IRON BALL TAI CHI CHUAN
One of the great ways to maintain an active workout schedule is to keep introducing new exercise activities into your work out schedule. Dr. Gregory T. Lawton, a martial artist and Tai Chi Chuan instructor, is practicing and teaching a Tai Chi exercise form that uses a track and field shot put (Iron Ball). Dr. Lawton does not claim to have “invented” the iron ball technique and quickly states that, “There is nothing new under the sun” and that people used to use rocks to train with. The Tai Chi Chuan Iron Ball technique combines the slow rhythmic and circular movements of Tai Chi with resistive exercise. The iron balls used in this exercise weigh 8, 12, or 16 pounds.
Work'n on Work'n Out
Work'n on work'n out is about getting physical. It is about good ole' fashion sweat and sore muscles that feel good. So come along for the ride.
There are 1,440 minutes in every day. Schedule 30 of them for physical activity!
Regular exercise is a critical part of staying healthy. People who are active live longer and feel better. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight. It can delay or prevent diabetes, some cancers and heart problems.
Most adults need at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity at least five days per week. Examples include walking briskly, mowing the lawn, dancing, swimming for recreation or bicycling. Stretching and weight training can also strengthen your body and improve your fitness level.
The key is to find the right exercise for you. If it is fun, you are more likely to stay motivated. You may want to walk with a friend, join a class or plan a group bike ride. If you've been inactive for awhile, use a sensible approach and start out slowly.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Physical activity is any activity that causes your body to work harder than normal. It describes activities that are beyond your daily routine of sitting, standing, and walking up stairs. Everyone can benefit from increased physical activity.
- Burn calories and reduce body fat
- Control and maintain your current weight
- Improve chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease
- Improve your fitness and ability to perform daily activities
- Prevent diseases such as osteoporosis and depression
- Reduce your appetite
RECOMMENDATIONS
Physical activity is divided into two types of activities for adults: aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening activity.
Aerobic activity can be of moderate or vigorous intensity. It is important to start with aerobic activities that are less intense at first, and work up to more vigorous activity.
While performing moderate activities (such as brisk walking), you should be able to talk but not sing. Vigorous activity requires taking a breath every few words.
You can also monitor the intensity of exercise by using your heart rate. The target heart rate during physical activity should be 60% - 90% of the maximum heart rate.
To calculate your target heart rate, use the following formula:
- 220 (beats per minute) minus age = maximum heart rate.
- Maximum heart rate multiplied by the intensity level = target heart rate.
For example, a 50-year-old woman exercising at 60% maximum would use the following calculation:
- 220 - 50 = 170 (maximum heart rate)
- 170 X 60% = 102 (target heart rate)
This is her target heart rate, regardless of the type of physical activity she elects to do.
Physical activity at 60 to 70% of the maximum heart rate is considered moderate intensity exercise. You can moderately exercise safely for a long period of time. It is best to start an exercise program with moderate intensity exercise.
The other type of physical activity is muscle strengthening exercise. Muscle strengthening can be done with a weight program, heavy gardening, or push-ups and calisthenics.
The amount of physical activity is very important to achieve health benefits. Any increase in activity is better than less activity.
The recommended amount of time spent doing aerobic activity is:
- 2.5 hours a week of moderate activity, increasing to 5 hours a week
- Or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, increasing to 2.5 hours per week
Muscle strengthening is recommended twice a week.
Try to do some form of physical activity at least three times a week. Increasing to four or five times a week is even more helpful. Spread out the physical activity through the week, rather than doing it on three or four consecutive days to reduce the risk of injuries.
People who have chronic medical conditions, are older, are pregnant, or have been very inactive may need to start with less activity and increase more slowly. Increasing both aerobic and muscle strengthening physical activity has benefits, even if you cannot reach your goals.
BENEFITS
Physical activity contributes to health by:
- Decreasing the risk for cardiovascular disease
- Reducing the amount of bone loss that is associated with age and osteoporosis
- Reducing the resting heart rate
Physical activity also helps the body use calories better, which helps with weight loss and maintenance. It can increase basal metabolic rate, and reduce appetite and body fat.
SIDE EFFECTS
Physical activity should be done at a rate that is right for you. When you increase activity gradually in both intensity and time you are unlikely to have any side effects.
An evaluation by an exercise physiologist is helpful in order to to avoid injuries. Injuries can occur if you start physical activity too quickly, with too much intensity, or for too long.
Battling another cough or cold? Feeling tired all the time? Taking a daily walk or following a simple exercise routine a few times a week may help you feel better.
Exercise not only helps your immune system fight off simple bacterial and viral infections, it decreases your chances of developing heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer.
