Tips for physical exercise, where to start?

Published: 15 June, 2019 - Updated: 30 July, 2020 | 5'

Exercising regularly is one of the best actions to enjoy a good health because of the many benefits it has for the body and for all its internal processes. In order to take advantage of them all, some previous recommendations should be taken into account.

Exercising regularly is one of the best actions to enjoy a good health because of the many benefits it has for the body and for all its internal processes.

For this reason, it is important to stay active throughout the day and have a routine that allows us to be consistent in our practice in order to take advantage of all its benefits. Although, if it has never been carried out regularly, it is worth taking into account some previous recommendations.

Benefits of exercising

In addition to improving our overall physical condition, the main benefit of regular exercise is the reduction of the risk of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease.

Exercise gives us the opportunity to relax or participate in activities that make us feel better, either alone or in a tema.

Exercise controls weight. It can help prevent excess weight and even obesity by burning calories during its practice. The more strenuous the activity, the more calories are burned.
Exercise helps prevent health conditions and disease. Staying active increases levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the so-called "good" cholesterol, and lowers unhealthy triglycerides. This allows a good blood circulation, thus decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition to this, it helps improve cognitive function.
It improves the state of mind. Exercise is one of the best emotional stimuli since it influences the production of brain chemicals such as serotonin and endorphins, which are related to the feeling of well-being.
It increases energy. Physical activity provides oxygen and nutrients to the tissues, thus helping to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system. This also causes an increase in muscle strength and endurance, having more energy in our daily life.
It promotes better rest. Exercise can help you sleep better and fall asleep faster. Practising it before bedtime should be avoided because of the stimulation and energy it causes in our body.
It improves one’s sex life. This is directly related to the increase in energy caused by sport. Also, men who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction. In women, physical fitness may help improve arousal.

Types of physical exercise

There are different types of physical exercise and, therefore, a great variety of ways to practice sport. It is important to choose the right exercise that best suits us depending on the objectives we want to achieve.

A combination of several exercises is also possible. All of them are divided into aerobic or anaerobic exercises.

Aerobic exercise

Aerobic exercise is known as anything that involves a significant increase in breathing and heart rate over a period of time. An example of this type of exercise is cardiovascular conditioning, better known as "cardio".

In this type of exercise, the level of oxygen in the blood increases, also improving the flow of blood to the muscles. Aerobic exercise often helps to increase our stamina.

Anaerobic exercise

Anaerobic exercise requires rapid bursts of energy and maximum effort for a short period of time. Examples include jumping, weightlifting, sprinting, or high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

Instead of oxygen, as in aerobic exercise, the body gets energy without the need to use it.

Recommendations and advice before physical activity

If exercise has not previously been done regularly, guidelines (tips) or precautions should be taken to ensure that it is done correctly and appropriately for each person's physical condition.

If you have heart disease, asthma, diabetes, or other health problems, it is advisable to consult your doctor or a personal trainer to adapt your exercise routine.
Listen to your body. If you feel pain or discomfort during the practice of any exercise, take a rest and continue only if it disappears, progressively and smoothly. If the pain or discomfort does not go away, it is not recommended to continue as this could lead to an injury.
Drinking water and staying hydrated before and during exercise is essential for the proper functioning of our bodies, especially when we are exposed to physical stress.
At high temperatures, water intake should be increased and, in the case of physical activity outdoors, the midday hours should be avoided and creams with a sun protection factor should be used.
High-intensity exercise is not recommended immediately after main meals.
If there are low temperatures and/or wind, the sensation of water loss is reduced so rehydration must be well programmed.
It is essential to use comfortable clothing that allows complete mobility as well as footwear suited to the type of exercise to avoid injuries.

Starting an exercise routine

When it comes to exercise, ideally you should start with warm-up exercises. As recommended by the Physiotherapist and Technician in Physical Activities, Marta Pérez: "For young and middle-aged people who do not have any chronic pathology, I recommend starting with warm-up exercises in a progressive way", she says. While "for older people or those with some pathology, I would start by doing breathing exercises, a type of therapeutic physiotherapy to be able to reach greater resistance and support when doing physical activities, and to avoid fatigue".

Warm-up exercises

Therefore, before practicing any physical activity, it is recommended to warm up with dynamic stretching, which are active movements that warm up and flex the muscles. Warming up is aimed at increasing the heart rate and oxygen to the muscles.

You should start with a slower, easier version of the exercise to be performed. For example, if you go for a run, finish your warm-up with a brisk walk, or if you lift weights, start with some light weight repetitions.

Flexibility and stretching

It is important not to confuse warming up with stretching, as stretching is recommended for after physical activity and thus keeping muscles healthy.

Regular stretching will also increase the flexibility of the muscles and extend the range of movement of the joints, and therefore:

· Improves the performance of physical activities.

· Reduces the risk of injury.

· Allows the muscles to work more efficiently.

Following again the recommendations of the physiotherapist Marta Perez, the training session can be ended with therapeutic stretching, "it is a way to get the cardio-respiratory rhythm back to normal in a smooth and gradual way. Since, after doing some exercises that are intense, it is not good to finish the activities in a rigorous way. Such sudden changes in heart rate are not recommended."

Adapt your routine to your goals

Strength training

Strength exercises, which are included in anaerobic exercises, are all those that involve the muscle working more than normal using body weight or working against resistance. Practicing this type of exercise increases the strength and size of the muscles as well as their power and endurance.

Thus, for muscle strengthening, you can lift weights, work with resistance bands, cycling and other exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups and squats.

If the goal is to gain strength and muscle mass, this type of training should be performed two or more times per week.

Cardio exercise

Cardiovascular exercise is anything that raises the heart rate and its practice is essential to maintain a good physical condition. For this reason, it is advisable to combine it with anaerobic exercise.

Practicing cardio regularly can help you lose weight, or control it, and sleep better. Cardio exercises usually do not include working with extra weight, so they are done with body weight at high speed and include jumping jacks, burpees or skipping.

Cardio activities include running, elliptical training, cycling, swimming or circuit training.

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