With a chill in the air and days
getting shorter, some people
put away their workout shoes
and take the winter off. Others
take their workout routines
from outdoors to indoors.
Regular exercise is essential
for good health. It helps to improve
weight loss and maintain
healthy weight. Just 30 minutes of exercise a day can
provide protection against heart disease and breast
and colon cancer. It slows the progression of osteoporosis,
offsets the pain and inconvenience of arthritis,
and strengthens and maintains healthy muscles, which
helps to prevent injury. Additionally, it increases mental
capacity while elevating mood, reducing depression
and anxiety, and improving sexual function, sleep, metabolism
and digestion. When moving workouts back
indoors, here are a few tips to get the most out of your
workout and prevent injury.
1. See your chiropractor. Balance within your
body is essential for good health. Regular visits to
your chiropractor keep your body balanced, allowing
your nervous system to function at its optimal level.
That means better workouts, faster results and prevention
of injury. In addition to care of your spine,
feet/ankles, knees, hips, elbows, hands/wrists and
shoulders, a chiropractor can help create a balanced
nutritional program which provides your body with
the fuel that it needs for exercise and recommend
your best specific stretching routine.
2. Find an activity that you like to do. Take it
from someone who likes to run – even outdoors in
winter - once you find an exercise you truly enjoy doing,
your body starts to crave more! Choose activities
that are “doable” so you don’t get discouraged and
give up.
Warm-up is a must. It prepares your body for a
good cardio workout by revving up the blood flow
to your heart and lungs. As your muscles contract
and demand more oxygen, it increases your heart
rate, cardiac output and breathing rate. Your blood
temperature rises in preparation for activity and, as
oxygen is released more quickly, the temperature of
the muscles also increases, allowing your muscles to
burn calories and exert energy for more exercise.
Starting slow will increase your endurance and
strength without increasing the risk of injury. Try
beginning with 15 minutes of cardiovascular workout
and work up to 30 minutes or more. Walking
and jogging on the indoor track are great cardio
workouts; just make sure to alternate your direction
on the track to prevent injury. Other great indoor
cardio workouts include using elliptical machines,
treadmills, stationary bikes and stair climbers.
3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Whether
trying out a new piece of exercise equipment, or
tackling weight training, it is essential to understand
how to be safe and use the equipment properly. Far
too many injuries occur because of improper use of
equipment or poor technique.
4. Introduce a stretching program. Flexibility
is essential at all ages. Stretching can prepare your
body before the strain of exercise and, during cool
down, relieve the strain after exercise by increasing
the circulation, which provides essential nutrients
and oxygen to the tissues while flushing out the
waste products. Stretching is great for preventing
injury, and it decreases muscle stiffness while
increasing range of motion and slowing the degeneration
of joints. Each stretch should last about 30
seconds per muscle. A word of caution: bouncing
can cause micro-tears in the muscle, increasing the
likelihood of pain.
5. Develop core stability. A strong “core”
is essential in exercise. The core muscles of
your back and abdominal region help to maintain
good posture and strength during exercise.
Core stability exercises like Yoga, balance
ball workouts and core-specific weight training,
help to keep your lower back and torso strong.
It is never too late to start!! Whatever you decide
to do for exercise this fall/winter season- whether
indoors or outdoors - make it a part of your daily life.
Even 10 minutes of exercise on a busy day is better
than nothing at all and your body will thank you in
the years to come. Making a commitment to taking
care of our amazing bodies is a lifestyle that pays off!
Dr. Michele Green is a board-certified Chiropractic
Physician with Johnson Chiropractic in Cedar Falls.
She works very closely with athletes, pregnant moms,
newborn babies and patients of all ages, helping them
gain understanding of how the body works and how to
help it work more optimally, including care of the spine
and joints, balanced nutrition and regular exercise. An
avid marathon runner, she carries the importance of
being healthy and strong into everyday life.
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