We don't know exactly how exercise increases your immunity to certain illnesses, but there are several theories.
- Physical activity may help by flushing bacteria out from the lungs (thus decreasing the chance of a cold, flu, or other airborne illness) and may flush out cancer-causing cells (carcinogens) by increasing output of wastes, such as urine and sweat.
- Exercise sends antibodies and white blood cells (the body's defense cells) through the body at a quicker rate. As these antibodies or white blood cells circulate more rapidly, they could detect illnesses earlier than they might normally. The increased rate of circulating blood may also trigger the release of hormones that "warn" immune cells of intruding bacteria or viruses.
- The temporary rise in body temperature may prevent bacterial growth, allowing the body to fight the infection more effectively. (This is similar to what happens when the body has a fever.)
- Exercise slows down the release of stress-related hormones. Stress increases the chance of illness.
While exercise is beneficial, be careful not to "overdo" it. People who already exercise regularly are cautioned not to develop too vigorous a workout program in the hopes of increasing the immunity benefits. Heavy, long-term exercise (such as marathon running and intense gym training) could actually decrease the amount of white blood cells circulating through the body and increase the presence of stress-related hormones.
Studies have shown that the people who benefit most from starting (and sticking to) an exercise program are those who go from a sedentary ("couch potato") lifestyle to a moderately energetic lifestyle. A moderate program can consist of:
- Bicycling with the children a few times a week
- Daily 20 - 30 minute walks
- Going to the gym every other day
- Playing golf regularly
Exercise can help us feel better about ourselves, just by making us feel more energetic and healthier. So go ahead, take that aerobics class or go for that walk -- and feel better and healthier for it.
The key to weight control is balancing our energy (food) intake with how much energy our body burns (physical activity). To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you eat.
Exercise is a key way to do this. When you exercise regularly, you build stronger muscles.. Muscles cells burn more calories than fat cells throughout the day, even while you are resting. This helps boost your metabolism.
How much exercise you need to make a difference in your weight depends on how much you eat and what activity you are doing. A medium-sized adult would have to walk more than 30 miles to burn up 3,500 calories, the equivalent of one pound of fat. Although that may seem like a lot, you don't have to walk the 30 miles all at once. Walking a mile a day for 30 days will achieve the same result, as long as you don't eat more than usual.
If you eat 100 calories a day more than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. You could lose the weight or keep it off by doing 30 minutes of moderate exercise daily. The combination of exercise and diet is the best way to control your weight.
AEROBIC EXERCISE
Aerobic exercise is exercise in which you are continuously moving a large muscle group such as in your arms legs and hips for a period of time. Your heart rate gets faster and your breathing becomes deeper and faster.
All adults should get 2 1/2 hours of aerobic exercise spread out over a week, but should be done for at least 10 minutes at a time.
If you have not been active, start slowly and build up over weeks or even months. Walking can be a good exercise to start with.
Every week increase the time you spend with the activity, do it more often or add a second activity. You can increase the speed of your activity or the difficulty of the activity, such as going up hills.
STRENGTHENING
All adults should do exercises to strengthen the muscles at least two days a week. These activities can include push-ups, situps, using resistance bands, or lifting weights. Make sure to do exercises that work on all the parts of your body.
If you are doing a regular program of strength training (weight lifting), your muscles will get bigger. It is possible that your overall weight will increase, because muscle weighs more than fat. However, your clothes will probably fit better and your body will be more toned. Your body composition is a better indicator of your overall health than the number on the scale.
If proper technique is followed, most people of any age can safely lift weights. It is important, however, to check with your doctor before you start to train with weights. Also, consult an experienced personal trainer or coach prior to beginning a weight lifting program. This can help prevent injuries and the loss of muscle strength and endurance that occurs with bed rest and inactivity.
Look for other activities house activities that improve strength or endurance, such as gardening.
Those recovering from heart attacks can benefit greatly from supervised cardiac rehabilitation programs.
Making a Commitment
The decision to keep fit requires a lifelong commitment of time and effort. Exercising and eating right must become things that you do without question, like bathing and brushing your teeth. Unless you are convinced of the benefits, you will not succeed.
Patience is essential. Don't try to do too much too soon and don't quit before you have a chance to experience the rewards. You can't regain in a few days or weeks what you have lost in years of sedentary living, but you can get it back if you keep at it. And the prize is worth the price.
Health Benefits of Exercise
Regular exercise -- including walking -- decreases your risk of:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Heart attack
- High blood pressure
- ObesityObesity
- OsteoporosisOsteoporosis
- Some cancers
- Stroke
Exercise also improves good cholesterol (HDL) levels.
You should always check with your health care provider before you begin any new form of exercise.