Sunday, March 1, 2009

The Anti Aging Exercise Regimen

By Marianna Pells

It is not possible to have younger-looking skin just from doing one type of exercise. That is why there are exercise programs just incorporate different types of exercises to help anyone who is concerned about aging, maintaining health, and staying active.

Watching TV all day isn't going to do the trick. When age finally catches up with you, you'll gradually become more incapable of doing things you use to love doing. Plan an exercise regimen where you can do strength, aerobic and flexibility activities to stop aging on its tracks.

Strength Training

When you do strength activities aging simply slows down. Strength training helps your bones and muscles grow stronger. Without exercise, you lose a great deal of your muscle tone. This means that your muscles won't be able to hold up your skeleton effectively. You will have recurring back pain and a deteriorating posture.

What's good about doing regular strength workouts is that your muscles become toned, skin tighter, arthritic conditions minimized and metabolic rate increase. Once your body has been conditioned to strength training, it is still able to burn fat even after you've finished working out. You can do a strength workout by weight training, resistance training (where you oppose forces), and isometric training (where you strengthen muscles without movement). The recommended amount of time to strength-train is 2-3 days per week.

Isometric training is one of the more preferred types of strength training because it is less straining especially for those who are just starting to get back on a fitness plan. Isometric training usually involves short repetitions of muscle flexing.

Aerobic Training

Aerobic training can be some form of an anti aging exercise too. The best thing about cardiovascular or aerobic training is that it is suitable for any age group. This type of training includes running, brisk-walking and other workouts that are moderate in intensity.

Involving in regular aerobic training promotes good blood circulation. Good blood circulation helps blood effectively distribute oxygen throughout the body. It improves mental clarity, physical coordination and response mechanisms. Poor blood circulation causes you to feel faint, have regular headaches and can lead to more serious conditions like heart disease and dementia.

The advantages of doing an aerobic workout are better endurance, minimized mental and physical stress, and reduced blood pressure. It is recommended that at least 20 minutes of aerobic training be incorporated into your exercise program.

Flexibility Training

Whether you're already doing cardiovascular or strength training, there's no excuse for not incorporating flexibility exercises in your regimen. Stretching and flexing is important before and after every workout session because it preconditions your body so you are less prone to joint, bone and muscular injuries.

Doing a flexibility workout minimizes the distress caused by joint conditions and gives way to better physical movement. Just 30 seconds of this type of workout a day enhances movement and flexibility.

Merging strength, aerobic and flexibility workouts in one exercise program can give you the anti aging effects of strength, speed, balance and alertness. - 17943

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