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New Exercise Guidelines Include Strength, Balance Training
Should I walk or lift weights? How fast
should I walk? Is 30 minutes enough?
Starting a new workout routine
isn't easy. Figuring out what to do and how
much can be especially tough. But the benefits
of exercise make it worth sorting out
any confusion.
"Exercise improves metabolism, boosts
your concentration, and will give you more
energy," says Aristotelis Vlahos, M.D.,
a cardiologist with Riverview Medical
Center. "Exercise makes the whole body
more efficient."
Exercise also helps prevent injuries by
building muscle and strengthening bone.
"The more active we are, the better we stay in
shape, the better our core is strengthened, and
the better we prevent things like back strain
and hip fractures," explains Steven Friedel,
M.D., an orthopedic surgeon at Riverview
How to begin? Consider the newly updated
guidelines for adults age 65 and older from
the American College of Sports Medicine and
the American Heart Association.
What to Know Before You Start
The guidelines include both moderate and
vigorous physical activity. On a scale of one
to 10, moderately intense exercise means
you're working at a level five or six intensity.
At this effort, you still can carry on a
conversation. Walking briskly is one example.
Vigorous exercise, such as jogging, is a
level seven or eight intensity.
In addition, Dr. Vlahos stresses that these
guidelines give the minimum amount of exercise
necessary. "In a perfect world, I would
recommend 30 to 60 minutes of vigorous
exercise, five to six days a week." That's because
exercising more will further improve your fitness,
help you lose weight, and reduce your
risk for health conditions such as heart disease.
The New Guidelines
The guidelines, updated in 2007, offer the
following advice for older adults:
- Engage in moderate exercise 30 minutes
a day, five days a week, OR vigorous exercise
20 minutes a day, three days a week.
- Perform eight to 10 strength-training
exercises, 10 to 15 repetitions of each,
two to three times a week. Strength training,
such as weight lifting, helps prevent
muscle and bone loss.
- Practice balance exercises to reduce your
risk for falls. Ask your doctor for suggestions
to get you started.
- Put together an activity plan with the
help of health professionals. This will
ensure you stay safe and get the most
benefit from your workout.
"It's important to start slowly if you
have not been active," cautions Dr. Friedel.
"A walk around the block, maybe five or
10 minutes, is a good place to start. Then
increase your time every other week."
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