Freedom Health & Fitness - Importance of Health and Fitness

Benefits of Physical Exercise

It has been scientifically proven that being physically active provides a seemingly endless number of overall health benefits to all of us. Some of the short-term benefits include improved quality of life and added energy and some of the long-term benefits can include reducing the risk of serious illness and disease.

Some of the additional benefits of physical activity include:

A Healthier Heart	Regular cardiovascular activity will improve the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles. It will also improve cardio-pulmonary function, decrease blood pressure and lower your resting heart rate.
More Energy	Regular and structured physical activity will increase the efficiency of the body’s energy systems. This added energy will result in a heightened stamina level and will better enable you to perform your various daily tasks.
Healthier muscles, bones, and joints	A structured exercise program consisting of strength, endurance and flexibility training can result in increased muscular strength and endurance, stronger bones and increased functionality of joints.
Burn more calories	Regular cardiovascular exercise along with resistance training will increase your metabolism and better enable you to burn calories. Generally, as we age, our metabolism tends to slow down. By staying active and following a structured exercise program, you can curtail this metabolism slowing process.
Relieve stress	Physical exercise has been proven to have a positive effect on stress and anxiety. Regular exercise helps to bring focus and balance into our life and has been shown to calm the mind and relax the body.
Better quality of sleep	Physically active individuals generally fall asleep faster and enjoy a more restful sleep than people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
Live longer, Live better	Individuals who lead an active lifestyle generally live a longer, healthier and more productive life than those who do not exercise.
Prevent Illness	Regular physical activity can delay or eliminate the onset of many potentially debilitating illness. In addition to being useful in curtailing the onset of other aliments, exercise has been scientifically proven to be beneficial in combating the following diseases: Stroke Coronary heart disease Type 2 Diabetes High Blood Pressure Obesity
Improve your physical appearance	Generally, physically active individuals benefit from an improved appearance and body composition - lean muscle versus body fat - and an enhanced social life.
Improve your lifestyle	Some of the benefits of physical activity will be evident soon after you begin your structured exercise program. However, the most important health benefits require ongoing maintenance, progression and encouragement. It really is a lifestyle change! Continued success entails consistency and commitment.

As you can see, there are numerous and tremendous benefits to physical fitness. To get on course to a healthier, more vibrant you, click here.

The Components of Fitness

A balanced fitness program is comprised of five key components.

1. Warm Up:	A warm up consists of 5 – 15 minutes of preparatory work prior to commencing any structured exercise program. A proper warm up consists of light to moderate rhythmical activity and stretching. The activities should utilize the major muscle groups and joints. Warm ups provide the following benefits: Increases body temperature Increases muscle elasticity Increases heart rate and blood flow to the working muscles Increases respiratory rate Increases the viscosity of joint fluids Mentally prepares individuals for their workout Reduces the risk of injury
2. Flexibility:	Flexibility is a joint's ability to move through a full range of motion. Flexibility assists in balancing muscle groups that might be overused during exercise or physical activity or as a result of bad posture. A good flexibility program provides the following benefits. Improved Physical Performance and Decreased Risk of Injury Reduced Muscle Soreness and Improved Posture Reduced Risk of Low Back Pain Improved Transport of Blood and Nutrients to Tissues Improved Muscle Coordination Enhanced Enjoyment of Physical Activities
3. Cardiovascular / Aerobic exercise:	Cardiovascular fitness is the body’s ability to deliver oxygen to the working muscles. To prevent injury and ensure effectiveness, the guidelines for cardiovascular fitness should follow the F.I.T.T. principal: Frequency: Generally, a structured exercise program will be comprised of at least 3 cardiovascular workouts per week and should allow for adequate rest between exercises. Intensity: Exercise intensity will vary from person to person. Some of the factors that may influence exercise intensity include: physical conditioning, health considerations and specific goals. Time: A typical cardiovascular session may range from 20-60 minutes to gain significant cardio-respiratory and fat burning-benefits. The minimum duration for cardiovascular exercise should be 20 minutes. Type: Cardiovascular exercise should consist of continuous, rhythmic pumping of large muscles to increase oxygen demands, and blood flow back to the heart.
4. Resistance training:	Resistance training involves lifting weight or working muscles against resistance. Some of the benefits of resistance training include the following: Improved muscular strength Improved strength of tendons and ligaments Improved range of motion of joints Reduced body fat and increased lean muscle mass Potentially decreases resting blood pressure Improved changes in blood cholesterol Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity Improved strength, balance, and functional ability in older adults
5. Cool down:	An exercise program should be followed by a cool-down. The cool down period generally lasts between 5 – 15 minutes. A typical cool down routine should consist of low intensity rhythmical activities and some form of stretching. A proper cool down routine will aid in the following areas Increases flexibility Prevents venous blood pooling Reduces the recovery time between exercises Aids in the dissipation of waste products – such as lactic acid Reduces the potential for injury or muscle soreness Reduces the level of adrenaline in the blood All of our fitness programs consist of the 5 key fitness elements outlined above. For more information about our proven and progressive programs, please click here.