If you’re not already familiar with the word energy, it could mean different things to different people. It might mean just keeping your blood sugar levels in check, stopping yourself from eating too much (perhaps by sticking to whole grains and veggies instead of fries and pizza), or you might think about the higher energy of a power walk.
So what does the word “energy” mean to you? Energy is the fast-response energy that’s produced in response to those situations that require either energy (like strenuous exercise) or breathing (like catching up on sleep). As a body tries to maintain equilibrium in the face of energy release, such as when you’re working out, there’s a lot of work that goes into getting yourself back to equilibrium.
Triggers that trigger high energy energy
For some people, exercising is a form of therapy. They have a chronic health condition and it’s the only way they can find relief. It can be helpful for different reasons. For example, a study published by the American College of Sports Medicine showed that the behavioral effects of physical activity from non-core conditioning activities can have positive psychological effects. Some studies found that exercise could lower anxiety, depression and stress in people who have an anxiety disorder or work in a high-stress environment.
For others, physical activity is motivated by a desire to improve their overall fitness. While some people exercise because they want to be fit and get fit, other people exercise to keep up their quality of life. Yet others are motivated to improve their body mass index or the health of their joints.
High-quality workouts on the go
High-quality exercise that engages your whole body – using multiple muscles – means that there’s something different happening in your body during the course of your workout. When you can comfortably walk or run, take advantage of that and go for a 30-minute run or brisk walk. Although doing these types of training can reap many benefits, they also require different techniques, equipment and schedules that may differ greatly from other workouts, and this is why quality of life is an important factor to consider.
Don’t just look at how hard you worked. Look at how many times you broke a sweat.
Don’t just look at how hard you worked. Look at how many times you broke a sweat. You may notice that you walked harder for 5 minutes or did more reps during your recent session, but if you only worked out once a week and felt the same after, it might not be enough.
More mileage, better mileage
By breaking down multiple muscle groups, fitness can have many benefits. For example, by using your entire body, it helps you reach your body weight during every movement you do – faster. You burn more calories per minute. There are other reasons, too: “Detaching” from the movement gets rid of some of the biomechanical limitations of the human skeleton, such as “the power chain,” or the time your body has to push itself.
When your body becomes accustomed to doing certain movements, then any muscle groups you use will become stronger (and you won’t need to add more muscle in those areas) as opposed to using muscles you don’t use often.
There’s also something to be said for “functional fitness.” This is a term often used to describe how to use exercise to not only improve your fitness but to prevent injury. A study in Sports and Exercise Medicine looked at the potential benefits of functional fitness and aerobic training. Specifically, they examined the benefits for performance, strength, endurance and overall function.
The study found that, overall, aerobic training and functional fitness were beneficial for performance (meaning you improved your athletic abilities), but athletic training was even more beneficial (i.e., muscle strengthening).
By means of functional fitness, you can condition yourself to make yourself less likely to sustain joint and muscle injuries. For example, exercise can help you develop stronger core muscles, which can help you relieve pressure on your hips and knees. And training can help you build greater strength and flexibility, which increases your ability to avoid using equipment to help you maintain postural alignment, such as using medicine balls, cones or ice.