What are the 3 Phases of Exercise?

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Physical exercise can improve health in many ways. It can aid digestion and metabolism. Exercise stimulates a healthy appetite and strengthens the muscles of internal organs. It helps move food through the GI tract. It helps reduce stress, and it adds to your total sense of well-being. For a healthy digestive system, including some physical activities in your lifestyle.

Your exercise program should include three phases for each workout session. You need a warm-up period, and a cool – down period.

Warm – Up Period

On a cold morning, a car engine needs to warm up before you start driving. In a similar way, your muscles need to warm up before you start excising. Warming up prepares your heart and other muscles for work. Many people ignore this important phase of an exercise program. If you do not warm-up, you may be more likely to end up with sore muscles or an injury.

The warm-up period should last about 5 to 10 minutes. Begin by gradually increasing your heart rate. Some people choose a slow jog for this purpose. If you will be swimming or bicycling, you can simply start the activity at a slow pace. Gradually increase to a moderate pace to bring your heart rate near your target zone.

Following your heart warm-up, warm up the muscles you will be using in your workout. Do a series of gentle stretches, but avoid bouncing motions. Your movements should resemble those you will use in your exercise activity. If you will be playing tennis, slowly move your arms as though you are making broad forehand and backhand strokes. Make these motions several tomes with empty hands. Then pick up a tennis racquet and repeat them several more times. After a brief warm-up session such as this, you will be ready for a more vigorous workout.

Workout Period

The Workout Period is the main part of your exercise program. It should last at least 20 minutes. During this time, do activities that will help you develop the health components of fitness.

Cool-Down Period

Never sit down or enter a hot shower immediately after exercise without a cool-down period. The body needs to slowly return to its pre-exercise state.

During exercise, your heart pumps extra blood to your muscles to meet their increased demand for oxygen and energy. The action of your muscles keeps blood circulating back to the heart. If you stop muscle action too quickly, the extra blood temporarily collects in your muscles. This reduces the amount of oxygen-rich blood available for the heart to pump to the brain, and dizziness results.

The cool-down period should last about 10 minutes. You can use the same activities to cool down as you used for your warm-up. A slow jog will help reduce your heart rate and allow the muscles to push more blood toward the heart. Some stretching exercises will help prevent muscles that have become tight from exercise.