HHS-231 Chapter 4

5 Components of Healthful Activity

1) Fun - Find a physical activity that you enjoy, because having fun keeps you coming back. If you are used to doing a certain activity and then boredom or burnout sets in, you will likely abandon your activity routine. 2) Consistent - The most difficult component of healthful activity because you have to stick to a plan. Consistency also helps with our habit-forming behaviors. 3) Connected - Happens through physical, virtual, or self-identity avenues. It is your need to feel connected to something bigger than yourself. Examples include hiking with your dog, jogging with a friend, attending a group fitness class, or virtually through fitness apps, social media, or online videos. Additionally, being connected can be through your own self-identity towards the activity you are participating in such as identifying as a swimmer, dancer, etc. 4) Process or Outcome Goals - Activity should have a goal focus to it. Process goals are about consistent behaviors, while outcome goals emphasize the end result. 5) Level of Intensity - It doesn't mean you have to be pushing yourself insanely hard, it means you know how hard you are working during your time of activity. To get the most bang for your buck within activity, intensity is key. Intensity is about how hard you are working in your activity and is dependent on your activity background, goals, and motivation levels. If the intensity is too high, it leads to discouragement and the activity will not be enjoyable. If the intensity is too low, you may be thinking you are getting more benefits than you actually are.

3 Types of Physical Activity

1) Low - Includes: walking, light yard work, stretching, housework, and taking stairs, < 3 METS, talk test: active movement with easy conversation. 2) Moderate - 50-70% of Maximum Heart Rate, includes: cycling, brisk walking, weight training, dancing, recreational swimming, and hiking, 3-6 METS, talk test: breathing hard but can still hold a conversation. 3) Vigorous - 70% or more of your Maximum Heart Rate, includes: running, interval training, group fitness classes, competitive sports, swimming laps, jump rope, mountain biking, and hard physical labor, > 6 METS, talk test: breathing hard, conversation becomes labored, intermittent, or stops as you need to focus on breathing.

Principles of Training

1) Progressive Overload - Subjecting our bodies to more activity than we are used to in order for our bodies to improve, build muscle, be challenged, or maintain our current level of activity. Progression focuses on slow and gradual change over time to not cause injury or burnout. Progression is often suggested to follow the 10% rule, in which we increase our workouts by a maximum of 10% every two to three sessions. Take it slow, listen to our bodies, you can get injured whether you just started exercising or whether you have been doing it for years. 2) Specificity - Specificity is dependent on the precise activity components that you are training for. It can be reduced (but not eliminated) through diversifying your training or cross training to include multiple activities. 3) Reversibility - Reversibility is the opposite to overload. It is often referred to as the "use it or lose it" principle. Our bodies start to lose improvements if we stop exercising, sometimes up to 50% within as little as 2 months of non-activity. 4) Individuality - We are not all going to progress at the same rate. Progression depends on genetics, body composition, intensity, training, skill level, and your physiological reaction to your training. We are all at different ability levels when it comes to physical skills and mobility. Individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities tend to have lower rates of physical activity and higher rates of hypokinetic diseases (diseases due to lack of movement) due to limitations and accessibility. 5) Rest and Recovery - Rest is where training gains occur, as it allows our muscles to repair themselves from the damage that occurred during training. This process not only repairs damage, but strengthens and builds muscles. Try to have at least one day of rest per week.

Order of a Workout

1) Warm Up - Warm-up and dynamic stretching activities should only take 5-10 minutes to increase the body's core temperature and blood flow to target muscles. This prepares your body for a higher-intensity workout. 2) Weights and/or Cardio - In structuring your workout, you will want to use the FITT principle as a guide for cardiorespiratory endurance and muscle fitness. If you choose to do weights and cardio within the same workout session, do weights first and then cardio. Weight lifting only relies on the immediate and anaerobic systems for energy and never moves in to the aerobic system for energy. On the other hand, cardio can work through the immediate, anaerobic, and aerobic systems. 3) Cool Down - The cool-down should be about 5-15 minutes to slowly lower your heart rate, so your risk of venous pool (when the blood stays in the muscles instead of getting back to the heart) and chance of dizziness or lightheadedness decreases. 4) Static Stretching - Be sure to stretch all of the muscle groups that you worked over the course of your workout.

Myofacial Release

A practical and affordable option to get out knots and kinks in our muscles. It should be uncomfortable, but not be painful. Roll with long, slow, firm but gentle strokes in the area that is sore. You can do this using foam rollers and tennis or lacrosse balls.

Stretch Reflex

A safety mechanism that contracts the muscle to avoid overstretching or tearing.

