| |
| |
|
Exercise Information |
|
|
|
Physical Activity Versus Exercise: Is there a Difference?
Quite often a client will come into the gym discouraged with their exercise program. The common complaint being lack of results. They give a list of activities they are doing but still do not see any changes in physical appearance. Yes this can be attributed to many variables but one of the key elements to consider is intensity. We need to ask, what constitutes exercise? Is all physical activity considered exercise? The answer is no. Unfortunately there is not a general number or percentage that can be given to state that an activity is exercise. Exercise should be defined as an activity that is harder than what you may do on a daily basis. And this definition is going to vary for all individuals. It will be specific to an individual's background, possible limitations and current fitness status. What may be considered an exercise for one person may not be for another. For instance if you usually go for a walk each night after dinner, then walking (at this pace) would be considered physical activity not exercise. If you ride your bike to work everyday, cycling (at this pace) is going to become physical activity for you and not exercise. Let's explain. When you first try an activity, it is new to you and your body feels challenged by this unknown stimulus. As you start performing this activity on a daily basis, your body starts to adapt and overtime it will become less challenging. The truth is that you are getting better at doing that activity and you don't need to work as hard. Yes, this is an indicator of some fitness improvement but soon those improvements will plateau. In other words, when this stimulus becomes familiar, the end result will be fewer calories burned and less stress on the body. In order for the body to alter its body composition and for you to see changes in your physical appearance, the body needs to be challenged. This is called the Overload Principle. This principle states that there needs to be a stimulus of higher intensity than usually performed to elicit any adaptations or changes. Without an overload or high enough intensity, the body is not going to change. If your body can get the job done in the status it is presently in, then it's not going to make extra effort to become stronger or leaner. Your body is concerned with survival not the latest bathing suit fashion. So what do we prescribe for someone that is "working out" but not seeing the results they want? First thing to suggest may be to change up their routine. It could be possible that they have been doing the same thing for so long that what was once a stimulus or exercise, no longer is. Instead of using the elliptical, why not try the treadmill, stationary bike or even roller blading? Instead of doing the same exercises like the seated chest press and cable row, why not do a cable chest fly or lat pulldown? After changing the exercises you are performing, the next step is to appropriately progress the intensity. Your body will start to adapt to this new routine and we need to keep it guessing. For aerobic training: A suggestion would be to work at an intensity that is challenging to you. When working aerobically an intensity closest to your anaerobic threshold will elicit the most adaptations. Try not to come into the gym and beeline to the elliptical day after day doing thirty minutes at level four. Your body will soon catch on to that intensity and you will end up burning less calories and causing minimal changes to your muscles. Those calorie counters on the machines should not be your guides. They are inaccurate and are used as a marketing tool to consumers. We all know someone or ourselves that stays on a machine until they burn a specific number of calories. That calorie counter is based on a 150 lb person with no consideration for their genetic makeup or current fitness status. Someone who is more fit will actually burn fewer calories! So lets use the talk test marker. You should be exercising to a point where you are struggling but an intensity where you can still have a winded conversation. For anaerobic training: Have you ever seen someone in the gym on the cable row doing repetition after repetition? They have probably completed about fifty and still do not look a bit fatigued. In order to see skeletal muscle changes we need to be working within the anaerobic energy system. In other words, working at a high enough intensity where your muscles fatigue. The first step is to stay in the anaerobic energy system. A general rule would be completing a set between sixty and ninety seconds. If you were to perform the exercise for longer than ninety seconds, the anaerobic effect would be lost and minimal adaptations would occur. Most people are concerned with the number of repetitions that they are doing. What is most important is the time that the muscle is under tension. The next step is the fatigue factor. Not only do we need to stay within a time limit, we also need to fatigue the muscle before the set is up. There are two options for fatigue: volitional or momentary muscular failure. Volitional fatigue, a fatigue more realistic for the general client, is a subjective fatigue where they chose to terminate the set when they feel they cannot perform another repetition. Momentary muscular failure, which elicits the most adaptations, is physical fatigue where the client cannot perform another repetition even if they tried. The key to continual success with an exercise program is strategic variation along with the proper progression of intensity and exercises. Try to recognize what is considered physical activity and exercise in your program. There is a difference and will be reflective in your end results. References: Gardiner, P.. Neuromuscular Aspects of Physical Activity. Human Kinetics. 2001. Katch F.I., V. L. Katch, W. McCardle. Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. Fourth Edition, 1993. Teri Mosey is an Exercise Physiologist and Instructor for Health and Fitness Certifications. Peak Performance Fitness
MORE RESOURCES:
