Kenneth Gardner
IF YOU are usually inactive and just starting up your exercise programme you may need frequent breaks or rest periods. Alternating rest and exercise is one way to achieve progress in your exercise programme, improve your endurance and keep your heart and breathing rates within comfortable levels. Resting at intervals can also prolong the total length of time you spend exercising by delaying the onset of feelings of fatigue.
Your endurance is low if you are are unable to maintain an exercise routine at a reasonably moderate pace for a five-minute period without stopping. High endurance produces many benefits such improvements in the make-up of the body and body functions. These improvements help to prevent illness.
Walking, jogging or running is the exercise of choice for many people and these exercises can be used to improve your endurance. The level at which we start exercise programmes depends on our fitness status.
LEVEL 1 - MODERATE WALKING
On alternate days, walk for about 15 minutes at a moderate pace that is comfortable for you. Try to maintain the pace for as long as possible but you can slow down the pace if you become too tired. Try to go back to the moderate pace as soon as you can. Do not extend the walk beyond a point with which you are not comfortable. As the walk gets easier you can walk for longer periods or you can increase the number of days that you walk.
LEVEL 2 - WALKING BRISKLY
On alternate days, start walking at a comfortable pace, and then increase the pace to a brisk walk. Try to maintain the pace for as much as 30 minutes. If you get tired, you can vary the rate between slow and medium. Try to gradually increase your walk time to 60 minutes non-stop, over a period of time. As you continue to improve, you can gradually increase your speed, length of time and number of days.
LEVEL 3 - WALKING FAST AND JOGGING
On alternate days, start with a brisk walk then pick up the pace to a fast walk and then start jogging. When you are tired reduce your jogging to a brisk walk and then start jogging again as soon as you can. Continue this routine as long as you can. As you improve, reduce the length of time you walk and increase the time that you jog. As the routine gets easier you can increase the number of exercise days or the distance you cover.
LEVEL 4 - JOGGING AND RUNNING
Begin by jogging slowly and maintain your speed for about five minutes then increase your speed to slow or moderate running (based on what you can cope with). Maintain your running speed for two to three minutes then return to jogging speed. Alternate your jogging speed and running speed as long as you can. At the beginning, you can alternate the exercise days and then increase the days as you improve. Another option is to do the routine for longer periods on alternate days.
Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education: email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.
