Exercise: Lots of people want to be healthy, and being fit is a key part of that. If you’re generally fit, you’re less likely to get long-term illnesses, and you can handle health problems better. Being fit also means you can move and do things more easily throughout your life.
In the short term, being active has immediate benefits. It can improve your mood, help you focus better, and even lead to better sleep. Basically, our bodies work better when we move around and stay fit. And What did our Islam say about health fitness.
- The Prophet (PBUH) said: “There are two blessings which many people do not appreciate: Health and leisure.”
Islam encourages a healthy life because it believes that being in good health brings peace. Living a healthy lifestyle helps people lead thoughtful and proper lives. Islam also values thinking in all aspects of life, and it emphasizes that a healthy mind is essential for proper thinking. So, to live a better life, it’s important to be both emotionally and physically fit.
Table of Contents
Understanding Fitness:
According to the fitness rules from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are five parts to being physically fit.
- Cardiorespiratory Fitness
- Musculoskeletal Fitness
- Flexibility Of Joints
- Balance
- Speed
In everyday life, being fit means you can do things effectively, according to Dr. Smith-Ryan. For instance, can you lift groceries or climb stairs without feeling tired? Can you play and run around with your kids in the backyard? Can you go up the stairs easily?
Exercise and fitness are different because exercise is what you do to make yourself fit.
Fitness Types:
To have a good exercise routine, you need to focus on different parts of fitness. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans by HHS point out some important components for weekly exercise. It’s important to note that fitness can include other things like endurance, muscle strength, power, speed, balance, and agility, even though they are not specifically mentioned here.
Aerobic Exercise (Cardiovascular) :
Aerobic exercise is essential in any fitness plan because it’s really good for you. It’s also known as cardio or cardiovascular exercise. This kind of activity makes your heart and breathing work harder, improving your overall heart and lung fitness, as explained by the American Heart Association.
Aerobic exercises involve things like fast walking, running, cycling, swimming, aerobic classes (such as kickboxing), playing tennis, dancing, doing yard work, and jumping rope, as recommended by the Physical Activity Guidelines.
Strength Training:
Building strength is a great way to stay mobile and function well, especially as you get older. Dr. Robert Sallis, a family medicine doctor, explains that as you age, you lose muscle mass, and this can affect your quality of life. Doing strength exercises helps build both bones and muscles. Having more muscle can also protect your body from falls and fractures that can happen as you get older.
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) defines strength or resistance training as exercises that make your muscles work against some kind of resistance. This can include lifting weights, using resistance bands, using your own body weight, carrying heavy things, and even doing tough gardening, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Flexibility & Mobility:
Being able to move easily is key to staying healthy, says the International Sports Sciences Association. But flexibility and mobility aren’t the same things.
Flexibility is about how much your muscles and joints can stretch, while mobility is about how well your joints can move. The experts don’t give a specific time for stretching or mobility exercises, and we’re not sure exactly how healthy they are because there hasn’t been enough research, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines from HHS. But they do say that doing exercises to improve flexibility is good for your overall fitness.
If you’re older, the guidelines suggest adding balance training to your weekly fitness routine. This kind of exercise can really help reduce the chances of older adults falling, which can lead to serious injuries.
Health Benefits of Exercise:
Getting in better shape really lowers the chance of getting long-term diseases like heart problems, type 2 diabetes, and even cancer. Grayson Wickham, who started a fitness company in New York City called Movement Vault, says that being fit is like a superpower against many diseases.
In 2007, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) joined forces with the American Medical Association to kick off the Exercise Is Medicine project. The idea was to make checking how active people are a regular part of medical check-ups and to provide exercise help for everyone, no matter their fitness level. The project’s website points out that the proven benefits of exercise are as strong as many medicines in preventing and treating lots of health issues.
- Exercise Boosts Your Mood
- Exercise Is Good for Sleep
- Exercise Promotes Long-Term Health
- Fitness Helps You Manage Chronic Disease
Exercise Do You Need How Much?
According to the health guidelines in the U.S., you should do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of intense exercise (like jogging) each week for good health. You can also mix moderate and intense activities as long as you spread them over two days.
It’s also recommended to do muscle-strengthening exercises at least two days a week, focusing on all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders, and arms).
The guidelines don’t have a specific recommendation for flexibility or mobility work, but older adults, in particular, should include balance training in their weekly activities.
Doing more than the minimum exercise, up to 300 minutes per week, is even better for your health. But be aware that these basic recommendations may not be enough if you have specific fitness goals. For instance, training for a marathon requires more time exercising each week.
It’s important to note that too much exercise can stress the body and may have negative effects. While the exact limit isn’t known, evidence suggests that it’s higher than the current minimum recommendations.
Also Like: Pomegranate (Anar) Benefits and Side Effects