Exercise
What is Exercise?
Exercise is physical activity that requires physical effort, which is carried out to maintain and/or improve health and fitness. Exercise is necessary to sustain physical health. There are any different
kinds of exercises which help with different parts of your body, and there are many types of sports, workouts, and different types of exercises to choose from to get your daily physical activity. "Exercise" can range anywhere from intense weight lifting to just taking your dog out for a walk. Exercise is not only good for your body and health, but it also relates and connects to your mind and mental health as well. It can make you look AND feel good, and put you in a good mood.
How Often Should I Exercise?
It is recommended that teenagers get at least an hour of moderate to intense physical activity every day.
Exercise is physical activity that requires physical effort, which is carried out to maintain and/or improve health and fitness. Exercise is necessary to sustain physical health. There are any different
kinds of exercises which help with different parts of your body, and there are many types of sports, workouts, and different types of exercises to choose from to get your daily physical activity. "Exercise" can range anywhere from intense weight lifting to just taking your dog out for a walk. Exercise is not only good for your body and health, but it also relates and connects to your mind and mental health as well. It can make you look AND feel good, and put you in a good mood.
How Often Should I Exercise?
It is recommended that teenagers get at least an hour of moderate to intense physical activity every day.
Some of the benefits of exercise:
Exercise helps your body look more toned and keeps your body at a healthy weight, making you feel good and lifting your mood. Exercise can give people a sense of pride at accomplishing a certain goal, like improving speed in a mile run or improving your vertical jump. It can also clear your mind and free you from stress, helping you feel more calm, peaceful, and happy, which is caused by the chemicals: endorphins, which the body produces when you exercise. Exercise is also known to help some people who have depression and/or low self-confidence and can also help people who have trouble with sleeping sleep better.
As you get older, your body becomes weaker and becomes vulnerable to a condition in which the bones become fragile and weak, called Osteoporosis. The image on the left shows how your bones look when Osteoporosis weaken them. Exercising helps you keep your bones strong. Weight-bearing exercises such as jumping, running, yoga, hiking, tennis, and weight-lifting have been found to help maintain strength in the bones.
- Exercise is good for every part of your body: physically, and mentally
Exercise helps your body look more toned and keeps your body at a healthy weight, making you feel good and lifting your mood. Exercise can give people a sense of pride at accomplishing a certain goal, like improving speed in a mile run or improving your vertical jump. It can also clear your mind and free you from stress, helping you feel more calm, peaceful, and happy, which is caused by the chemicals: endorphins, which the body produces when you exercise. Exercise is also known to help some people who have depression and/or low self-confidence and can also help people who have trouble with sleeping sleep better.
- Exercise helps with weight loss and lowers the risk of some diseases
- Benefits you in the long run
As you get older, your body becomes weaker and becomes vulnerable to a condition in which the bones become fragile and weak, called Osteoporosis. The image on the left shows how your bones look when Osteoporosis weaken them. Exercising helps you keep your bones strong. Weight-bearing exercises such as jumping, running, yoga, hiking, tennis, and weight-lifting have been found to help maintain strength in the bones.
What Kinds of Exercises Are There?
There are three main sections to a healthy, well-balanced exercise routines. They are: cardio exercise, strength training, and flexibility training. There are many types of exercises that fall into these different categories.
Cardio Exercise
Your heart is also a muscle, and just like you exercise other muscles of your body, you need to give your heart a good workout too. Cardio exercise is also called aerobic exercise. This is any type of exercise that gives your heart a workout. In other words, cardio exercise is any kind of physical activity that pumps your heart and quickens your breathing. When your heart gets regular workout, it will get stronger and will become better in delivering oxygen to different parts of your body, therefore making you healthier.
Most team sports, such as basketball, soccer, swimming, and hockey are good aerobic exercises and if you participate in them, you are probably reaching the recommendation of getting at least 1 hour of physical activity (mentioned above in the "How Often Should I Exercise?" section) on days that you have practice.
