THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE.
With all we now know about the benefits of exercise, it's hard to believe more of us don't work out. It's the closest thing yet to the fountain of youth, and truly the only way to change the appearance, shape and strength of your body. In addition, the health benefits associated with an intelligently designed strength, flexibility and cardiovascular training programme can add quality years to your life.
Everyone exercises for different reasons. But no matter your motivation, you still get all the benefits. Below is a list of 20 reasons you should work out. If you can find even one benefit on this list, you'll have enough reason to begin an exercise programme.
Regular exercise can...
- Help you lose weight, especially fat
- Improve your physical appearance
- Increase your level of muscular strength and endurance
- Maintain your resting metabolic rate to prevent weight gain
- Increase your stamina and ability to do continuous work
- Improve fitness levels, or your body's ability to use oxygen
- Provide protection against injury
- Improve your balance and co-ordination
- Increase bone mineral density to prevent osteoporosis
- Lower resting heart rate and blood pressure
- Lower Body Mass Index (BMI), your weight to height ratio
- Reduce triglycerides, bad cholesterol (LDL), raises good cholesterol (HDL)
- Enhance sexual desire and performance
- Reduce heart disease risk and stroke
- Reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer
- Increase insulin sensitivity, preventing type 2 diabetes
- Reduce anxiety and help with stress management
- Improve function of the immune system
- Improve your self-esteem and restore confidence
- Help you sleep better, relax, and improve mood
A simple exercise, like this bench press, is a great example of a movement that, when done properly, delivers big results in less time.
Benefits: Tones the chest, shoulders and triceps while building strength and endurance in the upper body.
Instructions: Lie on your back on a bench or on a folded blanket on the floor, holding dumbbells at your shoulders ? use filled water bottles or tins of beans if you don?t have dumbbells. Your elbows will be bent at about 90 degrees, feet planted firmly on the floor. Exhale and slowly press both dumbbells straight up and towards the ceiling. Inhale and in a slow and controlled manner, lower weights to the starting position. Use dumbbells that will allow you to hit muscle fatigue in the range of 10 to 20 repetitions.
