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Five
Phases of Exercise
Setting
the Stage for Fitness
When we are
active we burn calories and if we are active in a proper way, we
will burn fat calories. If we are active in an improper way, we
burn the protein in our muscles and vital organs or the carbohydrates
which supply our nervous system and brain. But what is proper exercise?
When we are
at the track we often see the guy who drives up, parks his car,
bolts out, commences to run around the track at top speed and after
5 minutes (or a few laps) stops, heads for his car and is off. At
the fitness clubs we see women jump into an in-progress aerobics
session, bounce around for a few minutes, and then walk off. No
doubt, they are congratulating themselves because they think they
have just exercised.
These people
are either unaware of or not phased/fazed by the importance of the
five phases of an exercise session. We have seen many people start
an exercise program with great intentions and then suddenly quit.
Usually, they quit because of pain and injury. Sometimes, they quit
because they don't see any results. The five basic steps to be followed at each exercise
session have proven to give optimal results and minimize the chance
of injury during exercise.
 1.
Warm Up
Function: To
prepare and "'alert" our body for the upcoming physical
activity.
A warm up at
the beginning of an exercise session is one of the best ways to
prevent pain and injury. Despite its importance, this step is often
ignored by exercisers - even experienced athletes
For a proper
warm up, simply perform the exercise at a slow pace for about 5
minutes (or until your pulse count is above 100 beats per minute-bpm).
For example, start your brisk walk with a slow 5 minute stroll or
be at your aerobics class at the beginning of the session (a good
instructor will always start the class with a warm up).
 2.
Pre-Exercise Stretch
Function: Relaxes and lengthens our muscles.
Once we have
warmed up our body (our pulse count is over 100 bpm), it is time
to stretch the muscles we are about to use. The leg stretches and
upper body stretches, shown on the opposite page, relax the muscles
that are used for walking a track or riding a bicycle. Relaxed muscles
tend to improve our efficiency and our performance as well as reducing
our risk of injury.
 3.
Exercise (for example; Walkaerobics)
Function: To improve cardiovascular fitness and/or burn body fat.
An aerobic activity
should increase our pulse count to 40% - 60% of our maximum heart
rate. The activity should be done for 12 - 30 minutes, not more
than 60 minutes per session.
Heart Rate Chart
determine your exercise heart
rate.
 4.
Cool Down
Function: To gradually return to resting state.
If we stop short
after exercising, it takes time for our body to regain homeostasis.
Meanwhile, our heart is still pumping at an accelerated pace and
blood pools in our extremities. We get swollen fingers and feet.
This causes dizziness because no blood, and therefore no oxygen,
is getting to our brain.
The cool down
is the same as the warm up, but in reverse. Just do the exercise
or previous activity at a slow, temperate pace for about 5 minutes
or until your heart rate has gone down below 100 bpm.
 5.
Post-Exercise Stretch
Function: Prevents soreness and increases flexibility.
This is the optimal time to stretch. Your body is warm and your
blood is pumping at a moderate pace so you can stretch further without
causing an injury. Besides increasing your flexibility, stretching
at this point squeezes out the excess waste products that have built
up in your muscles during exercise. If you do not stretch at this
time, the waste buildup causes muscle soreness and fatigue.
Chapter 13 Eat
Without Guilt 1991 Norma Goodridge Furman, Stash Furman et al .revised
July 27, 1997
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