Movement of our bodies in focused and intended ways heaps plenty of benefits upon them. There are so many ways to move the body that I am puzzled why more people don't participate in some kind of exercise program.
Whether it is walking, running, dance, martial arts or some other activity, the body collects healthy rewards. The nature of moving our individual body parts to benefit the whole reveals itself to fit any lifestyle, both in time and space. The only suitable excuse to not exercise is by being in a coma or completely paralyzed.
For many (maybe most) people, walking is the ideal way of moving their bodies and gaining the benefits thereof. Almost every joint and muscle in the body is moved and therefore benefited. Moving the joints consistently from an early age can prevent arthritis from ever occurring. The body's heart rate accelerates causing an increased amount of blood to flow through the arteries and veins bringing life-giving oxygen to all parts of the body. Simultaneously metabolism increases causing a greater expenditure of calories and reduction of stored fat. Being outside brings its own rewards depending where the walking takes place. The health benefits from a simple walk far outweigh the effort and possible discomfort for some. Obviously, a brisk walk brings greater benefit then a slow one, but even strolling down a path among natural surroundings beats sitting in front of a TV. When anticipating jogging or running as a lifelong practice, walking is the perfect way to start. Articles on this Web site concerning various aspects of walking might help you obtain the appropriate shoes or pick the ideal pace and starting point physically.
Once a daily walk becomes the norm and feels comfortable, the devotee can move into the more arduous activity of jogging if that is desired. Benefits as well as challenges increase as the speed at which each foot falls in front of the other also increases. However, since the walker-become-runner has gotten the body aligned to the process, challenges are overcome quickly. Jogging exerts more pressure and strain on the many joints of the legs and feet, e.g., ankles and knees, and should be recognized. I suggest either skipping a day altogether, or walking on the non-jogging day until your legs get used to the new routine. Jogging need be only slightly faster then the brisk walking stage attained before changing methods. As your body becomes acclimated to the pace it can be increased and/or so can the distance. Your body's response to the exercise is your gage for maintaining or increasing the pace and distance. The idea is to get your heart rate up to a certain plateau and maintain it for about ten minutes, which varies for age and condition. If that is of interest, the formula probably can be found elsewhere on this Web site or most certainly at the nearest gym, or a book at the library.
If walking and/or jogging maintain the health "quota" you've created for yourself then stick to it. I've jogged at about the same level for almost 30 years and have never felt a need to increase my pace to where I moved at a "running" speed. If running is the goal, then once a person has maintained a reasonable jogging routine for a while all that needs doing is to keep increasing the pace. Soon the body's whole response changes again and adjustments need to be made. Again benefits and challenges shift into a new phase especially if the goal is competition. There are many articles on the Web site explaining the running life in detail and I refer you to them.
The walking, jogging or running activity can become the sole "movement" routine within your life or an adjunct to others. I discovered and have practiced Tai Chi for a decade, and enjoy benefits quite different from running. While running benefits my cardiovascular system as well as other aspects my body-system, it remains an external activity. Tai Chi and other martial art practices are internal and deal more with the mind and energy movement. I've written several articles along with other contributors on the benefits of Tai Chi and refer you to them for more detail and explanation. Other martial art practices such as Chi Kung and Kung Fu can also be found by searching the Web site. The idea here is to introduce the reader to various types of movement so a person can view the choices, and make one that most closely matches his or her lifestyle.
Dance is the term I use loosely to describe movement to music apart from doing something like Tai Chi or Yoga with music. Our bodies seem to have an affinity for music and respond in various ways when exposed to it. If we can take the foot tapping or arm/hand movement a step further and move our entire bodies to music, we've begun to dance. It need go no further then that. Letting the body go and allowing our arms, legs, hands, butts and heads to just flow with the rhythm might reveal an aspect of music never before experienced. While aerobic dancing and other exercise routines use music for their rhythmic flow, unstructured dance movement is just that -- unstructured movement. But you will find a structure, or not, depending on what feels right. The point is that dancing to music with or without structure is an aerobic activity if kept up to meet the aforementioned criteria of heartbeats per minute if that is the goal. Like any other aerobic routine it can be done inside within a small space -- sometimes a required limitation.
There are a multitude of aerobic dances and similar routines available to the practitioner such as kickboxing and Tae Bo, but be aware that they are for people who are already at a level of fitness beyond the average. The faster and longer the activity, whether it is to music, requires considerably more physical endurance. The more strenuous aerobic routines should be entered with caution. A physical checkup might be advisable if you aren't certain about your body's condition.
Yoga and similar practices work with energy and don't have the aerobic aspect to be concerned with. Besides the many Yoga articles on this Web site, plenty of video tapes/DVDs are available to lead you through the easy and highly beneficial routines. Age and physical condition are not so much a concern as with the more active routines, and practices like the Alexander Technique have joined Yoga with its widespread availability to everyone.
Choosing a "movement" routine is simple, because there is a multitude of them available. If movement and exercise is new to you then list the criteria you desire for using a practice. Age, physical condition, health challenges, time, space and goal might do for starters. Beside each criterion put what limitations might exist, such as a small space or only having ten minutes available every morning. Health challenges and physical condition might cause you to check with a physician before beginning any routine at all. Once you've narrowed the goal and limitations down, look for a practice that not only meets them, but also feels right emotionally. For example, I'm not that particular about running, but I love doing Tai Chi. So pick something that will be beneficial health-wise, but also FUN.
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