Simple rules can improve daily exercise routine
by Meghan McNamara
The Post (Ohio U.)
05/02/2006

(U-WIRE) ATHENS, Ohio — Whether it's swimming, biking or elliptical training, exercises that challenge the cardiovascular system and raise the heart rate are equally effective, Ohio University exercise experts say.

There is no ultimate cardiovascular activity, so when choosing a workout plan, it is important to target the intended goal, and to include an activity that is easy to stick with, said Roger Gilders, an OU recreation and sports sciences professor.

"It shouldn't be a chore," said fifth-year senior Robert Stiffler, who manages personal fitness trainers at Ping.

An effective workout should last 30 to 60 minutes and should use 50 to 75 percent of a person's maximum heart rate, according to the American Heart Association's Web site.

It takes a minimum of three days of exercise each week to get results, a schedule that must be kept for six to eight weeks to see actual change, said junior Amanda Nowak, assistant manager of group fitness at Ping.

"Variety is really the key," Nowak said. The body adjusts quickly to any uniform activity, so adding resistance or doing intervals of increased speed can keep the body working, she said.

With the elliptical trainers, effectiveness depends on whether it is challenging or not, Nowak said. If someone uses a lot of speed without any resistance or incline settings, the workout is basically ineffectual, she said.

Typically, the more muscle mass that an activity engages, the more calories are burned, Gilders said. For example, cycling can be expected to burn fewer calories than running or swimming, he said.

One of the biggest misconceptions about exercise is that spot reduction is possible, Nowak said. Fat is evenly distributed throughout the body, so reducing fat and size in an isolated part of the body can't be done, she said.

Hip adduction machines cannot reduce the girth of the inner and outer thighs but are good for toning those areas, Gilders said. The same holds for love handles; only overall weight loss can reduce their size, but the rotary torso machine can tone the muscle.

The difference between endurance and strength is also important, Stiffler said. Doing 1,000 crunches does not build a six pack, he said, it only builds endurance. Slowing down and adding resistance is more effective, he said.

For the upper body, free weights or machines work — the only difference between the two is that free weights take more control to balance and stabilize, Gilders said.

Women and men should do three or four sets of about eight to twelve repetitions, Nowak said, and beginners should probably start out on the machines and eventually work up to a mix of both. The movement should be slow and controlled — "It is muscle, not momentum," she said. While bench pressing, the bar should come to the chest without bouncing off it, Stakleff said.

Additionally, squats and lunges are highly effective for the lower body, working both the legs and the gluts, Nowak said.

"I think the most important thing is going at the same time everyday," said junior Justine Bunn, who works out at Ping every morning. Skipping a day can be the downfall of an exercise schedule, she said.

Copyright ©2006 The Post via UWire

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