But even if you don't play team sports, you don't have to worry, because there are so many other ways that you can get cardio exercise by yourself or with a few friends. Some cardio exercises that are easy to do on you own are running/jogging, biking, swimming, hiking, and/or dancing. Going on a jog around the neighborhood, or getting your daily run on a treadmill might be the easiest way to get cardio exercise on busy days. There is nothing wrong with exercising by yourself; these exercises that can be done alone could be better, since they are easier to continue and maintain when your leave high school or college, where team sports might not be available anymore, which would make it easier for you to get your daily exercise and help you stay healthy and fit later on in life as well.
There are three main sections to a healthy, well-balanced exercise routines. They are: cardio exercise, strength training, and flexibility training. There are many types of exercises that fall into these different categories.
Cardio Exercise
Your heart is also a muscle, and just like you exercise other muscles of your body, you need to give your heart a good workout too. Cardio exercise is also called aerobic exercise. This is any type of exercise that gives your heart a workout. In other words, cardio exercise is any kind of physical activity that pumps your heart and quickens your breathing. When your heart gets regular workout, it will get stronger and will become better in delivering oxygen to different parts of your body, therefore making you healthier.
Most team sports, such as basketball, soccer, swimming, and hockey are good aerobic exercises and if you participate in them, you are probably reaching the recommendation of getting at least 1 hour of physical activity (mentioned above in the "How Often Should I Exercise?" section) on days that you have practice.
But even if you don't play team sports, you don't have to worry, because there are so many other ways that you can get cardio exercise by yourself or with a few friends. Some cardio exercises that are easy to do on you own are running/jogging, biking, swimming, hiking, and/or dancing. Going on a jog around the neighborhood, or getting your daily run on a treadmill might be the easiest way to get cardio exercise on busy days. There is nothing wrong with exercising by yourself; these exercises that can be done alone could be better, since they are easier to continue and maintain when your leave high school or college, where team sports might not be available anymore, which would make it easier for you to get your daily exercise and help you stay healthy and fit later on in life as well.
Strength Training
Exercising other muscles in your body other than your hear also helps you become stronger and builds your endurance, allowing you to be active and use your strength for a longer time without getting tired easily.
Having strong muscles help your health and other parts of your body too. For example, when you exercise, your muscles actually support your joints and help with the prevention of injuries and help you exercise better. Building muscles also helps you maintain a healthy weight, since it burns more calories and energy than fat, even when a person is at rest.
There are different types of strength training exercises that strengthen different muscles in different parts of your body.
The classic pull-ups and push-ups are good for building arm muscles and are also easy to do even at home or at a nearby park or gym without spending money or any complicated equipment. Rowing or cross-country skiing are a few other ways to strengthen your arms, but these activities may cost more time and equipment.
Running, biking, and skating are a few activities that are good for strengthening the legs. Squats and leg raises also work the legs, and may be easier to do consistently at home on a daily basis, since no equipment is required.
To build ab muscles, yoga, pilates, planks, or crunches are some of the exercises that you can easily do at home or in the gym, and don't require any equipment.
Exercising other muscles in your body other than your hear also helps you become stronger and builds your endurance, allowing you to be active and use your strength for a longer time without getting tired easily.
Having strong muscles help your health and other parts of your body too. For example, when you exercise, your muscles actually support your joints and help with the prevention of injuries and help you exercise better. Building muscles also helps you maintain a healthy weight, since it burns more calories and energy than fat, even when a person is at rest.
There are different types of strength training exercises that strengthen different muscles in different parts of your body.
The classic pull-ups and push-ups are good for building arm muscles and are also easy to do even at home or at a nearby park or gym without spending money or any complicated equipment. Rowing or cross-country skiing are a few other ways to strengthen your arms, but these activities may cost more time and equipment.
Running, biking, and skating are a few activities that are good for strengthening the legs. Squats and leg raises also work the legs, and may be easier to do consistently at home on a daily basis, since no equipment is required.
