About Exercise

HJ Fitness and Exercise

 
Anything physical we do can be counted as exercise!

Exercise can be great fun and give you a real buzz, but many people exercise for a reason rather than fun; to lose weight, become healthier, reduced blood pressure, train for an event – tone up – help reduce high blood pressure – to keep up with the children/grandchildren – the list goes on.

We hear people talking about fitness, and about how fit they are – but fit for what?

Depending on the activities you want to do, will depend on how fit you need to be. Fitness is the ability to meet the demands of a physical task. You might want to feel more stable walking on an uneven pavement, or you might want to prepare for a challenging activity such as a triathlon. The best exercises are those which are functional, or, exercises that help you to do what you want to do. Herein lies the key to any exercise. It needs to be designed and based on what you want to achieve. This is where I can help you.

 

The three basics of exercise

Strength
Core strength training and balance, free weights training, using machines, own body weight, power training. As we age, muscle tone, strength and bone density start to lessen – strength training can combat these changes.

Stamina
Walking, swimming, jogging, cycling, dance classes all great for the heart and lungs, and helps to reduce high blood pressure and body fat. Beware though, swimming is great, but won’t help build bone mass to help keep osteoporosis at bay. So don’t just swim, do weight bearing exercises as well.

Suppleness
As we age, right from our teens, we don’t use our full range of movement, and who does gymnastics or cartwheels as we used to at school! Our muscles and tendons start to shorten. Eventually, this may lead to impaired movement and can cause muscular and joint pain. Remaining flexible helps retain our range of movement and can help reduce back and joint ache.

 
It is well known that as a nation we are becoming less active and therefore less fit and healthy. The government guidelines are for five lots of exercise a week for 30-minute bouts at a moderate level. If you do nothing or very little now, just three 20 minute sessions a week will go a long way to helping you become more fit and healthy.

So, look after your body and it will help you to do what you want for years to come.

Personal Training can help you achieve your goals. A personal trainer is not just there to make sure you are exercising in a safe and beneficial way, they will help plan how to achieve your goals, and help you get there.




Testimonials

“ I have been enjoying Hilary’s circuit classes for the last 5 years. Although in my sixties, I have retained the suppleness and flexibility I had as a younger woman. I am able to enjoy jogging, hiking and cycling on a regular basis, without injury or stiffness, and I put this down to the whole ...”   Carolyn - Cheshire

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