Preparation Before Exercise:
1.Planned Exercise:
Whether it’s short-term or long-term exercise, it’s essential to establish a clear plan and goals before starting. This includes choosing the type of exercise, setting daily exercise goals, and defining new goals for the next phase after completing a stage. What’s even more crucial is to implement the plan according to your actual situation.
For muscle building: It’s recommended to exercise at least 4 times a week, with each training session lasting no less than 1 hour.
For weight loss: Engage in aerobic exercises for at least 5 times a week, with each session lasting no less than half an hour. You can choose activities like running, skipping rope, or cycling.
2.Proper Exercise Habits:
Before exercising, warm up properly. Warming up not only allows you to check for any discomfort in your body but also helps you get into an exercise mode more quickly. After warming up, you’ll be less likely to encounter accidents during exercise. After exercising, make sure to do some stretching to alleviate muscle soreness and help your muscles relax.Warm-up and stretching are simple activities: warm-up by jogging in place or doing light jumping exercises to raise your body temperature. Stretching involves gently stretching your limbs and moving your joints.
Also, avoid taking a shower or eating immediately after exercise; give your body a 10-15 minute buffer to adjust.
3.Appropriate Exercise Intensity:
Don’t rush for quick results during exercise, as overtraining can have adverse effects. If you experience any discomfort while exercising, it’s okay to take a few days off. Resume your goals only after your body has fully recovered. Don’t wait until you’ve suffered irreversible injuries to pause, as this will only move you further away from your goals.
4.Consistency is Key:
“Three days of fishing and two days of drying nets” won’t yield significant results. Initially, you may experience muscle soreness, but after pushing through for about a week, you’ll start feeling more comfortable. However, if you can’t maintain consistency, you’ll keep experiencing “early-stage” lower back pain and discomfort. Persevere, and things will improve.
5.Stay Hydrated:
Exercise can lead to significant sweating, especially in the summer. Even when you’re not exercising, you may sweat. Therefore, it’s best to prepare lightly salted water and carry it with you before exercising. When you feel thirsty, replenish your fluids promptly. Don’t gulp down water; take small sips after a brief pause.
Breathing During Exercise:
1.Breathing Technique:
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all breathing technique for exercise, but based on multiple individual experiments, synchronizing your breathing rhythm with your running rhythm appears to be the best way to breathe during aerobic activities. In a relatively calm state, your body requires less oxygen, and breathing through the nose can suffice. However, during exercise, your body’s oxygen demand increases significantly, so it’s best to breathe through both the nose and mouth. This helps reduce the burden on your respiratory muscles and ensures proper circulation.
During a regular run, you can take two steps while inhaling and two steps while exhaling, maintaining this rhythm consistently.
2.Breath Depth:
When engaging in continuous exercise, avoid shallow and rapid breathing, which can make you feel uncomfortable, as your lungs won’t get enough air, and your chest may feel tight. Instead, focus on deep, slow breaths. Increase the depth of your breaths to meet your body’s increased oxygen demands during exercise, improving your workout efficiency.
Different Exercise Choices:
1.Stretching Exercises:
Stretching your body is crucial, especially for office workers. For example, stretching your shoulders and neck can involve standing against a wall and raising your arms along it. Lift your hands over your head, bend your waist backward, and stretch your abdomen. Hold your hands behind your back and clasp them together for a natural neck and shoulder stretch. Therefore, it’s recommended to learn yoga, stretching exercises, and gymnastics.
Suggested frequency: Exercise about 5 times a week, with 10 different exercises per session, each lasting 1 minute.
2.Static Exercises:
Activities like watching TV, using smartphones, or working on computers typically involve lying down or sitting for extended periods, which requires minimal energy expenditure. To maintain good health, it’s best to take a short break and stretch your body every hour, allowing your body to relax and your eyes to rest.
3.Aerobic Exercises:
These include activities like jogging, cycling, swimming, and brisk walking. Aerobic exercises help with weight loss, body shaping, and cardiovascular fitness. The level of exercise intensity should be such that you break a sweat, but excessive sweating can be counterproductive for most sedentary office workers. Regular aerobic exercise improves blood circulation and overall health.
Suggested frequency: Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise per day with moderate intensity.