Carolyn Hansen: Strength training for real life function

One of the most basic measures of physical fitness is your functional fitness: your ability to perform daily activities - such as walking, bending, lifting, reaching and climbing stairs - without pain or discomfort. Photo / 123RF

OPINION

A long time ago, there were no intentional exercise programmes. Physical activity was a natural part of life and practically everyone participated in enough movement on a daily basis to keep the body in good condition.

Nowadays our modern labour-saving devices and the television set have robbed many people of the necessary movement that the human body needs to stay healthy.

Recent research estimates that about 80 per cent of the Western world’s population is sedentary or inactive and there are a lot of people suffering from chronic diseases that are related to a sedentary lifestyle. Many more are aware of the possible risks and know that they need to get more exercise and activity than they are currently doing.

One of the most basic measures of physical fitness is your functional fitness: your ability to perform daily activities - such as walking, bending, lifting, reaching and climbing stairs - without pain or discomfort. Many systems regulate the correct functioning of the human body: the skeletal system, the muscular system, the nervous system, the heart/lung system, the hormonal system and the immune system.

All of these systems are activated and rejuvenated when we move vigorously. When we live a sedentary life, they tend to “forget” their functions.

By staying active and being proactive with your health, you can help prevent and slow the downward spiral of deconditioning which is defined as decreased strength, endurance, flexibility, problems with balance and an increasing difficulty in performing everyday tasks and activities. This slow decline in function can happen over a very long period of time, years and decades so you hardly notice. But you will.

Many people say they want to exercise, but they do not know how to begin or where to start. Strength training exercise may be the perfect answer to the missing exercise factor that the everyday person is looking for.

We can recover a great deal of any function that has been lost and regain physical efficiency, whether it is strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, balance, and heart/lung fitness. With proper training it can all come back.

Strength training is one of the most effective forms of results-based exercise programmes. The exercises focus on re-establishing the correct functioning of the body and are designed to increase the ability to perform the activities of daily living and recreational pursuits and will greatly enhance a person’s quality of life.

Life expectancy is increased, partial and total disability is delayed, in some instances, biological age is reduced by as much as 10-20 years. Exercise is, thus, an extremely important component of healthy living. Your life without it cannot compare to life with it, the difference is so vast.

If you are not already doing so, get started on an exercise programme at your local gym or fitness centre or get started on a home programme to strengthen and improve the normal actions you perform each and every day. A fantastic way to stay fit, healthy, and strong for everyday function and to support your journey to optimal health!

Carolyn Hansen is co owner Anytime Fitness