체력 기르는 방법Exercise is the best medicine for a sore body that has been sitting at a desk all day. Of course you know, but you often hesitate because you don’t have time and don’t know where to start. We introduce how beginners can start exercising in a healthy way.
#One. Take a look at my slim-looking body
It’s important to know what condition your body is in before you start exercising. Even if you hide your flab with clothes and appear slim, you should not be concerned because you may be skinny or have abdominal obesity. It is considered normal if your BMI, which is weight (kg) divided by the square of height (cm), is between 18.5 and 23, but it is better to accurately measure the ratio of fat and muscle with a body composition analyzer. Additionally, abdominal obesity occurs when the abdominal circumference exceeds 90cm for men and 85cm for women. It is said that if your legs feel stiff when walking up the 2nd or 3rd floor of stairs, you are not doing enough strength training, and if you feel out of breath, you are not doing enough aerobic exercise. In the former case, you should focus on strength training, and in the latter case, you should focus on aerobic exercise.
#2. 20 minutes of aerobic and strength training 3 days a week
It is effective to exercise three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, or on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Aerobic exercise, such as slow running, cycling, swimming, or dancing, is recommended for at least 20 minutes at an intensity that leaves you slightly out of breath. Aerobic exercise supplies as much oxygen to the body as possible, improving the function of the heart and lungs and strengthening blood vessel tissue. Therefore, if you do it consistently, you can prevent cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, myocardial infarction, and metabolic diseases such as diabetes.
Muscle exercise, also called anaerobic exercise, is representative of exercise using equipment such as barbells or dumbbells. If you are a beginner at a fitness center for the first time, we recommend learning from a trainer how to use the equipment properly. The weight of the strength training equipment should be enough to cause slight fatigue after moving it 8 to 10 times. Exercise intensity and number of sets should be increased gradually, taking your time. It is best to divide strength training into upper body and lower body, or pushing and pulling, and do it every other day. Slowly repeat 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions using 2 to 3 different strength training machines (about 20 minutes total).
Flexibility exercises (stretching) are also important. For those who are not flexible, it is better to do it every day for 3 months. Bend or stretch your muscles in directions you don’t normally use and hold for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the pulling sensation disappears. Repeat 3 to 5 times. If you do flexibility exercises as a warm-up, your heart rate and breathing rate will increase, and your heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles will function safely and efficiently during this exercise. Doing flexibility exercises as a cool-down exercise has the effect of softening the muscles and ligaments around the joints and relieving fatigue.
#3. Find a ‘fun exercise’ that you can do for the rest of your life
It is not easy for office workers with irregular work hours or teenagers who study while sleeping less to set aside time to exercise. It is necessary to incorporate exercise into your daily life, such as walking or running for short distances and taking the stairs to the 3rd or 4th floor. Above all else, fun is important. Because you need to exercise consistently, you should find something that you enjoy doing rather than worrying about the type. To avoid the yo-yo effect where the weight you lost comes back and the muscles you worked hard to build disappear. People who don’t enjoy individual exercise can enjoy group sports such as soccer, baseball, or basketball. Not only will it motivate you to exercise, but you can also learn how to compete fairly and improve social relationships.
Modern people who find it difficult to even walk worry that exercising may harm their health. If you know exactly your body condition and find fun exercise that doesn’t overwhelm you, you will be able to maintain both your physical and mental health.
– Original text: ‘How to start low-quality physical exercise’, Science Donga May 2011 issue, Reporter Jeong-ah Lee
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