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What is Exercise?

By WLR's Personal Trainer, Nicola Glanville PTI REP Level 3

Exercise is also known as physical activity. In simple terms exercise is any movement that works your body at a greater intensity than your usual level of daily activity. Exercise raises your heart rate and works your muscles and is most commonly undertaken to achieve the aim of physical fitness.

What would be suitable exercise for one person may be too much or too little for another. For example, if the most energetic part of your average day is walking to pick up your children from school, then walking at a quicker pace would be a good form of exercise for your body. However, a 10 mile run would be too much of a challenge too soon.

Suitable Exercise

To find a suitable level of exercise for your body, start gently and slowly increase the intensity and the length of time that you exercise for. Exercise should challenge your body and be at a greater intensity than your usual level of daily activity.

Don’t go crazy or you may suffer in the morning! However, don’t be shy about getting hot and sweaty during your workouts but make sure that you can still talk.

Your aim should be to gradually increase your activity levels over time. As your body adapts to meet the new challenges that you set for it your routine will become easier. When it gets easier it is time to increase the exercise intensity or try something new.

Choose a type of exercise that you will enjoy, that way you are more likely to continue doing it on a regular basis. Exercising with friends and family is a sociable way to keep fit, you will be able to motivate each other when one of you loses momentum.

Examples of Exercise

Examples of exercise include:

• gardening
• walking
• jogging
• swimming
• dancing
• tennis
• yoga
• skipping
• resistance exercise
• squash
• boxing
• workout DVDs

But remember, if it isn’t challenging it isn’t exercise!

More Exercise Questions and Answers:

Why is Exercise Important?

How Do I Start to Exercise?

How Often Should I Exercise?

What Exercise Should I Do?

Easy Beginners Exercise Plan

WLR's Take 5 Exercise Plan is designed to be done at home with minimal equipment.

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