Popular Fun Activities

Beginning an exercise regimen can be hard to commit to, causing many individuals to be unsuccessful in being consistent with it. Medical experts at the Mayo Clinic advise that people see their doctor before embarking on any exercise or weight loss regimen because every individual is unique and may have medical conditions or challenges that must first be addressed. Most experts also state that some heart conditions or bone issues may pose risks to individuals performing anaerobic exercise. This includes any style of weight lifting activities. After an individual has been approved for activity and lifestyle changes by their doctor, it is suggested to begin slowly if their daily regimen has not previously included exercise. Starting slowly with a 3 to 3.5 MPH stroll for 20 -60 minutes, depending upon the person’s conditioning level, is a perfect place to start.

How to Deal with Challenges in the First Weeks

Walking not only increases heart rate, but it also increases the flow of blood to each muscle and provides the start of a faster metabolism. When getting ready for an athletic event or team sporting game, start with an hour of vigorous walking (at a rate of about 4 to 4.5 MPH) for the beginning week with 2-minute runs every 5 minutes. Weight loss is also a result of this type of interval training, as recommended by personal trainers. If an individual has a significant amount of excess pounds to lose and is experiencing pain in their feet, the issue is probably flat feet. Get a doctor’s opinion right away before continuing an exercise plan. Treatment for flat feet that is sought right away in one’s exercise regimen can halt more severe foot problems from occurring later.

Moving Past the Beginner’s Stage

The next 2 weeks of the plan should hone in on endurance training. Providing your muscles with the vital oxygen they should have during activity results in an increased ability to exercise for longer spans of time. Whether briskly jogging or otherwise, your heart will adjust the way it pumps as it begins to meet the muscles’ needs for more oxygen in the blood. The next step is to increase running intervals for weeks 4 and 5 by jogging for five minutes and walking for 2 minutes. For those just starting out, keep up the activity for thirty minutes; others should continue for up to 60 minutes. If foot issues arise in this period of training, make an appointment with a physician about possible plantar fasciitis, a frequent ailment among athetes. These types of conditions causes painful tears and swelling in the foot tissues. Ask the specialist about exercises for plantar fasciitis that remedy the problem. The best treatment is continuous therapy including exercises for plantar fasciitis.

The Final Weeks Reap the Biggest Rewards

If you get enthusiastic and decide to go to the next level, in the final period of conditioning for a competition, or for those who are simply trying to improve their health is to go running for 10 minutes and stroll for 1 minute. By now, beginners should be able to keep this pace for a full 30-40 minutes and advanced runners preparing for their competitive event should maintain this pace for 60 minutes. Whether the goal is to lose weight or increase stamina, a jogging routine like this will improve cardiovascular health from the beginning. If painful feet proceed to be a problem at this stage and treatment has already been received, try wearing running arch supports. These arch supports not only supply support and cushioning for optimal comfort, they can prevent injuries by counteracting the effects of over-pronation.

Filed under: Recreation and Sports on August 27th, 2009