Learn to Exercise With Our Help

Movement can be medicine, says Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer of The University of Kansas Health System.

But what kind of movement is he talking about?

There's physical activity, which is any kind of movement your body engages in throughout the regular course of your day. And there's exercise, which is movement with a purpose of improving your physical fitness.

When some people hear the word exercise, they can begin to discount their ability. There's a lot of negative connotations with it, according to Renee Rogers, PhD, a senior scientist with the University of Kansas School of Medicine's division of physical activity and weight management.

"People hear that word exercise, and they think it's sweat, no pain, no gain," she says. "The reality is just moving is really, really important. You can get benefits at the low end, and you can get benefits at the high end."

Why is movement so important?

"As we age, we start to see that there's a decrease in muscular strength," says Dr. Rogers. "Our ability to lift and push and function starts to decline as we get to 50, 60 years old. But we do know that with exercise, you can keep that suppression so that you're not declining down to having mobility disability issues."

For many people, those declines affect their power - which is strength plus speed. It affects their ability to get out of a chair, climb the steps or be able to cross the street before a crosswalk sign turns off, among others.

How to get started with an exercise plan

Kelsey Ngeh, corrective exercise specialist at the Sports Medicine and Performance Center, has a few key tips: Start small and be intentional.

Start small

Remember that doing something is always better than doing nothing. Starting small can mean a quick duration, short distance or small exertion.

Additionally, starting small can help decrease the risk of hurting yourself when you're starting something new.

Be intentional

Starting with a purpose in mind for why you are exercising can help you be successful. For example, your intention may be to keep up while playing with your kids or grandchildren.

Clinical psychologist Ashley Rhodes, PhD, recommends setting a SMART goal when you get started. That means you set a goal that is:

• S: simple or specific
• M: measurable
• A: achievable
• R: relevant or realistic
• T: timely or time-based

Finally, create a plan - and backup plans - for how you will achieve your goal. Dr. Rhodes said that you can think of 3 plans. Plan A is idealistic.

"It's kind of a world that we think we live in, if we have more control over things," she says.

Plan B is more realistic, where you consider the things you actually do and do not have control over. And Plan C is what you will do if all else fails.

"How can I still be connecting, for example, with some kind of movement, even if it's not my plan for exercise? The tricky part here is viewing each of those (plans) as equally successful and being able to shift between them so that you're still staying on track," says Dr. Rhodes.

Example exercises

Ngeh has several exercises that are great for people who are just getting started. All you need is a chair.

If you're ready to move to the next level, Ngeh has additional exercises with some progressions for more difficulty. In terms of order, she recommends upper body then lower core.

"That changes the oxygen demand before your muscles are working so you are going to get a better calorie burn as well, without having to do cardio," she says. "So this is a great place to start 2 to 3 times a week doing a total body workout."

For each of these exercises, Ngeh recommends doing 10-20 repetitions in a set with 2 to 3 sets of each.

FAQ

• Is there a best time of day to exercise?

  The best time of day is the one that works for you to exercise consistently.

  However, Dr. Rogers does note that research has shown different times of day may be better for some people. For example, if you have type 2 diabetes or are concerned about glucose or blood sugar levels, evening exercise may be better. For weight loss, some data shows that you may see better effects if you exercise in the morning.

• What if I have a condition that makes it painful to exercise?

  If you have neuropathy, arthritis, joint pain or other conditions that may cause physical aches or balance challenges, it can be hard to jump into an exercise program. Again, remember that any additional movement is good for you, and make modifications. Dr. Rogers suggests doing exercises that are supported - like using a chair or a wall to help keep your balance. Exercising in the water can help take impact off your joints as well.

  Additionally, you can do nonweight-bearing exercises at home or use machines at a gym that are designed to lessen the impact to your joints.

• How much time do I need to spend exercising?

  Make sure that you feel challenged," says Ngeh. "You want to do enough sets and reps that you feel yourself working, but that's going to be a little bit different depending on where you start."

  She recommends doing each exercise 10 to 20 times. That's called a set. And repeat the set 2 to 3 times. If you do that and don't feel challenges, you can add more resistance or weight or progress the exercise to be more challenging.

• How many times per week do I need to exercise?

  Again, remember that some amount of exercise is better than nothing.

  When you're trying to build strength, it is recommended to exercise 2 to 3 times a week. But if you're just starting out, 1 time a week is fine!

• Do I have to get 10,000 steps?

  "10,000 steps is actually not really well researched," says Dr. Rogers. "It's kind of just made up. And some really great work has come out recently that said that at 8,000 steps you can get a health benefit."

  Instead, she recommends looking at what motivates you. If you like counting steps and it motivates you to move more, then it is great. If you just want to focus on getting 3 structured exercise periods in a week, that's OK too. You will benefit either way.

• Do I need a cooldown?

  It is ideal to give yourself some time to cool down after exercising.

  "What happens is once you start to raise your heart rate, you get your central nervous system really fired up for exercise," says Roger Allen, strength and athletic development supervisor at the Sports Medicine and Performance Center. "When you go into your cooldown, that's when your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in and is starting to calm down. You release endorphins, and those endorphins calm your body down, calm your mind down."

  So take some time to stretch and focus on your breathing after any period of exercise.