The What & Why of Exercise

Why exercise? It is almost impossible to enjoy good health and physical fitness without a program of regular exercise.

The three essentials needed to achieve excellent health are proper nutrition, adequate rest and a regular, systematic exercise. Then add another, though less appreciated ingredient to improve your health, fitness and longevity: positive mental attitude.

Worry, anger and negative thinking do not contribute to a happy and peaceful life. Although diet, rest and exercise lead to good health, positive thinking leads to positive action.

What is proper exercise? Exercising regularly for good health and fitness differs from the type of exercise an athlete pursues to improve his skill which involves speed or endurance.

The goal of the average individual is to stay in good condition to be able to meet all his daily activities without difficulty or discomfort. Proper exercise, according to Bill Pearl, one of the world's best-built men, is a planned, supervised program designed to improve and maintain bodily measurements to normal symmetrical proportions, and to tone the muscles at normal and optimum efficiency. Once the body is conditioned, then proper exercise makes the individual feel as though his body has had a thorough workout, but not completely exhausted.

Anyone, provided he or she is in reasonably good health and without any medical impairment, can undertake a well-planned weight training program to improve both health and body proportion to ideal measurements, thereby improving his personal appearance.

In addition to helping one feel and look better, progressive weight training improves coordination, balance, and control of the skeletal muscles. It is, according to physical culturists, the fastest way known to build strength. Great athletes use some type of progressive resistance exercise to improve speed and reaction.

Other benefits of exercise. In addition to contributing to better health and a longer lifespan, proper exercise improves one's quality of life. It alleviates depression, decreases anxiety, improves concentration, increases stamina and helps one (along with proper nutrition) to gain, lose, or maintain the correct body weight.

Exercise strengthens the heart, tones the muscles, improves circulation, removes fatigue acids and other poisons from the system. Besides strengthening the body, exercise improves the utilization and distribution of oxygen; makes joints flexible; improves appetite, digestion and elimination.

With the health benefits of exercise, is it any wonder that one enjoys a longer and better quality of life?