I am Devanshi Modi, owner and Physical Therapist at Spineck Physical Therapy. I wanted to share tips on how to plan and execute your daily exercise routine.
Did you gain some extra pounds in winter and plan to shed them as the weather gets better? Here are 5 things you must know before you start exercising this Spring.
1) Create a plan
Many of us randomly choose workouts on any given day (e.g., brisk walking, jogging, strengthening etc.). Instead, create a structured repeatable plan that has a mix of core, balance, resistance training and aerobic exercises.
Here is a sample exercise plan:
- Monday: Warm-up and stretching exercises followed by a 30-minute moderate-pace brisk walk or jog.
- Tuesday: Rest Day.
- Wednesday: Warm-up and stretching exercises followed by 10 mins of brisk walk. After the walk, perform 3 sets of Planks (30 sec), 10 Squats, 10 Lunges, 10 push-ups.
- Thursday: Stretching exercises or 3 sets of Sun salutations.
- Friday: Warm-up and stretching exercises followed by 30 min bike ride or moderate pace jog.
- Saturday: Rest Day.
- Sunday: Warm-up and stretching exercises followed by 10 mins of brisk walk. After the walk, perform 3 sets of Side Planks (20 sec), 10 Squats, 10 jumping jacks, 10 Oblique curls.
2) Do not skip Warm-up and Stretching exercises
Warm-ups and Stretching exercises are an integral part of a workout. You must always stretch before and after your jog or a run. They may look trivial and add to your workout time. But they are essential to prevent injuries and get optimal muscle activity during your workout.
3) Monitor your heart rate
American Heart Association (AHA) recommends you to perform moderate exercise intensity and maintain target heart rate for at least 15-20 mins while performing exercises.
You can check your pulse rate by either palpating at the wrist or using devices like a smartwatch that monitor it for you. Check your resting pulse rate and monitor your peak heart rate during exercises. The heart rate determines your exercise intensity.
Let’s understand a few terms
Heart rate max:
220 – (your age).
Example: If you are 20-year-old. Your heart rate max will be calculated by subtracting 20 from 220. That would be 200 beats/min.
Target Heart Rate:
Moderate intensity exercises have a target heart rate of 50-70% of your heart rate max. For example, if you are 20-year-old, your moderate intensity target heart rate will be 100 -140 beats/min.
So, push yourself to maintain a steady target heart rate for at least 15-20 mins of the entire exercise session. If you’re just starting, aim for the lower range of your target zone 50% and gradually build up to 70%.
4) Listen to your body
Muscular soreness is common during the first few days of exercise but you should not feel pain at joints (e.g., knee, low back, shins). You need to modify the exercise type if that’s the case. Don’t push through the pain.
5) Enjoy what you do
Pick your favorite music, walk in your favorite park or exercise with a friend. Enjoy your exercise time to make most of it.
Spineck Physical Therapy practices one-on-one physical therapy. It’s unlike most Physical Therapy places you have visited. With a holistic approach and detailed assessment, we try to reach the root cause of pain and deal with it. We accept insurance and you don’t need a referral to get started!