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Fitness experts at the American Council on Exercise offer these tips for a safe and effective workout:
- Research shows that even ten minutes of exercise can provide important health benefits. Not having a full hour to exercise is no reason to skip your workout.
- Most people tend to focus on certain muscles, such as the abdominals or biceps. To achieve a strong, balanced body, you have to train all muscle groups.
- Never changing your workout can lead to boredom, plateaus and injury. Swimming, walking, bicycling, and using elliptical machines are all good choices.
- Unrealistic and vague goals are among the leading causes of exercise dropout. The key is to establish a training goal that is specific and appropriate for your fitness and skill levels--a bit challenging but not overly difficult.
- Before every exercise session, start with a five- to 10-minute warm-up. Afterwards, take a few minutes to lower your heart rate and stretch your muscles. This improves flexibility and also helps prepare the body for your next workout.
- Do the talk test. If you can carry on a conversation while exercising, you are probably within the safe zone of 50 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate (max HR). Using a heart-rate monitor will help keep a close watch on your actual heart rate. Monitors with straps are most accurate, and many will determine your max HR automatically.
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