Tuesday, 8 May 2012

Why Exercise?


The effects of exercise have been researched and documented widely. However, with the all the varied modalities and training styles, how do we know what is right for us?

Exercise isn’t meant to be a chore or something that you dread doing each day. Exercise should be something that makes you happy, gives you energy and makes you want to come back. Exercise isn’t just running, cycling and lifting weights. The possibilities are endless and there is a form of exercise that will suit you and give you the energy that you need to live each day to the fullest.

So why exercise?
The human body is an amazing and dynamic creature and exercise places demands on the body that require it to adapt and change to the stresses that is placed on it.
Effects of exercise on the body:
-          Promotes cognition and brain function ₁
-          Positive effect on depression ₂
-          Improves self-esteem and confidence₄
-          Improves mood and sense of well-being₄
-          Reduces cortisol levels ₃
-          Treat and control high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease and diabetes₃
-          Improves immune system defences, sleep cycle ₃
-          Improves strength, flexibility, motor control, balance and proprioception₅

These are the good effects of exercise, and yes there are some negative effects of exercise. But the good outweighs the bad 100:1.

This is the first post of this blog that aims to enlighten and teach about living the best possible life that we can, through research and knowledge.






1.   Hillman et al 2008 Be Smart, Exercise your heart: exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews: Neuroscience 9:58
2.    Mead et al 2010 Exercise for Depression. The Cochrane Library
4.    Dehkordi AG 2011 The comparison between athlete females and non-athlete females regarding to general health, mental health, and quality of life. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences 15:1737
5.    Holm et al 2004 Effect of neuromuscular training on proprioception, balance, muscle strength, and lower limb function in female team handball players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine 14(2):88

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