Cardio, weight training, stretching, yoga, pilates, swimming, sprinting, interval training. There are so many types of exercise that are all basically a combination of strength, endurance and flexibility. Of course there are factors including body awareness, agility and balance among others that are improved with exercise. And there are a myriad of health benefits as well. With so many options, which is the best. Which is the most efficient and offers the most benefit. A recent long term study showed that of all the various types of exercise the absolute best form of exercise is the one you will actually do consistently. That's right, there was no statistical difference between types of exercise. The deciding factor was frequency.
Another recent study showed heart health benefits of exercise increased with duration. 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise should be a minimum. In this study people exercising moderately 1 hr and 2 hrs per day showed 20% and 35% respectively fewer cardiac events. To understand this better you need to look at what moderate exercise is defined as: walking briskly, water aerobic, riding a bike on level ground or with few hill, pushing a lawn mower. Vigorous exercise can be thought of as worth double the amount of moderate exercise and includes: Jogging or running, swimming laps, riding a bike fast or on hills, playing basketball. When put this way it seems much more reasonable, 1 hr of vigorous exercise per day will reduce your chance of a heart issue by 35%. Heart disease accounts for 25% of deaths reducing your chance of that by 35% is significant.
Go out and exercise the way you like the best and do it frequently!
Dr. Nelson
Another recent study showed heart health benefits of exercise increased with duration. 30 minutes a day of moderate exercise should be a minimum. In this study people exercising moderately 1 hr and 2 hrs per day showed 20% and 35% respectively fewer cardiac events. To understand this better you need to look at what moderate exercise is defined as: walking briskly, water aerobic, riding a bike on level ground or with few hill, pushing a lawn mower. Vigorous exercise can be thought of as worth double the amount of moderate exercise and includes: Jogging or running, swimming laps, riding a bike fast or on hills, playing basketball. When put this way it seems much more reasonable, 1 hr of vigorous exercise per day will reduce your chance of a heart issue by 35%. Heart disease accounts for 25% of deaths reducing your chance of that by 35% is significant.
Go out and exercise the way you like the best and do it frequently!
Dr. Nelson
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