With spring here, we tend to get that little burst of energy. Longer, brighter days, with the thought of that wonderful summer approaching - why not try a new outdoor activity? The more activities you do during the week, the better your health and quality of life. One of the fun aspects of exercise is that you can choose from many different activities that promote fitness. You can select one or a combination of activities that fit your lifestyle. The choice should be base on personal enjoyment, convenience, and availability.
Choices are endless
Most people who exercise pick and adhere to only one type of activity. No single activity develops total fitness (cardiovascular endurance, strength and flexibility). Most activities develop only one component of fitness. Doing a combination of sports or activities - cross-training - can help you to get all three components of fitness. It will add enjoyment to your program, decrease your risk of injuries from overuse and keep exercise from becoming monotonous.
Walk
The most natural, least expensive and safest forms of exercise is walking. Walking is perhaps the best activity to start for the novice athlete. Inactive people could start with as little as walking to the end of the block, gradually increasing times by about five minutes per week. You will receive greater health benefits from walking longer and swinging the arms faster than normal.
Run
Jogging or running is the most popular from of aerobic exercise. The only requirement to prevent injuries is a good pair of running shoes.
"The most important thing to look for in a running shoe is the correct type of shoe for your foot," says Chris Hammett, a running expert at Sound Sports in Seattle. "Generally there are three types of running shoes: neutral, stability and motion control. You should expect to have someone analyze your gait as you run or walk, and once it is determined what type of shoe is best for you, it comes down to the fit and comfort of the shoe."
If you are running your first race this summer, it is important to understand the appropriate training for the distance you are attempting to complete. For example, if you are running a 2-mile, 5K (3.1 miles) or even a 10-K (6.2 miles) race, you don't need to run quite that far in practice. The steps to follow for proper conditioning are adequate warm-ups, staying hydrated while running, cool-down and flexibility exercises. The specifics depend on the race length and an individual's current level of fitness. If you are a beginner, pay more attention to time than distance. Don't worry about how far you're running. One of the secrets of running farther is to run slower.
Skate
Inline skating continues to be a highly popular fitness activity. Intensity of the activity is regulated by how hard you blade.
If you are wondering how much you should spend on a pair of skates...
"The price should be about $130-200 to ensure a good quality skate," says Trish Alexander, owner of Skate Journeys in Bellevue. She adds, "It's not the price actually, but the features that matter. I wear K2 skates as I find them the best fitting and we use them in our loaner program."
Advice for the beginner
"The best advice I can give is to take a lesson," Trish says. "Skating is not intuitive and the minute a novice stands up on inline skates they will understand.
Whether it's outside where pebbles and slight inclines can quickly knock their feet underneath them or at a rink where the surface is smooth and the kids are zooming out of control, one lesson will give them a chance to learn to stride, stop and turn. I know that I run a skate school and of course I'd say take a lesson, but to back up my belief that every new skater will benefit from one, we offer a free first lesson once a month."
Golf
Golf is a sport that many people do for the enjoyment, social aspect and to get outdoors. Keeping the golf cart behind and actually walking the course is a great form of exercise. Depending on your body weight, you can burn anywhere from 300-450 calories per game.
Golf injury is one of the most common issues with all amateur golfers. Having adequate strength and flexibility of muscles and joints can prevent a golf injury and also enhance the quality of your game.
The average swing speed is from 65 miles per hour for the beginner up to more than 100 miles per hour for powerful swingers. If your body motion is out of control when you execute the swing, the muscles and tendons have little room for error. The result is likely a tear or strained tendon or ligament - keeping you off the course indefinitely. In order to maximize your distance and power, you must have a high level of flexibility (range of motion) and force in the shoulders, back and hips.
Take the challenge
With the new season should come the challenge of a lifetime commitment to fitness. To make the commitment easier, enjoy yourself and have fun along the way. If you pick activities based on your personal interests, then adhering to your new lifestyle will not be difficult.
Good luck on your new fitness adventures!
Certified personal trainer and educator Joy Shultz can be reached at Joyjoy4all@aol.com. Weekly fitness tips at www.joyspersonaltraining.com.[[In-content Ad]]
