Generally before people start to exercise they think about it for a good while with all sorts of questions popping into their heads. When will you start? How long shall you exercise for? Should you ask a friend? What activity would be the best? What will it be like? Once all of these questions have been answered you will probably stall for a while, but once you jump on that exercise band you won’t want to get off. You are now starting a journey that will change your life for the better in more ways than one. You will now be full of energy, sleep better, you will smile more, slim down, tone up and feel more comfortable in your own skin- these are just the things you will realize from the outside. Your insides will also be dancing for joy, your heart and lungs will become more efficient, your immune system increased, and you will have less of a chance of developing any illness’ such as diabetes, cancer or arthritis. Overall you will most certainly see a change in yourself for the better and the longer you keep up the new exercise regime the longer the benefits will last. But what you are probably more concerned with is what will happen to you as you start to exercise. When you begin to exercise, it doesn’t matter what form of exercise you do, you will immediately feel your heart rate increase. This is so that your body can supply all the oxygen needed to the working muscles. You will also notice your breathing rate increasing- this is also a natural response to exercise, once again allowing your body to take in the oxygen needed. Depending on the activity you choose you may begin to sweat- this is also a natural response. As you exercise your body temperature increases and sweating acts like a cooling effect to help bring your body’s temperature back to normal and avoid over heating. As you begin to exercise, you should not feel any pain, if you do it is a sign that something is not quite right, you may have strained or overworked a muscle. You should immediately slow down what you are doing and if the pain persists then you should stop and consult a doctor. As your body is not used to exercising, you need to gently ease into your new routine and not push yourself to the max straight away. If you push yourself too far or do not ease into an exercise routine after being sedentary, you may injure your joints, tendons or ligaments. You should also not begin to feel light headed- this is a sign that perhaps you need to eat some food or are dehydrated. If you start to feel light headed it is advised that you stop exercising immediately and eat a small snack high in sugar or carbohydrates, such as orange juice or peanut butter and crackers and drink several cups of water to make sure you are properly hydrated. Before you do begin your main routine you must warm up- this is to alleviate muscle stiffness, which is related to injury. The warm up should be an activity that uses the same muscles you will be using during your workout. If you’re going to run, jog slowly for five to ten minutes to rev up your muscles and cardiovascular system, you should then stretch, once again to reduce muscle stiffness. A cool down must also be completed after your exercise this is to also avoid muscle injury, stiffness and soreness. The cool down can be a continuation of your regular activity but at a lower intensity, or often what was done for the warm up is mirrored in the cool down. Once you have begun this fitness journey you will then realize what an impact it will have on your life and wellbeing. Looking after your body is the key to healthy living. If you have any concerns about exercise induced asthma then please contact your doctor. If you have no time to exercise or don’t know where to begin: Beginner: Medicine ball twists x 20, lunge x 15, side lunge x 10, squat x 10, plank x 30 seconds Advanced: Medicine ball twists x 50, lunge x 25, side lunge x 20, squat x 15, plank x 60 seconds • For help go to www.facebook.com/cyanfitness
