Why Exercise ?
Maintaining a normal bodyweight and taking regular exercise are 2 major areas of life which we can address to improve our health.
Regular exercise helps reduce the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, some cancers, osteoporosis, dementia, depression.
Increasing your % muscle and / or reducing your % body fat lowers the risk of death from all causes LowerRiskMuscle
Regular exercisers gain the greatest benefits over their lifetime and they can minimise biological aging, i.e. "Bend the Aging Curve BendAge
Recent Research showed that lack of exercise is twice as likely to lead to premature death as being obese (BMI 30 -35)
Body Fat, Exercise & Diet
People who maintain their weight through diet alone without exercise are likely to have major deposits of visceral fat (the more dangerous kind around organs), even if BMI is ok.
They are TOFIs (Thin Outside, Fat Inside)
A MRI study found that:
45 % of women and nearly 60% of men with “healthy” BMI, had excessive levels of visceral fat i.e. clinically overweight
A Can J Card study showed visceral fat can be burned off via exercise, even if weight is unchanged (increased lean mass)
Hormesis
Hormesis, see Mattson , BlackSwan and Stronger is cutting edge science for nutrition & fitness.
Its principles are that alternating between “extremes” - e.g. feast & fast (5:2 / IF) , intense training & rest (HIIT) - makes the body more resilient.
The intermittent stress of lifting an extreme weight or performing at high speed for a short period pushes the body to overcompensate and prepare for an even greater future challenge HormesisTrain , Hormesis-Edge , and AntiFragile
The following recovery period avoids damage from over-stressing.
Fasted training
i.e. training on FDs (Fast Days), seems to increase the benefits of both training and IF.
Most experienced exercisers soon manage fasted training without loss of performance for sessions of up to 90 mins.
TYPES of Exercise
Main types: Aerobic, anaerobic, flexibility.
All exercise will burn fat, the more intense the faster the fat burn
Anaerobic
e.g. HIIT (see below), sprints, strength training
. Shorter training period
. Increases the RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate) for up to 48 hrs
. Soon increases fitness
. May help correct insulin metabolism issues & target abs fat.
Aerobic
e.g. walking, running, cycling, swimming
. Longer training period
. May burn more calories during exercise, if it is lasts much longer than HIIT, but burns fewer afterwards
. It is easier to do for the less fit
Flexibility, Stability, Relaxation
e.g. yoga, stretching
The best exercise routine is one you enjoy and is sustainable.
HIIT cardio and resistance training / weight lifting are especially recommended to boost the effect of 5:2/IF, to increase weight loss, reduce body fat, retain muscle and maintain TDEE / BMR.
HOW to Exercise
If you are a very overweight unfit beginner:
. Check with your GP before starting exercise
. Start by walking 5-10 mins twice per day, gradually increase
. Try walk intervals: alternating 1 min faster pace, 1 min normal
. Build up to a brisk 30 mins daily walk and you will significantly improve your health & fitness
. Swimming is also good, preferably crawl or back stroke for less strain on back & joints.
Everyone Else:
Whether you join a gym or train at home or in the park:
- Train as intensively as your time, health and fitness level allow.
- Do not remain in your comfort zone, or you will not improve. But stop immediately if you feel any sharp pain.
- You are supposed to drip sweat and pant heavily !
Efficiency / Intensity: This Study proved that at speeds of 5mph or faster, running will burn more calories per mile than walking
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training)
HIIT is an exercise strategy which alternates brief intervals of high intensity exercise with less intense recovery periods
. Very time-efficient, producing the greatest fitness benefit in the least time (the advantage of hormesis)
. Increases both aerobic and anaerobic endurance
. May improve insulin metabolism, very important for health and abs fat.
. Reduces risk of heart problems more than doing lower intensity SteadyState , pp. 31-34.
HIIT can be applied to cardio or to bodyweight exercises, at home or gym.
Most gyms offer HIIT classes, e.g. spinning, circuit training, CrossFit, Tabata, Fartlek (=HIIT with irregular intervals)
FAST Exercise
"No time" to exercise ?
Or want to boost fitness & fat-burning metabolism
Dr Mosely developed a FastExerciseProgram to complement his 5:2 WOE
His Fast HIIT and strength routines can significantly improve metabolism & fat-burning capability
Other scientists like Tabata have developed routines now wisely incorporated in training.
HIIT Fitness Blasts
A few mins per day, 3-5 days per week
START with 2 mins warmup then EITHER
Sprint or Rope-skipping intervals
. 1 minute sprinting / skipping @ max effort +90 secs jogging to recover
. Do 5 intervals
OR
Fast Blasts
Choose from:
Running, stationary bike @ low resistance, rope-skipping, burpees, jumping jacks, spotty dog, punching air or bag, step-ups, swimming, squats, lunges, pressups, tricep dips, situps ... or any combination you like.
Choose type of Blast:
4-minute Blast
. 4 mins @ 90% effort
OR "Tabata" = 8 x intervals of 20 secs @ 100% effort + 10 secs recovery @ rest or slow speed
( FreeTimerApp )
OR 2 x20-sec intervals=
. 20-sec @ 100% effort
. 2 mins walk to recover
. 20-sec @ 100% effort
END any HIIT or Fat Blast with a few mins cooldown walk / jog
RESISTANCE Training / LIFTING
Helps retain muscle mass during weight loss and hence to maintain TDEE.
Lift at home / in the gym weights area / in a pump class.
It is best not to train the same muscle groups 2 days in succession, so have rest days, or cardio, or train different muscle groups on different days.
Try to build up to weight training for 30-60 mins twice per week.
Reps = the number of repetitions in a set of lifts
Sets are separated by brief rests
E.g. 3 sets of 12 reps = 36 lifts
Breathing: Inhale before lifting, exhale while lifting. Don't hold your breath.
