Physical Activity
Exercise is an essential component of healthy living.
It not only increases the level of HDL (“good”)
cholesterol in the blood, but also reduces the level of
LDL (“bad”) cholesterol. In addition, it helps
us to maintain our weight within a healthy range, lower
our blood sugar levels, and improve our overall cardiovascular
fitness. A physically active person is approximately 1.5
times less likely to develop heart disease and 30-50%
less likely to be hypertensive. Conversely, lack of exercise
may leave a person more vulnerable to developing diabetes,
high blood pressure, and obesity. Fortunately, exercise
need not be overly strenuous before we are able to derive
health benefits from it. Just 20 minutes of physical activity
(for instance, brisk walking, aerobic dancing, swimming)
at least three times a week can substantially reduce your
risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
A proper exercise programme should include a:
 warming-up
phase;
conditioning
phase; and
cooling-down
phase.
The warming-up phase typically consists of 5 to10 minutes
of gentle stretching and calisthenics to warm up the muscles
and reduce the risk of injury during exercise. The conditioning
phase, which should form the main component of your exercise
sessions, involves aerobic and/or strengthening exercises.
Aerobic exercises (for instance, cycling, jogging, swimming)
help to improve your blood circulation, while strengthening
exercises such as lifting weights help to build and tone
your muscles. Following the conditioning phase is a cooling-down
period of 5 to 10 minutes to round off the exercise session.
If exercise is not currently a regular part of your life,
here are some simple tips to help you incorporate it into
your routine:
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start slowly; |
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begin with relatively low-intensity exercises such as taiji, qigong or walking; |
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gradually progress to more vigorous activities as your fitness improves; |
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choose physical activities which
you enjoy so that you will not find your exercise
sessions a chore; |
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be careful not to over-exert
yourself as you exercise. |
As a general rule, you should exercise until you perspire
and breathe deeply, but not to the extent of getting out
of breath. If you are too breathless to talk while exercising,
you should scale down the intensity of your work-out.
A helpful guide in this respect is the acronym “F.I.T.T.”,
which stands for:
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Frequency
(F) – 3 to 5 times a week; |
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Intensity (I) –
until you sweat and breathe deeply without discomfort; |
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Time (T) –
at least 20 minutes per session, with an additional
5 to 10 minutes for warming-up and cooling-down
both before and after exercise; |
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Type (T) –
a mixture of aerobic and strengthening exercises. |
In Singapore, easy and affordable access to exercise facilities
are available to all. The Singapore Sports Council operates
an island-wide chain of ClubFITT gymnasiums, while the
People’s Association provides a wide range of sports
facilities at its Sea Sports Clubs and Community Clubs/Centres.
More information on sports and exercise facilities for
the public may be obtained from these two organizations
at:
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Singapore
Sports Council
(for ClubFITT gymnasiums)
www.ssc.gov.sg
Tel: 6345-7111 (main line)
1800-225 5772 (Sports For Life hotline) |
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People’s
Association
(for Sea Sports Clubs & Community Clubs/Centres)
.www.pa.gov.sg
Tel: 1800-422 5572 |
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