To build ab muscles, yoga, pilates, planks, or crunches are some of the exercises that you can easily do at home or in the gym, and don't require any equipment.
Flexibility Training
Flexibility in terms of exercise is how well (or easily) your body (muscles and joints) stretches, bends, or moves. Exercise not only strengthens the heart and other muscles of the body, but also helps the body maintain and/or improve flexibility, allowing your muscles and joints to stretch and bend with ease. Flexibility is important as it helps lower the chance of injuries such as straining or spraining your muscles/joints.
Flexibility also helps improve performance in sports and other physical activities. Although it is
obvious that in some activities like martial arts and dance require a lot of flexibility, but it also helps in the performance of other sports as well.
There are plenty of activities to choose from to improve your flexibility. Martial arts, gymnastics, pilates, yoga, and ballet not only require flexibility, but encourages flexibility; you improve as you learn and continue the activity. Stretching before and after your workout, or just stretching when you have time also helps to improve your flexibility.
Flexibility in terms of exercise is how well (or easily) your body (muscles and joints) stretches, bends, or moves. Exercise not only strengthens the heart and other muscles of the body, but also helps the body maintain and/or improve flexibility, allowing your muscles and joints to stretch and bend with ease. Flexibility is important as it helps lower the chance of injuries such as straining or spraining your muscles/joints.
Flexibility also helps improve performance in sports and other physical activities. Although it is
obvious that in some activities like martial arts and dance require a lot of flexibility, but it also helps in the performance of other sports as well.
There are plenty of activities to choose from to improve your flexibility. Martial arts, gymnastics, pilates, yoga, and ballet not only require flexibility, but encourages flexibility; you improve as you learn and continue the activity. Stretching before and after your workout, or just stretching when you have time also helps to improve your flexibility.
Choosing the Right Type of Activity
If you don't have any interest in or if you don't enjoy what you're doing, it's easy to stop exercising, or not start in the first place, since you have no motivation. However, there are so many different physical activities and sports that you can choose from so you can do what you enjoy and be healthy all at the same time.
When you choose your activity/activities, you should consider any health problems you may have, where you live, whether your activity is affordable, and your workout personality.
Where you live affects the types of activities and/or sports that are available to you. For example, if you are interested in snowboarding but you live somewhere where it does not snow often, it would be difficult to exercise regularly. So you should choose a different activity, along with snowboarding, that you can do regularly every day, such as running, or other sports that are available to you in your area, such as school team sports.
Is it affordable? Do you have time? You should also consider finances and time when you choose your activity. Some sports or activities require a lot of equipment that may be expensive, and some activities may require a lot of time.
If you don't have any interest in or if you don't enjoy what you're doing, it's easy to stop exercising, or not start in the first place, since you have no motivation. However, there are so many different physical activities and sports that you can choose from so you can do what you enjoy and be healthy all at the same time.
When you choose your activity/activities, you should consider any health problems you may have, where you live, whether your activity is affordable, and your workout personality.
Where you live affects the types of activities and/or sports that are available to you. For example, if you are interested in snowboarding but you live somewhere where it does not snow often, it would be difficult to exercise regularly. So you should choose a different activity, along with snowboarding, that you can do regularly every day, such as running, or other sports that are available to you in your area, such as school team sports.
Is it affordable? Do you have time? You should also consider finances and time when you choose your activity. Some sports or activities require a lot of equipment that may be expensive, and some activities may require a lot of time.
Workout personality: Depending on whether you like to workout alone or exercise as a team may affect the type of exercises that you would want to do. For example, if you like to work on your own schedule by yourself, individual sports such as biking, running, or swimming might be the exercises that you choose to be a part of. However, if you like being part of a team and working with others, you may want to participate in team sports such as soccer, basketball, hockey, lacrosse, or volleyball.
Health problems: If you have major health problems, you should consider how your health condition may affect your exercise and how much it would affect it and also how/what kinds of exercises may affect your health as well. If you have health problems, you should talk to your doctor too find out which activities are best for you and which exercises you should avoid participating in.
