Maintaining physical fitness while the weather is unpleasant is largely a matter of motivation and determination, but the results can’t be denied, according to Martin D. Hoffman, MD, formerly a Professor and Interim Chair of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
The goal for competitive athletes is to perform their chosen sport as much as possible, no matter what the weather. For the general public, however, getting and staying fit is about cardiovascular exercise. “Fitness doesn’t just happen by sitting around,” he says. “You have to take an active role in keeping fit.”
Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise usually involves exercising major muscle groups to temporarily increase heart rate and blood flow. Walking, running, swimming, biking, stair climbing, dance aerobics and cross-country skiing are all examples of cardiovascular exercise. An elliptical trainer – which resembles a combination of a stair stepper and treadmill – also provides cardiac exercise and is available in many health clubs.
Fitness Machine Study
A few years ago, Dr. Hoffman co-authored a study on the energy expended by people using indoor exercise machines including a treadmill, rowing machine, cross-country skiing simulator, stationary bike, and a stationary bike with attachments to move the arms while pedaling with the legs. The study compared users’ perception of exertion – how hard they felt they were working out – with the actual rate of oxygen utilization. The treadmill was not only easier to learn to use than equipment like the skiing or rowing machines, but it provided slightly better results than the other equipment. At what users termed as a “hard” workout level, they burned more energy and calories on the treadmill than on the other machines.
“But keep in mind that you can achieve adequate cardiac fitness with any of those devices,” Dr. Hoffman says. “Each device tested allowed the user to work within a training zone for optimal cardiac fitness at a reasonable level of perceived exertion. With any exercise equipment, it depends on your preference and whether the machine is easily accessible to you.” In other words, it’s better to do something that you enjoy, or at least can tolerate, and that is easy to get to.
Furthermore, an exercise machine is not necessary. Walking in a mall or jogging around an indoor track can be just as effective in staying fit. You are more likely to achieve cardiac fitness, however, by working large muscle groups such as the legs and the buttocks rather than just the arms. Weight lifting, while it offers other advantages, generally does not help with cardiovascular fitness. Circuit weight training, involving a series of consecutive exercises done at lower resistance on a variety of machines with little or no rest, can offer some cardiovascular benefits, however.
“For cardiovascular fitness, pick a movement pattern you can adapt to easily and be comfortable with, or one that you are willing to put in the time to learn,” Dr. Hoffman recommends. “Most importantly, pick something that is fun enough that you’ll do it on a consistent basis, which means most days of the week.” Exercising five to seven days a week is preferred, although the intensity and duration of exercise is not considered as important as it once was. For optimal cardiac fitness, it has traditionally been suggested that for 30 minutes you maintain a heart rate equal to this equation: subtract your age from 220 and multiply that amount by 0.6.
Every Little Bit Helps
“There is plenty of evidence that every little bit you do is better than doing nothing,” he says. Taking the stairs at work several times a day instead of riding the elevator can help. So can parking farther from the door and walking the extra distance from your car. “The bottom line is you have to be ready to make a change and make a lifetime commitment to change,” Dr. Hoffman says. “Getting and staying fit is not terribly complicated. You can walk or run a bit and then increase the duration or intensity, or both, over time.” Dramatic improvements in fitness don’t happen overnight. But once fit, missing an exercise session or taking a day off because of sickness won’t result in lost fitness either.
Dr. Hoffman says that most people don’t need an athletic trainer, but if a trainer will help them get started or make that trip to the gym, by all means, employ a trainer. Some exercise clubs offer free fitness evaluations or plans prepared by a trainer.
Ideally, you will enjoy exercising while you do it; there’s little doubt you will also enjoy its benefits when you’re done. “When you’re fitter, everything is easier to do. You’re more productive at work and at home, you’ll live longer and you’ll enjoy being independent later into life,” says Dr. Hoffman.
Get Up, Get Out
He encourages people to exercise outdoors as much as possible. In nearly 20 years of living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he’s managed to exercise outdoors several times a week every week of the year. “Exercising outdoors is less boring and always accessible,” he says. “Going outside and taking a walk doesn’t cost a penny. And you save time otherwise spent driving to an exercise club.” If exercising outdoors, be sure to dress for the weather and wear reflective clothing in the dark.
Finding a group to exercise with – indoors or out – can make a big difference in sticking to an exercise routine, he says. “When it’s cold and dark out but you know that two or three friends are waiting for you, it makes it a lot easier to get up and get going.”
This article includes information from:
Froedtert Hospital/Medical College of Wisconsin
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
