What exercise is best for me? This is a question I get asked every now and then. Is there any specific answer? Well, the answer is ‘No’. One cannot make a generalised statement as to what sort of exercise is best. The reason for this is that all of us are made differently. When we talk about exercise, we talk about the different components i.e. endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility and muscle co-ordination. No style or form of exercise is able to tackle all the five aspects effectively. For example, a gym-based programme would concentrate on our strength, but would not do too much for the endurance and stamina. A running workout may do a lot of good for your endurance and stamina but will not be that effective for your flexibility as well as strength training. So the long and short answer is that you must do an exercise programme that looks at all the different aspects which, in turn means that you need to do different exercise forms so that all the five aspects are well taken care of.
Stamina and endurance are probably the most important aspects. They will help you to keep going through the day. They are going to allow you to go through a normal routine effectively and when you need some extra juice in your life,
Then it should enable you to push hard and go ahead. Endurance and stamina in any form of long-term activity is desirable. Running, brisk-walking, cycling, swimming are good form of exercises that increase your endurance and stamina. There is a small difference though in these different activities. We must be able to choose what we are used to doing the best and then gradually progress to achieve the necessary status of health in your day-to-day life. Many a times, I would find that an individual is unable to run long distances, but can effectively swim for a long time and visa versa. So it is important to look at these nuances and changes and they should be taken care of in day-to-day practice. Strengthening is but done with the help of weight training in the gym. This weight-training programme should be done with effective rest periods of various body parts. This enables the muscle that is exercised to recover back from the physiological insult that it has sustained and that helps it to be ready for the next
session of exercise to come through. Most gym professionals and trainers would advise you to exercise different body parts at different time intervals. The legs are exercised on different days and so are the back, chest and upper body.
For flexibility, doing floor exercises, stretches and Yogasanas would be the best way out. Yoga, by far helps in good muscle strengthening along with the direction of the muscle fiber and when it is coupled with breathing techniques it helps us achieve good muscle tone as well. Yoga when done properly and actively is going to help you achieve a good physical and muscular balance.
So I think, if I were to ask myself this question and find an answer to it as well, I would probably recommend Yoga twice a week, the Weight training programme twice a week and doing the Cardio Aerobics twice a week to achieve the perfect balance of physical activity and training.
Dr Sachin Tapasvi is one of India’s leading joint replacement surgeons. He practises in Pune and has been awarded several fellowships with experience garnered internationally as well as in India.
- Dr. Sachin Tapasvi, ‘A Stitch in Time Saves Nine’ - December 15, 2016
- Dr.Sachin Tapasvi: Belts & Buckles of the Ortho Kind - November 9, 2016
- Dr Sachin Tapasvi: Trigger-happy? Ouch! - October 26, 2016