Doctor Mike Video on Exercise Intensity

According to the video about what's the best exercise, the number one answer given by Dr. Mike Evans is "the one that you will do". According to the video, interval training (switching between higher and lower intensity) exercise has been shown to improve performance in a shorter amount of time.

Exercise and Physical Fitness

Exercise - Repetitive movement activities that are planned and structured and work toward improving or maintaining physical fitness levels. Physical Fitness - When our body adapts to the demands and stress of physical effort. Simply put, when you stress your body through exercise, it adapts to the demands you place on it making those activities easier during subsequent days therefore developing your fitness level. Skill-Related Components of Fitness - Activities that you do to improve your expertise within a particular component of fitness. These are primarily a focus for athletes or higher-level exercisers. Examples: Agility, balance, coordination, speed, power, and reaction time.

FITT for Flexibility

F - 2-3 days per week (minimum) and 4-7 days per week (ideal). I - To a gentle tension in the target muscle. No bouncing, no pain. T - Hold 10-30 seconds per stretch, may repeat as needed holding up to 60 seconds. T - Static stretching of all major muscle groups.

FITT for Cardiorespitory Endurance

F - Moderate (5 days a week) and vigorous (3 days a week). I - PA = 50-70% (moderate) or 70+% (vigorous) of maximum heart rate (MHR). Fitness = 64-95% MHR. 4-8 on Perceived Exertion Scale (1-10 scale). T - 20-60 minutes per session, 150 minutes of moderate activity per week OR 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week (or any combination of this). T - Various types: Large muscle groups that get your heart and lungs working.

4 Kinds of Flexibility

Flexibility - When our joints are able to move through their full range of motion (ROM). 1) Dynamic Stretching - Specific warm-up, works full range of motion to increase mobility, increases muscle fiber recruitment, and prevents injury. It does not promote long-term static flexibility and uses controlled movements. You do it before a workout. 2) Static Stretching - Increases overall flexibility, increases blood flow, and assists with muscle recovery. You do it after a workout. You should do it 2-3 (minimum) or 4-7 (ideal) days a week. Repeat as needed, holding a stretch for a maximum of 60 seconds, 10-30 seconds as the ideal. Static stretching at the beginning of the workout reduces power. 3) Ballistic Stretching - Bouncing movements that go outside your natural range of motion (ROM). It is similar to dynamic stretching except has faster movements and is not controlled, therefore you are more likely to become injured. 4) Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) - Involves a series of contracting and relaxing the muscles. This technique is usually partner assisted but can also be accomplished by yourself with a stretching strap or towel. It tricks the nervous system into allowing the muscle to go further than normal. Research has shown it to be quite effective, but it also has the potential to build up scar tissue and cause excessive micro- tears in the muscles.

FITT Principle

Frequency (How often?), Intensity (How difficult?), Time (How long?), Type (Mode of activity).

Practical Strategies to Incorporating Cardio into your Week

If you are just starting out, use a 1:3 ratio of high to low intensity, if you are at a moderate level, use a 1:2 ratio, and if you are pretty fit, use a 1:1 ratio.

METS

Metabolic equivalents which are used to estimate the amount of energy/oxygen that is used during activity).

How many minutes of moderate or vigorous exercise should adults get per week?

Per week, adults should get ​150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity.

Perceived Exertion Scales: RPE and OMNI

Perceived exertion is a personal assessment of how your body is feeling during exercise. This is subjective and could be due to a multitude of factors that may influence intensity, like sleep, injury, weather, soreness, or lack of motivation. RPE - Uses a 6-20 scale that should correspond with your actual heart rate. If you multiply your perceived intensity number by 10, you should be fairly close to your own heart rate. It is not very practical. OMNI - Based on one's perceptions of their effort. It uses a 1-10 scale to determine the intensity of an activity. It is much easier for the general population to comprehend and use.

Sedentary Behaviors vs. Physical Activity

Sedentary Behaviors - Sedentary behavior includes sitting and low intensity behaviors like watching TV, commuting, studying, reading, and computer work. College students spend about 7-10 hours per day being sedentary (not including sleep). Physical Activity (PA) - Any body movement carried out by the skeletal muscles that requires energy. Health-Related Activities - Activities that you do to improve your health or stay healthy. Examples: Cardiorespiratory endurance, flexibility, muscle endurance, muscle strength, and body composition.

Target Heart Rate Zone

The range of intensity while you are active to obtain health benefits. This zone is roughly calculated by taking your Maximum Heart Rate (MHR=220-age) and then multiplying it by intensity percent (in decimal) and see if you are under or over exerting yourself.