WARNING
Do not lift massively heavy barbells, more than bodyweight, unless you are really fit with good technique.
Women who have given birth and / or are aged 40+ have a higher risk of pelvic floor / prolapse injuries when lifting heavy than young non-mums.
Press ups
Video
- The best upper body exercise
- Keep attempting one full pressup rather than doing several dozen girlie ones with your knees on the floor
- Once you can do one pressup, you will soon be able to build up to 5, then 10 etc.
-
Tip: keep the abs rigid, so strong abs are as important as strong shoulders & arms
- Hand Release Pressups are good to build up strength for full ones
- Also build up via inclined pressups IncPress , see bottom of wiki page
- To increase the number of pushups IncNum
ATG Arse To Grass bodyweight squat
- The best exercise for the large muscle group in bum and thighs
- Basic principle: It is like having a pee on a public loo - get your bum down low and pointing to the rear, but not actually touching the seat
-Lean back on your heels, so that weight is on them, not on your toes
- Bring your arms forward
- Keep your back straight, but angled slightly forward, not vertical
- Squat down as far as you can without knee pain or hunching your back
- Push up from your heels, exhaling.
Pullups
- Very few women can do full ones, but assisted ones build excellent muscle
- Work the same muscles with the much easier Australian pullup / InvertedRow
If you have access to dumbbells / barbells, then for maximum effect, work the large muscle groups:
Squat BentOverRow (press button "female")
BehindNeckPress (press button "female")
DeadLift
To increase Strength
Lift as heavy as you can, low reps, with 1 minute rest between sets e.g. 5 sets x 5 reps each, i.e. totalling 25 lifts
To Build Muscle
Lift lower weight, 3 sets x 8-20 reps, i.e. totalling 24-60 lifts
To Build Endurance
Lift lower (NOT Girlie) weight for 3-5 mins, preferably without pauses
BUM / GLUTES
Squats & lunges are excellent
Also this 2-min bodyweight workout especially for women, targeting the bum:
WorkYourBum
ABS
Choose the exercises & number of reps for your fitness level
The plank
. Start at 2 x 15 secs. Build up to 2 x 45 secs
. Advanced:
- Use TRX slings, picture 2
Side plank + hip raises
. If you can, keep the side of 1 foot plus 1 forearm on the floor, free arm straight up in the air, picture 3
. Easier - free hand on your hip. Easier still - keep calf & knee on the floor, instead of bent at the knees
. Start at 3 sets of 3. Build up to 3 x 30
Leg raises
. Lie flat on your back, with legs bent to 90 degrees
. Lower the legs one at a time to 1" above the floor (straight leg if you can) then raise again
. Start at 3 sets of 3 each leg. Build up to 3 x 15
. Advanced:
- Lower both legs at the same time
Situps
. Hands forward to really work abs & avoid pulling the neck
. Alternatively, cross your arms over your chest
. Start at 3 sets of 3. Build up to 3 x 30
. Advanced:
- Raise legs to 90 degrees & bring them towards you when you situp (double crunch)
- Legs nearly flat on the floor
- One leg bent at 90 degrees, the other held straight 1" above the floor
- Hold a weight disc / dumbbells / barbell above your head
Angled Situps
. Lie on your back and rest one ankle on the opposite knee
. Angled situp so your opposite elbow touches the knee
. Keep the other hand be in the air by your knee, or alternatively supporting your head - do NOT pull on the neck
. Build up to 3 sets of 20 each side
. Advanced:
- with dumbell
- Situps with legs rotated 90 degrees to the left, resting on floor. Then repeat set with legs rotated to the right, on floor
- Lie on the floor, rotate legs 90 degrees to the left. Raise and lower legs like that, keeping back on the floor. Repeat set with legs on other side
- Keep legs raised & rotated to the left and do situps (double side crunch) Repeat with legs raised & rotated to the right
AVOID OSTEOPOROSIS
To retain bone strength and avoid a painfully disabled old age, start now:
Ideally weight-bearing exercises that load the bone along its length of these types:
Impact exercise E.g. walking, running, jumping, skipping rope, step class, hitting a heavy punch bag
Lifting: squats, press-ups, bench press, overhead press etc
Squats are much better for osteoporosis than lunges, also for knees:
The weight in a squat is transmitted down along the spine, through the hip, and down along the bones of the leg, whereas in a lunge, it is transmitted across the shinbone and puts pressure on the knee joint
Cycling normally does NOT increase bone density, as it does not load bones along their length. Osteo
KETTLEBELLS Kettle
Beginners:
. Two-handed swing
. Sumo Deadlift
. Turkish Getup
. Swing
. Clean and Jerk
. Press
Improve GRIP STRENGTH GripStrength , GripBuild
RUNNERS
. Sprinting improves fitness
. Regular 5 - 10 km runs burn significant fat, especially fasted
Running illustrates the "J or S-curve" effect, where increasing exercise improves health, up to a certain point, after which health worsens e.g. MayoClinic , RiceUni , JMed :
. Running 20 mins improves immune system
. A run of 90+ mins may weaken the immune system for up to 3 days.
With insufficient recovery periods, the damage is cumulative.
Elite runners have immune systems that handle that strain
. Long races 20k+ may cause micro-tears to the heart muscle in some runners, hence a 2-week recovery period is recommended.
CALCULATORS:
Calories Burned for specific exercises: ExerciseCals
Fitness Calculators: 52FastExercise
Estimate fitness age: FitAge
Estimate Vo2Max iTunes App: Vo2APP
Running Calories burned: RunningCals
Running Standards: Age-RelatedRunCalculator
TDEE 24hr activity times & body fat TDEE-Detail