerobic exercise include push-ups, lunges, sprinting, interval training, resistance training, and weight training (such as biceps curls with a dumbbell, as pictured Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\)). Figure \(\PageIndex{2}\): Pitting the biceps muscle in the upper arm against a heavyweight helps build and strengthen this muscle.Flexibility ExerciseFlexibility exercise is any physical activity that stretches and lengthens muscles. The goals of flexibility exercise include increasing joint flexibility, keeping muscles limber, and improving the range of motion, all of which can reduce the risk of injury. Examples of flexibility exercises include stretching, yoga, and tai chi. Health Benefits of Physical ExerciseFigure \(\PageIndex{3}\): The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recommends that adults aged 18 to 64 engage in regular aerobic physical activity for 2.5 hours at moderate intensity (1.25 hours at vigorous intensity) each week. Moderate activities are those during which a person could talk but not sing. Vigorous activities are those during which a person could say only a few words without stopping to breathe. When people exercise at 50 percent of the HHS guidelines, they gain an average of 1.5 years of life. Exercising at 100 percent of the HHS guidelines results in a gain of almost four years of life. The gain in life expectancy starts to level off at about 300 percent of the HHS guidelines.Many studies have shown that physical exercise is positively correlated with a diversity of health benefits. Some of these benefits include maintaining physical fitness, losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight, regulating digestive health, building and maintaining healthy bone density, increasing muscle strength, improving joint mobility, strengthening the immune system, boosting cognitive ability, and promoting psychological well-being. Some studies have also found a significant positive correlation between exercise and quality of life and life expectancy. People who participate in moderate to high levels of physical activity have been shown to have lower mortality rates than people of the same ages who are not physically active. The years of life gained with different amounts of physical activity are shown in the graph in Figure \(\PageIndex{3}\). The underlying physiological mechanisms explaining why exercise has these positive health benefits are not completely understood. However, developing research suggests that many of the benefits of exercise may come about because of skeletal muscles' role as endocrine organs. Contracting muscles release hormones called myokines, which promote tissue repair and the growth of new tissue. Myokines also have anti-inflammatory effects, which, in turn, reduce the risk of developing inflammatory diseases. Exercise also reduces cortisol levels, the adrenal cortex stress hormone that may cause many health problems — both physical and mental — at sustained high levels. Cardiovascular Benefits of Physical ExerciseThe beneficial effects of exercise on the cardiovascular system are well documented. Physical inactivity has been identified as a risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease. There is also a direct correlation between physical inactivity and cardiovascular disease mortality. Physical exercise, in contrast, has been demonstrated to reduce several risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including hypertension (high blood pressure), “bad” cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins), high total cholesterol, and excess body weight. Physical exercise has also been shown to increase “good” cholesterol (high-density lipoproteins), insulin sensitivity, the mechanical efficiency of the heart, and exercise tolerance, which can perform physical activity without undue stress and fatigue. Cognitive Benefits of Physical ExercisePhysical exercise has been shown to help protect people from developing neurodegenerative disorders, such as dementia. A 30-year study of almost 2,400 men found that those who exercised regularly had a 59 percent reduction in dementia when compared with those who did not exercise. Similarly, a review of cognitive enrichment therapies for the elderly found that physical activity — in particular, aerobic exercise — can enhance the cognitive function of older adults. Anecdotal evidence suggests that frequent exercise may even help reverse alcohol-induced brain damage. There are several possible reasons why exercise is so beneficial for the brain. Physical exercise:
Mental Health Benefits of Physical ExerciseNumerous studies suggest that regular aerobic exercise works as well as pharmaceutical antidepressants in treating mild-to-moderate depression. A possible reason for this effect is that exercise increases the biosynthesis of at least three neurochemicals that may act as euphoriants. The euphoric effect of exercise is well known. Distance runners may refer to it as “runner’s high,” and people who participate in the crew (Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\)) may refer to it as “rower’s high.” Because of these effects, health care providers often promote aerobic exercise as a treatment for depression. Figure \(\PageIndex{4}\): This crew team is competing for the U.S. Army in the lightweight division of the world championships in 2003. They are clearly exerting themselves — and no doubt increasing their euphoriant neurochemicals in the process.Additional mental health benefits of physical exercise include reducing stress, improving body image, and promoting positive self-esteem. Conversely, there is evidence to suggest that being sedentary is associated with an increased risk of anxiety. Sleep Benefits of Physical ExerciseA recent review of published scientific research suggests that exercise generally improves sleep for most people and helps sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Exercise is the most recommended alternative to sleeping pills for people with insomnia. For sleep benefits, the optimum time to exercise is four to eight hours before bedtime, although exercise at any time of day seems to be beneficial. The only possible exception is a heavy exercise