Exercise - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Get Fit From Home! --------------------Things Around The House--------------------Don't feel that just because you don't have any weights at home, that you can't get a GREAT workout! Try using these items for the corresponding exercises. Change them around to increase or decrease the resistance to make it the perfect workout for YOU!· Backpack Swing- Take a backpack and fill it with books. The Two Greatest Myths About Abdominal Exercises If you have ever read a fitness magazine.. Integrating Core Stabilization into Your Workouts Stabilization is a hot topic in the fitness industry over the past few years. But what is stabilization? Stabilization can be defined as the body's muscular systems ability to support (stabilize) the body during movement. Defeating Back Pain Forever Back pain, one of the most common physical, and debilitating ailments today, affects 70% - 80% of us at one time or another in our lives. However, as a result of the obesity epidemic, that number continues to climb. The Benefit of Back Exercises Back exercises are often prescribed effectively as an alternative to surgery. Doing daily back exercises can significantly reduce back pain related to a variety of common ailments. 5 Essential Walking Exercise Tips Walking exercise is one of the easiest ways to get in shape and burn fat. In fact, mile for mile, you can burn as many calories walking as you would jogging. How to Keep Your Body Fit Fitness is just as imperative as health. As a matter of fact, fitness is linked directly with your health. Get Out and Play: Top 7 Outdoor Exercises Do you remember when our parents used to yell at us to go outside and play? They would get so tired of us running around the house munching junk food and fighting with our siblings that they would practically kick us out of the house!Well, we may not have the same child-like activities lined up to get outside for anymore, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't still get out and enjoy the world! Exercising outdoors has many benefits, and they include the following:- Little or no equipment needed to get a good workout- No crowded gyms or obnoxious people to put up with- No driving time to the local fitness facility- No need to put on makeup or special clothing to workout at the gym- Vitamin D enhancing sunshine for our skin- The ability to workout anytime, anywhere - even on vacation- Two words: Fresh AirThere are probably other reasons that you can think of why an outdoor workout would fit into your particular lifestyle, so now all you have to do is learn what kind of activities can be done outside.Refer to the following Top 7 list of exercises that are sure to leave you sweaty, worn out, and feeling great when it's all over!LUNGESLike all exercises, lunges should be done with absolutely perfect form. Tour of Diet - Cycling for Your Health The last seven years, or so, at the Tour de France has shown a success story that is very uncommon. Winning seven Tour de France championships is a feat that will be extremely hard to duplicate. The Truth About Lactate and Exercise For years exercise scientists and physiologists have preached that lactate/lactic acid build-up in the muscle is the direct cause of muscle fatigue and a decrease in performance. It is proposed that lactate builds up in the muscle cells during intense exercise and literally "poisons" them, essentially shutting down activity biochemically by reducing the pH or increasing the acidity level. Yoga Yoga traditionally conjures up images of long hair, loin cloths and incense burning in a darkened room with strange music playing! It had an almost cultish persona. Nowadays your gran is quite likely to tuck her Yoga mat under her arm and head on down to the local gym for an hour of Yoga and meditation. 10 Workout Mistakes Cheaters Make "When I'm lifting free weights, I tend to go pretty fast on the downward motion when I'm supposed to be using more control," says Beth Pekol, who works in banking in Chicago."I lean on the StairMaster when I'm on it," says Shaun Stewart, a new bride who lives in Memphis. Forget Exercise - Go Play Can't seem to get the energy or motivation to exercise? Forget exercise - go play. For most of us exercise is a chore. Optimize Your Exercise: Maximizing the Time Spent Working Out Diet and Exercise are the inseparable twins that are seen and heard everywhere weight loss and fat loss are mentioned. This article will focus on techniques and tips that will help you to maximize the time you spend exercising. 4 Exercises That Will Help You Change Your Body Faster Than Any Other Exercises You May Have Tried 1. Lunges with a barbell. How to Supercharge Your Energy Levels through Exercise Your energy levels will depend on several factors, including genetics, nutrition, sleep habits, and emotional stress. Some of these you have no control over But there is one VERY important factor that you do have control over and that is your ability to take part in physical exercise. Weight Training: The Real Weight Loss Exercise So you want to lose weight? Chances are, you'll spend the next few days "pigging out" while in the back of your mind you resolve that .. Want To Get In Shape? Watch Another Infomercial! You know I have always wondered how people of yesteryear, likeEugene sandow, John Grimek, Steve reeves, Jack Lalanne, Joe Louis, Charle Atlas, and many others that i could mention couldpossibly get into such fantastic shape without all these gadgets, gizmos, and late night exercise machines being touted all over your favorite TV stations.I mean let's look at what is happening here! You have got Ab dolly, Ab rocker, Ab lounge, Abwheel, Ab-this-Ab-that, andI am not saying that they may not give some results but let'sface it if any one of these was a "cure all" why do they have to keep coming out with more??????? And why do people keep buying the latest and greatest thing? Well i will tell you?SALES AND MARKETING! These infomercials have it down to ascience. Wise Up and Invest in Your Workout Success - Six Top Fitness Faux Pas Already dedicated exercisers make small but costly mistakes regularly in their workouts, and one tiny change can have a huge impact on their results. Time is valuable, and for each precious moment invested you want to ensure the best possible return. The Top 10 Reasons Why Your Dog is a Great Workout Partner 1) He or she is never late for a workout session. Chances are good that your dog lives with you and has a reasonable clear schedule.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
