Get doctor’s clearance before beginning any exercise program.
Exercising to improve your health doesn’t have to take hours. 10-20-30 minutes per day is better than zero minutes. Do some of the included workstation exercises, then run or walk for 5 or 10 minutes. It may not be a lot but it is better than zero. If you don’t have time to run during the day, go outside, get some fresh air and walk. Do something every day to improve your health.
We will cover 3 key points that can help improve your health
- Posture- Included is an exercise you can do at your workstation.
- Running for Heart Health – Do cardio exercise and improve heart health.
- Reducing Resting Heart Rate -How and why to track your resting heart rate
Posture
Good posture is very important in everything you do.
Please reference this video for posture exercises.
Do this exercise 5x day. “You Will Thrive Longer”
- tall and proud
- relaxed shoulders
- feet shoulder width
- tight abs
- hold each for 15-20 seconds
Running for Heart Health
Running is good for your heart and good for your head.
There are many good reasons to run (or walk):
- Cardio exercise increases chance of longer, healthier life.
- Studies show 1 in 4 Americans will die from heart disease.
- One study showed runners over the age of 50 had reduced mortality rate 20% in a given year, compared with sedentary people. Check out this video for more on this.
- Lower risk of health problems, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and type 2 diabetes
- Strengthens your bones and muscles
- Helps you burn calories
- Improve your overall fitness
- Lifts and enhances your mood
- Other cardio options: cycling/stationary bike, swimming, aqua jogging, rowing machine
3 General Rules for Exercise
- Have fun and start easy, walk/run, get outside. If you don’t have fun, you are doing something wrong!
- Stay healthy by building up slowly. Don’t do what you are not prepared for. Keep your heart rate (HR) in proper range, and exercise at conversational pace. Make the second half of your run faster than first half.
- Don’t Do Zero – Be consistent, gradually increase.
Like any regular physical activity, walking at a brisk pace also offers health benefits.
How much cardio exercise should you do for heart health?
According to the American Heart Association, you should be running or walking 3-5 days per week for 20-45 minutes.
Reducing Resting Heart Rate
A lower resting HR usually indicates a healthier heart.
More people die of heart disease each year than any other condition and being sedentary is one of the primary risk factors.
Aerobic exercise has a large effect on your resting heart rate and overall cardiovascular health. Any exercise that requires a sustained elevated heart rate improves your resting heart rate. Check your resting HR regularly first thing in the morning. The average for adults is 60-100 beats per minute. Well-trained athletes have a resting heart rate that can be 40 or less. As fitness improves, resting HR will come down.
The American Council on Exercise’s “Personal Trainer Manual” lists exercise adaptations as increased ventricle size, decreased exercise heart rate and increased stroke volume. In short, your heart can maintain a higher cardiac output with less effort.
Extended periods of elevated resting HR could indicate overtraining or illness and may indicate the need for extra rest/recovery.
So, what should be your goal heart rate?
- Heart rate during moderately intense activities is about 50-70% of your maximum heart rate.
- Heart rate during intense physical activity is about 70% to 90% of maximum heart rate.
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