If there is a secret to long, healthy life and virility...even if you did not choose the right parents, it is regular exercise: aerobic, graded, and integrated into one's life-style. 

But what is that concept?  Well, after getting medical clearance from your physician if you are over 50 or if you have long been a couch potatoe at any age, the important exercise is endurance-building rather than muscle-building: brisk walking, stair-climbing, bicycling, rowing, etc. For example, a 72 year old man, 6 ft. tall, 205 lbs, in fairly good condition and fairly active generally, does a 1 mile brisk walk at 4 miles per hour in fifteen minutes, with a two minute warmup and two mnute cool-down, during which time his pulse (monitored constantly by a Polar Pacer, very important) goes from 65/minute to 100 - 120, depending on the exercise, with a return below 90 within two minutes.  He then does 8 flights of stairs at 3 flights per minute.  He then rows (at maximum machine tension) 500 meters at 35 strokes per minute.  He does that two or three times per week.  It takes about 30-40 minutes...and it feels great.  

"Try it.  You'll like it".

GS

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Excercise...Issue 0512-01

December 10, 2005

  • Look up the Audiodigest (www.audiodigest.org) presentation on "Fitness and Exercise", Sept. 21, 2005, kVol 53, Issue 35.  This offering has detailed information regarding "training programs for patients", "training programs for competition", "weekend warrior problems" and "overtraining syndrome - jogger's fatigue".  A good source. 
  • When considering good exercise for your child, forget about those hefty backpacks.  They carry the risk of serious shoulder and back pain. 
  • "New Buildings Help People Fight Fat" (WSJ Wed., 11/16, 2005, Marketkplace, pB1.  In such buildings, elevators are made very slow and also inconvenient to get to, while stairs are made inviting.  One example is the new Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business at Richmond, Va.  Good idea.
  • GS


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