Self Help In Sight

“Exercise ferments the humors, casts them into their proper channels, throws off redundancies, and helps nature in those secret distributions, without which the body cannot subsist in its vigor, nor the soul act with cheerfulness.”
Joseph Addison (1672 – 1719)

First – The Disclaimer
Please do not make any changes in your current exercise routine, if any, until you feel confident about the rationale, benefits, and risks of the change you are undertaking. In particularly, please consult with your physician prior to initiating any change (such as initiating an exercise program) that you think may be too strenuous or demanding given your level of conditioning.

It is a sad fact that injury and death can occur during and after exercise, particularly strenuous exercise. Even people with exceptional fitness have died. Your physician is in the best position to advise you on the dangers of your particular circumstances. By all measures you are better off exercising than not, just be wise about it and get some expert advice on how to start.

Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic Exercise is "any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature." Alternatively, aerobic exercise can be thought of as exercise that increases your body's need for oxygen and, when practiced consistently, increases your body's ability to use oxygen.

So, distance running is typically an aerobic exercise. It increases your body's need for oxygen while you exercise. Distance running consistently or regularly also increases your body's ability to use oxygen. This means that your body responds to regular running by becoming more effective or efficient at utilizing oxygen.

There are many other aerobic exercises. The common ones include swimming, biking, climbing stairs, cross country skiing, dancing, and walking vigorously.

Aerobic exercise is in contrast to exercise that is anaerobic. Anaerobic exercise is exercise that is comparatively short in duration and frequently of higher intensity than aerobic exercise. It taps the anaerobic systems for generating the power to move and cannot be sustained for more than two minutes. Anaerobic exercise can produce improvements in the body's capacity for anaerobic activity. Anaerobic activity is demanded during sports or exercises that require extremes of speed and power. Anaerobic exercise is featured in another post on strength training.

According to the report Physical Activity and Health: (1) people who are usually inactive can improve their health and well-being by becoming even moderately active on a regular basis; (2) physical activity need not be strenuous to achieve health benefits; and (3) greater health benefits can be achieved by increasing the amount (duration, frequency, or intensity) of physical activity.

The report also noted that regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the United States, including: (1) reducing the risk of dying prematurely, (2) reducing the risk of dying from heart disease, (3) reducing the risk of developing diabetes, (4) reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure, (5) helping to reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure, (6) reducing the risk of developing colon cancer, (7) reducing feelings of depression and anxiety, (8) helping to control weight, (9) helping to build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints, (10) helping older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling, and (11) promoting psychological well-being.

The report went on to note that the benefits of exercise are dependent on the intensity and duration of the exercise. For example, walking 2 miles in 30 minutes is similar to running 1.5 miles in 15 minutes.

In the book, Making a Good Brain Great, author Daniel G. Amen reports on the benefits of physical exercise for thinking and memory. He notes that research has shown that regular exercise (1) helps to protect brain cells against toxins, including free radicals, (2) decreases the chance of tiny strokes which lead to declines in cognitive performance or thinking, (3) helps reduce age-related memory problems, (4) reduces the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia due to Alzheimer's disease, (5) helps preserve mental abilities after age 70, and (6) can stimulate the ability of the brain to generate new neurons – fostering the ability to learn new information. In other words, exercising your body aerobically, benefits your brain.

In case you are wondering, in addition to improvements in the function of the brain and central nervous system, the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, and musculoskeletal system, aerobic exercise has been associated with improved sleep, improved mood, improved sexual function, improved weight management, improved digestion, improved skin condition, and improved tolerance of stress. It is worth repeating the claim that regular, sensible exercise positively influences each and every bodily function.

In 2007 the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association updated guidelines first proposed by the Physical Activity and Health report. The updated guidelines for healthy adults 65 and under are to (1) do moderately intense cardiovascular exercise 30 minutes a day, five days a week, or (2) do vigorously intense cardiovascular exercise 20 minutes a day, three days a week, and (3) do eight to ten strength-training exercises, eight to twelve repetitions of each exercise twice a week.

The updated guidelines went on to say that: moderate-intensity physical activity means working hard enough to raise your heart rate and break a sweat, yet still being able to carry on a conversation. It should be noted that to lose weight or maintain weight loss, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary. The 30-minute recommendation is for the average healthy adult to maintain health and reduce the risk for chronic disease.

The emphasis of the guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association is on setting a minimum level of exercise for maintaining health. Exercising more than the minimum is certain to increase the benefits to overall health until the costs associated with exercising more start to erode the benefits. How much exercise is possible without eroding the benefits is likely a function of individual experience, attitude, and capacity. That is, how much you can exercise without eroding the benefits is up to you and whatever capacity you have (a function of past training, age, and natural ability).

Based on all the research I have read over the years, my recommendation for a basic approach to aerobic exercise is to work up to training (aerobically exercising) seven days a week. One of the days of the week ideally will be spent at lesser than usual intensity for a longer duration – up to 120 minutes. One of the days ideally will be spent at greater than usual intensity for a shorter duration – for example, 30 minutes including a warm up and a cool down. The days immediately following these special days should be focused on recovery (from the greater duration or intensity). The remaining three days will ideally be spent exercising for 45-60 minutes at moderate intensity. This plan provides variation in intensity and duration while allowing for recovery and consolidation of gains. It will not be perfect for you. The goal is to figure out a plan that works best for you and incorporates variation in intensity and duration as well as time for recovery. Then stick with the plan – until it needs “tweaking”.

The broad conclusion to draw here is that regular aerobic exercise is an essential ingredient to achieving physical and emotional health. In addition to the minimum recommended level of exercise, I have proposed a starting level for determining the ideal level of aerobic exercise for you – a level you must adjust to suit your individual needs.