NOTE: This is a paper I wrote back in 2014. There is a lot of research showing the benefits of exercise. However, one can over due do it especially those whose hormones are out of balance. These individuals would benefit most from burst training and here are a couple of links to a few burst training videos: burst training for beginners, full body 12 minute burst training workout. Exercise along with proper nutrition can prevent chronic illnesses and disease.
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When
it comes to an individual participating in a regular exercise program the
benefits become numerous. A person who
regularly works out will notice an improvement in not only the way he or she
feels physically, but how they feel mentally as well. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic
(2011) exercise can help “relieve anxiety and depression by reducing immune
system chemicals within ones body, increasing ones body temperature, and by
releasing neurotransmitters and endorphins which are brain chemicals that when
released cause one to feel good” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2011, para.4). According to a 1999 study, a group of men and women
were divided into three controlled study groups. One group was involved in a regular aerobic exercise
program, one group took Zoloft, and the third group did both. The results found that after 16 weeks all
three groups showed that their depression had decreased and over 50 percent
could no longer be classified as having severe depression (Harvard Health
Publications, n.d.). This goes to show
that exercise in response to depression is a great substitute for medication.
Physiological Responses Caused by a Regular Exercise Program
When it comes to a person
engaging in a regular exercise program a CDC report stated that “the body’s
physiologic responses are engaged during aerobic and resistance exercise.
These physiological responses
affect the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and immune
systems” (Center for Disease Control, n.d. Chap.3, para.3). The physiological responses are used to help
the body adapt to a regular exercise program.
Another physiological responses that often
occur from regular exercise is that it tends to “improve ones mood and more
importantly it increases the persons desire to continue in his or her given
choice of exercise program” (Bryan,
Hutchison, Seals, & Allen, 2007, abstract).
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Warming Up and Cooling Down Before
and After Exercise.
Warming
up before starting an exercise routine is very important because it gives the
body a chance to wake up and to prepare itself for the workout. Warm up exercises are used to slowly warm up
and stretch the muscles while slowly elevating his or her heart rate. These exercises often include stretching and
flexibility exercises. The dangers of
not warming up before beginning an exercise is “if the heart rate is elevated suddenly then the bodies
circulation is unable to adjust quickly enough to meet the oxygen and nutrient
demands which the heart muscle needs” (McGraw-Hill Create, 2013, p.94, a). While warming up tend to be an important part
of any exercise program, cooling down is also considered very important. Cooling down should consist of at least five
minutes of lower intensity with another five minutes of stretching. The reason for the low intensity cool down is
to “prevent the blood from collecting and sitting in the muscles that have just
been worked out. Low intensity cool down
also helps in getting rid of the lactic acid that accumulates in the muscles
during a workout” (McGraw-Hill Create, 2013, p.94, b). Cooling down the muscles through stretching
allows for one to get a deeper stretch in because the muscles are already
warmed up.
Importance of
Including Flexibility Within an Exercise Program.
The older a person gets the less
flexible he/she remains, but rather the muscles within the body become tight
and stiff; often do to inactivity. Tight
and stiff muscles can open one up to pain and make a person more susceptible to
tears and other muscle injuries. Including a flexibility program within ones
exercise program allows one to be able to protect themselves from such injuries
and pain while improving his or her flexibility. A flexibility program can “increases a
persons range of motion, improve posture, relieve stress, provide relief from
sore or cramped muscles, prevent or lesson the frequency of injury”
(McGraw-Hill Create, 2013, p.158). According to an article found on
fitness.com explained that
stretching increases the temperature of the tissues within the
human body, which in turn increases the delivery process of the nutrients and
overall circulation. Stretching also increases the range of motion and reduces
the detrition of the joints within the body and helps relax the muscles. Stretching not only helps a person’s body to
feel better physically but it also relaxes a persons mind” through breathing:
stretching usually requires slow and deep breaths (New Vitality Editorial Team,
n.d., para.5).
The Benefits of Resistance Training.
Resistance training increases muscle
while decreasing the bodies fat. This in
turn leads to a longer life span.
Resistance/strength training causes the “heart rate and blood pressure
to lower during the training. Resistance
training leads to better posture, less stress on the lower back as well as
stronger on more stable joints” (McGraw-Hill Create, 2013, p.118). Resistance training along with aerobic
exercise has shown to help decrease the risk and less the affects of those who
are already suffering from type II diabetes (Madden, 2013).
The Health Consequences of a
Sedentary Lifestyle.
According to the news, health
articles, and doctors a sedentary lifestyle can lead to obesity, lack of
energy, depression, anger, type II diabetes, heart complications, low muscular
strength, weakened joints, shorter life span, poor posture, lower back pain and
certain cancers. According to Woman’s
Health article “inactivity can damage a persons mind, sleep cycle, and organs”
(Middleton, 2012, par.1).
Conclusion
It is not whether or not one should
be involved with a regular exercise program because we all know we should. The fact of the matter is that a person needs
to find what will work for them and stick to it. However, it is very important to make sure
that he/she incorporates into their exercise program a warm-up, cool-down,
flexibility, and strength training period. The benefits of a regular exercise program
when boiled down is a better, healthier, and possible a longer life.
Reference
Bryan,
A., Hutchison, K. E., Seals, D. R., & Allen, D. L. (2007). A
transdisciplinary model integrating genetic, physiological, and psychological
correlates of voluntary exercise. Health Psychology, 26(1),
30-39. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.26.1.30. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?vid=2&sid=05171336-5a20-49d7-8b18-91809965a253%40sessionmgr114&hid=109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=pdh&AN=2006-23340-005
Center for Disease Control, (n.d). Physiologic
responses and long-term adaptations to exercise. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/sgr/pdf/chap3.pdf
Harvard Health Publications, Harvard
Medical School, (n.d.). Exercise and depression. Retrieved from http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/Exercise-and-Depression-report-excerpt.htm
Madden,
K. M. (2013). Evidence for the benefit of exercise therapy in patients with
type 2 diabetes. Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome & Obesity: Targets &
Therapy, 6233. doi:10.2147/DMSO.S32951. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/detail?vid=10&sid=dfe8989f-f463-46bc-8c7d-78eb00b2de2d%40sessionmgr198&hid=4105&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmU%3d#db=edb&AN=89521485
Mayo Clinic Staff, (2011). Depression and anxiety:
Exercise eases symptoms, Disease and conditions. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495
McGraw-Hill Create, (2013) a,b. HCS 323.
Retrieved from VitalBook file.
Middleton, T. (2012). The risks of an
sedentary lifestyle: Stand up for your lifestyle, Women’s Health. Retrieved from http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/standing-desk
New Vitality Editorial
Team, (n.d.). The importance of flexibility, Fitness.Com The Global Fitness Community. Retrieved from http://www.fitness.com/articles/660/the_importance_of_flexibility.php