Health problems: If you have major health problems, you should consider how your health condition may affect your exercise and how much it would affect it and also how/what kinds of exercises may affect your health as well. If you have health problems, you should talk to your doctor too find out which activities are best for you and which exercises you should avoid participating in.
Busy?
Though you should get at least an hour of exercise daily, it's not necessary to do it all at once and try to cram it in at once into your busy schedule. Breaking it up and doing your exercise in groups of minutes is fine too.
For example: Getting a few minutes of strength and flexibility exercises such as yoga, push-ups, and/or squats in the morning and going for a run or jog in the evening for some cardio.
Another way to get your daily exercise is to exercise as a way to get somewhere. For example, walking or biking to school instead of getting a car ride. This saves time so you don't have to set up extra time for exercise, plus, it's beneficial to the environment!
Don't Overdo It!
Even if you haven't been exercising, it's still not too late to start. The good thing about exercising is that you're never too late to start, and you don't have to go straight into intense workout in the gym as soon as you decide to start. Even the littlest activities help your body and help you get started. For example, taking your dog on a walk not only benefits your pet, but also gives yourself the exercise you need as well. Other options are jogging or running around the neighborhood or going for a short bike ride. These little activities benefit your body and help you get used to physical activity.
Also, even if you are already getting regular, daily exercise for a minimum of 60 minutes, try to keep exercising even after you graduate from high school and get into college or get a job to stay healthy even after your school years. It's easy to get caught up in the busy life of a college student or after you get a job and forget about staying fit, but it is still important. So what you do now can also affect you after your teenage years. If your body is in the good habit of exercising, it will be easier to continue even after graduating compared to trying to start exercising suddenly, when you're even busier than before.
However, just like anything else, too much of anything, including exercise, is not a good thing. Exercise is, without a doubt, a very good and important way to maintain physical health and a healthy weight, but overdoing it to lose weight is not good for your body, especially for teens, whose bodies are still growing. Your body needs enough calories to function properly, so exercising should be controlled.
If you are part of a high school sport, instead of focusing on one sport too much, participating in different sports can help you use and develop different skills and muscles and can also help avoid injuries.
Though you should get at least an hour of exercise daily, it's not necessary to do it all at once and try to cram it in at once into your busy schedule. Breaking it up and doing your exercise in groups of minutes is fine too.
For example: Getting a few minutes of strength and flexibility exercises such as yoga, push-ups, and/or squats in the morning and going for a run or jog in the evening for some cardio.
Another way to get your daily exercise is to exercise as a way to get somewhere. For example, walking or biking to school instead of getting a car ride. This saves time so you don't have to set up extra time for exercise, plus, it's beneficial to the environment!
Don't Overdo It!
Even if you haven't been exercising, it's still not too late to start. The good thing about exercising is that you're never too late to start, and you don't have to go straight into intense workout in the gym as soon as you decide to start. Even the littlest activities help your body and help you get started. For example, taking your dog on a walk not only benefits your pet, but also gives yourself the exercise you need as well. Other options are jogging or running around the neighborhood or going for a short bike ride. These little activities benefit your body and help you get used to physical activity.
Also, even if you are already getting regular, daily exercise for a minimum of 60 minutes, try to keep exercising even after you graduate from high school and get into college or get a job to stay healthy even after your school years. It's easy to get caught up in the busy life of a college student or after you get a job and forget about staying fit, but it is still important. So what you do now can also affect you after your teenage years. If your body is in the good habit of exercising, it will be easier to continue even after graduating compared to trying to start exercising suddenly, when you're even busier than before.
However, just like anything else, too much of anything, including exercise, is not a good thing. Exercise is, without a doubt, a very good and important way to maintain physical health and a healthy weight, but overdoing it to lose weight is not good for your body, especially for teens, whose bodies are still growing. Your body needs enough calories to function properly, so exercising should be controlled.
If you are part of a high school sport, instead of focusing on one sport too much, participating in different sports can help you use and develop different skills and muscles and can also help avoid injuries.