undertaken shortly before bedtime, which may actually interfere with sleep. Other Benefits of Physical ExerciseSome studies suggest that physical activity may benefit the immune system. For example, moderate excise is associated with a decreased incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. Evidence from many studies has found a correlation between physical exercise and reduced death rates from cancer, specifically breast cancer and colon cancer. Physical exercise has also been shown to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity. Variation in Responses to Physical ExerciseNot everyone benefits equally from physical exercise. When participating in aerobic exercise, most people will have a moderate increase in their endurance, but some will double their endurance. On the other hand, some people will show little or no increase in endurance from aerobic exercise. Genetic differences in slow-twitch and fast-twitch skeletal muscle fibers may play a role in these different results. People with more slow-twitch fibers may develop greater endurance because these muscle fibers have more capillaries, mitochondria, and myoglobin than fast-twitch fibers. As a result, slow-twitch fibers can carry more oxygen and sustain aerobic activity for a longer period of time than fast-twitch fibers. Studies show that endurance athletes (like the marathoner in Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\)) generally tend to have a higher proportion of slow-twitch fibers than other people. Figure \(\PageIndex{5}\): This winning marathoner is likely to have a relatively high proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers that increase his endurance.There is also great variation in individual responses to muscle building as a result of anaerobic exercise. Some people have a much greater capacity to increase muscle size and strength, whereas other people never develop large muscles, no matter how much they exercise them. People who have more fast-twitch than slow-twitch muscle fibers may develop bigger, stronger muscles because fast-twitch muscle fibers contribute more to muscle strength and have greater potential to increase in mass. Evidence suggests that athletes who excel at power activities (such as throwing and jumping) tend to have a higher proportion of fast-twitch fibers than endurance athletes. Can You “Overdose” on Physical Exercise?Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\): New military recruits may suffer muscle damage from overexertion of unconditioned muscles. The drill instructor pictured here (in an orange shirt) is doing his best to encourage these marine recruits to expend their maximum effort.Is it possible to exercise too much? Can too much exercise be harmful? Evidence suggests that some adverse effects may occur if exercise is extremely intense and the body is not given proper rest between exercise sessions. Athletes who train for multiple marathons have been shown to develop scarring of the heart and heart rhythm abnormalities. Doing too much exercise without prior conditioning also increases the risk of injuries to muscles and joints. Damage to muscles due to overexertion is often seen in new military recruits (Figure \(\PageIndex{6}\)). Too much exercise in females may cause amenorrhea, which is a cessation of menstrual periods. When this occurs, it generally indicates that a woman is pushing her body too hard. Many people develop delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which is pain or discomfort in muscles felt one to three days after exercising and generally subsides two or three days later. DOMS was once thought to be caused by the buildup of lactic acid in the muscles. Lactic acid is a product of anaerobic respiration in muscle tissues. However, lactic acid disperses fairly rapidly, so it is unlikely to explain pain experienced several days after exercise. The current theory is that DOMS is caused by tiny tears in muscle fibers, which occur when muscles are used at too high a level of intensity. Feature: My Human BodyMost people know that exercise is important for good health, and it’s easy to find endless advice about exercise programs and fitness plans. What is not so easy to find is the motivation to start exercising and stick with it. This is the main reason why so many people fail to get regular exercise. Practical concerns like a busy schedule and bad weather can certainly make exercising more of a challenge, but the biggest barriers to adopting a regular exercise routine are mental. If you want to exercise but find yourself making excuses or getting discouraged and giving up, here are some tips that may help you get started and stay moving:
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Explore MoreWatch this fascinating TED talk to learn why some people find it more difficult to exercise than others and what they can do to make it easier for them to adopt an exercise routine. Attributions
How does physical fitness help your overall health and wellness?Being physically active can improve your brain health, help manage weight, reduce the risk of disease, strengthen bones and muscles, and improve your ability to do everyday activities. Adults who sit less and do any amount of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity gain some health benefits.
What is physical exercise activity sport and physical fitness?Physical activity refers to any movement produced by skeletal muscle which uses energy whereas physical fitness is measurable state such as strength or endurance. Exercise is planned physical activity with the goal of improving physical fitness and health.
What physical components are related to your overall health and wellness?The five health-related components of physical fitness are cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.
What organization defined physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure?In 1995 the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Statement inserted “health benefits” into the definition of physical activity: “bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure' and produces healthy benefits” (National Institutes of Health, 1995, p.
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