By Loli

 

 

“Should I start with treadmills?”

“Should I ride bikes first?”

“Or should I start pumping first?”

 

For first-time exercisers, one should take note of 3 items:

1. Before exercising, you should understand your physical condition. For example, do you have cardiovascular diseases? If you do, a diagnosis statement from the doctor is required to ensure your safety during the exercising process.

2. After making sure that you are suitable for exercise, you need to further understand your physical capability (you can ask trainers to check on your physical capability or take the National Fitness Examination).

3. If you didn’t pass the examination, it is recommended that you start with low intensity exercises.

 

A complete exercise program should include:

1. Warm-ups (Stretching): about 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Main Exercise (Bikes, treadmills, elliptical cross trainers, pumping and etc.): about 30 to 50 minutes.

3. Cool-downs (Stretching): about 5 to 10 minutes.

 

Normally, one needs to do the main exercise for at least 15 minutes, even up to 30 minutes, to reach the full effect of stimulating the cardio-pulmonary function. For those with weak cardio-pulmonary functions, 10 minutes of exercise will do. Gradually increase the exercising time after your cardio-pulmonary function has improved.

To improve or to maintain one’s physical condition, it is recommended that one should exercise at least 3 days a week to achieve evident effects. One can gradually increase the frequency to exercising everyday and be persistent on doing so afterwards. This exercising frequency can bring about the effects on improving cardio-pulmonary function and physical fitness.

 

Most people will wonder: How do I set my exercise intensity?

Here we use the “Percent of Maximal Heart Rate” to evaluate.

(1) Estimated Maximal Heart Rate: 220 - age.

(2) Minimum Exercise Intensity=60% of the estimated maximal heart rate.

(3) Maximum Exercise Intensity=85% of the estimated maximal heart rate.

(4) Scope of Exercise Intensity=60% to 85% of one’s estimated maximal heart rate.

 

Example: If Loli is 40 years old, what is the suitable exercise intensity heart rate for her calculated by percent of maximal heart rate?

(1) Estimated Maximal Heart Rate: 220-40=180 pulses/minute.

(2) Minimum Exercise Intensity=180*60%=108 pulses/minute.

(3) Maximum Exercise Intensity=180*85%=153 pulses/minute.

(4) Heart Rate Scope of Exercise Intensity=108 to 153 pulses/minute.

 

One can understand their exercise heart rate through exercise consumption of oxygen, exercise heart rate or measuring their pulses on their own. Errors might occur due to being over subjective when measuring pulses by themselves, thus exercise heart rate tools that are sold are recommended.

 

In the main exercise, besides training one’s cardio-pulmonary function, there are also pumping sessions that enhance our physical fitness.

The major factors in pumping sessions are: reps, sets, loadings and rest time.

A major factor in designing one’s pumping session is after how many RMs (repetition maximum) does one feel fatigued? Examination methods are also needed to check on one’s best numbers. The topic of RM needs further discussion, so we will focus on this agenda later in other articles.

 

First-time exercisers can take reference on the graph below to organize your pumping session.

Principles on Pumping Session
Loading	Purpose	% 1RM	Reps	Sets	Rest Time
Light	Muscular Endurance	60-70	12-20	2-3 (1-3)	20-30 seconds
Medium	Muscle Build-up	70-80	8-12	3-6	30-90 seconds
Heavy	Muscle Strength	80-100	1-8	3-5+	2-5 minutes

Loadings with adequate intensity are normally used to instruct ordinary people to enhance their physical condition, promote health and conduct rehabilitation.

 

Finally, we have to discuss the cool-downs after exercise. This is very important and is what most people neglect. After exercise, most people think they can rest directly after taking a shower and find themselves suffering soreness the next day. Due to such soreness, they cease to continue exercising and even think that they have to wait for the soreness to ease before resuming exercise. A continuous exercising habit cannot be established under such a cycle. So how important are cool-downs?

 

The effects of cool-downs are as follows:

1. Hasten fatigue restoration.

2. Ease muscular soreness.

3. Maintain muscular flexibility.

4. Prevent exercise injury and are conducive in eliminating lactate produced by human body.

 

Exercise makes one more energetic and brings about more efficiency in learning and work.

Exercise helps one to unbrace their nerves and eliminate mental pressures from work.

How can you not love exercise when it has so many benefits?

 

Are you ready?

Come, come, come! Let’s exercise together!