Exercise

The word exercise can mean the following:

• A setting in action or practicing.
• Any activity designed to develop or hone a skill or ability.
• Physical exercise

Table of contents

1 Physical exercise 2 Exercise benefits 3 Types of physical exercise 4 Breathing 5 External Links

Physical exercise

Physical exercise is activity performed in order to develop or maintain physical fitness. Exercises are generally grouped into three types depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:

• Flexibility exercises such as stretches improve the range of motion of muscles and joints.
• Aerobic exercises such as walking and running focus on increasing cardiovascular endurance.
• Anaerobic exercises such as weightlifting increase short-term muscle strength.

Exercise can be an important part of physical therapy, weight loss or sports performance.

Exercise can be fun, but be sure to do what you like and eat enough calories, so when you do exercise you are building up muscles, not breaking them down for fuel. Carbohydrates are muscle-sparing; and if you don't get enough calories overall and you burn muscles up with the fat to make up the deficit.

Exercise benefits

Regular exercise has been shown to help high blood pressure, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and depression, among others.

Types of physical exercise

• aerobics
• bodybuilding
• calisthenics
• dancing
• rowing
• running
• sport
• stretching
  • PNF stretching
• walking
• warming up
• weight training
• yoga

Breathing

There is active exhalation during physical exercise.

During breathing, males mostly use internal intercostal muscles, females mostly use abdominal muscles.

External Links

• Exercise Adherence
• Promoting Physical Activity and Exercise among Children

See also: (Terms, Philosophy, Branches, People, History, Index)