Prescribing Exercise for Health and Sporting Performance Needs Careful Consideration and Planning
This means considering their unique needs, abilities, and goals.
Exercise prescription
Exercise prescription is the process of designing a structured exercise program that is specifically tailored to meet an individual’s health or performance goals.
Exercise prescription involves creating an individualized plan that takes into account the intensity, duration, frequency, and type of exercise suitable for the person.
Exercise Prescription Components
- Frequency: How often an individual performs physical activity (e.g., daily, three times a week).
- Intensity: The effort required during exercise, usually measured by heart rate, perceived exertion, or power output.
- Time: The duration of each exercise session (e.g., 30 minutes).
- Type: The kind of exercise chosen, such as aerobic (e.g., running), resistance (e.g., weightlifting), or flexibility training (e.g., yoga).
- Progression: Gradually increasing the intensity or volume of exercise over time to enhance fitness without risking injury or burnout.
- A beginner aiming to lose weight might start with low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise, such as walking or swimming, for 30 minutes, 3-4 times per week.
- As fitness improves, the intensity can gradually increase to more intense aerobic or resistance exercises.
Importance of Planning
- Exercise prescription ensures the effectiveness and safety of a training program.
- Without proper planning, individuals are at risk for injury, overtraining, or not achieving their desired outcomes.
Safety
- Exercise intensity should align with the individual’s fitness level.
- Overexertion can lead to injuries like strains, sprains, or stress fractures.
A sedentary person should start with low-intensity activities and gradually increase intensity over time.
Effectiveness
- Tailoring an exercise plan to the individual’s needs enhances the probability of achieving goals (e.g., fat loss, strength building, or cardiovascular improvements).
- For athletes, a more specific, sport-focused plan will be necessary to improve skills and performance.
- For a beginner focused on weight loss, the exercise prescription might involve moderate-intensity aerobic exercises (e.g., walking or cycling) for 30 minutes per session, 3-5 days per week.
- For an elite athlete in a sport like soccer, the plan might include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training, and sport-specific drills.
Key Focus Areas in Exercise Prescription
Progressive Overload Principle
Progressive overload principle
A key training concept which dictates that to improve fitness, the body must be exposed to progressively greater levels of stress (e.g., by increasing weight, time, or reps) to promote adaptation.
- The progressive overload principle dictates that for fitness to improve, the body must be exposed to greater-than-usual stress.
- Progressing intensity (either by increasing weight, time, or reps) helps the body adapt without causing overtraining or injury.
If someone is training for a 5K race, the intensity may be progressively increased over several weeks by increasing running speed or distance, allowing the body to adapt without excessive strain.
Monitoring progress
- Frequent assessments (e.g., fitness tests, subjective feedback) can help guide the progressive increase in exercise intensity.
- This ensures that the person is progressing safely without overtaxing their body.
- A beginner might start walking for 20 minutes at a moderate pace.
- After a few weeks, they might increase the walking duration to 30 minutes and increase the intensity slightly by walking at a brisk pace.
Impact of Exercise on Mental Health
Reduction in Anxiety
- Regular physical activity helps alleviate anxiety symptoms by lowering stress hormones (such as cortisol) and boosting endorphins, which are natural mood enhancers.
- Aerobic exercises like running, swimming, or cycling are particularly effective for this.
Endorphin
Natural chemicals produced by the body during exercise that act as mood enhancers and contribute to feelings of well-being.
- In exams, always mention how physical activity can counteract the physical effects of anxiety (such as increased heart rate or muscle tension).
- Focus on how endorphins and hormonal balance play key roles.
Improved Mood
- Physical activity, particularly aerobic and resistance exercises, has been shown to improve mood by increasing the release of dopamine and serotonin, chemicals in the brain that regulate emotions.
- Exercise can lead to increased positive emotions and decreased negative ones.
After a run or a cycle ride, people often report feeling more positive and energized.
Cognitive Function
Cognitive function
The mental processes involved in gaining knowledge and understanding, including memory, learning, and problem-solving.
- Regular physical activity helps enhance cognitive function, especially in older adults.
- It supports memory, learning, and problem-solving skills, and reduces the risk of cognitive decline, such as Alzheimer’s or dementia.
- Aerobic activities like walking or jogging can help increase blood flow to the brain, which promotes brain health.
- This can delay cognitive decline in the elderly.
Exercise as a Treatment for Mental Health
Complementary Treatment for Mental Health Conditions
- While exercise is not a substitute for professional treatment (e.g., therapy or medication), it can serve as an adjunctive treatment for conditions like depression, anxiety, and stress.
- Research shows that physical activity can significantly reduce symptoms and improve overall mental health.
- Some students mistakenly claim that exercise alone can cure depression or anxiety.
- Remember, exercise is a complementary treatment, not a replacement.
Reduction in Symptoms of Depression
- Exercise has been shown to significantly reduce depressive symptoms, particularly when combined with traditional treatments.
- Regular aerobic or strength training exercises can reduce feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and lack of motivation.
Studies have shown that regular running or cycling for 30 minutes, 3-5 times a week can help reduce depressive symptoms and improve mood.
Exam techniqueAlways mention the biological mechanisms such as endorphin release and the regulation of neurotransmitters when explaining how exercise improves mood.
Recommended Physical Activity Levels
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week to enhance mental health.
Psychological Benefits of Exercise
- Exercise does not only benefit physical health, it has profound effects on psychological well-being.
- It can enhance self-esteem, improve stress management, and foster social connections.
Self-Esteem and Body Image
Self-esteem
Self-esteem refers to an individual’s overall sense of self-worth or personal value, while body image refers to how one perceives their physical appearance.
- Regular physical activity improves body image by reducing body fat, increasing muscle tone, and enhancing overall physical fitness.
- As physical changes become noticeable, individuals often report higher levels of self-esteem.
- Maintaining a positive body image can have significant long-term benefits, including improved mental health, reduced stress, and better self-worth.
After a few months of regular exercise, individuals may experience improvements in their physical appearance, leading to a positive shift in their perception of their body, which boosts self-esteem.
Stress Management
- Exercise is known to regulate stress hormones, especially cortisol.
- Cortisol is often elevated during stressful events, but regular exercise helps the body regulate cortisol production and can reduce its harmful effects over time.
- Exercise not only helps manage acute stress but also reduces chronic stress by balancing hormone levels and improving mental resilience.
A brisk 30-minute walk can lower cortisol levels in the body, helping individuals feel more relaxed and less stressed.
AnalogyThink of cortisol as a stress "alarm" in your body. Exercise helps to "turn off" the alarm by signaling your body to relax.
Exercise and Emotional Resilience
Building Resilience Against Stress and Emotional Challenges
- Regular physical activity contributes significantly to emotional resilience, the ability to recover from stress and adversity.
- Exercise can serve as a natural "buffer" against emotional turmoil by improving mood and fostering a sense of accomplishment and control.
- Neuroplasticity: Physical activity can promote the growth of new brain cells in areas related to stress regulation and emotional processing, such as the hippocampus.
