Three Benefits to Exercise

James Parkin

Player McPhaul

English IV

15 February 2008

The Three Benefits of Exercise

Do you need some motivation to get off the couch and begin exercising? Maybe you have started to work out and then stopped your work out routine so many times that you cannot keep track of the number of programs you have tried. Well you are not alone. In fact, by statistics that would make you an average American. All the same, working out for the sake of health and well-being is becoming increasingly important as we continue to learn the effects of inactivity. There are many benefits that arrive from the presence of exercise in your daily routine. Improved strength, improved cardiovascular fitness, and an improved immune system are just three of the many benefits that come from exercise and activity. I will tell you a little bit more about each of these three benefits and how and why they can help to benefit you.

First, strength according to Webster’s dictionary is the power to resist strain or stress. Strength training, also known as resistance training, has many benefits. By training over a regular period of time your muscle tone will increase the muscle's readiness for work. Increased muscle tone improves posture, which can help lead to a better-developed physique. Following a resistance-training program you can expect, in both men and women, to find changes in your body shape. Women will have a slightly greater loss in body fat where gains in muscle mass tend to be slightly greater in men. Thus, both men and women can have positive effects on their body

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composition as a result of training with weights.

Another benefit might also be cardiovascular fitness. The heart is a muscle that responds to exercise by becoming stronger and more efficient. The muscles demand more energy and oxygen due to the increased workload that comes from exercise. This causes the heart rate and respiratory rate to increase in order to provide the required additional fuel to the muscles. In addition, the entire circulatory system works more efficiently due to vascular dilation and cholesterol reduction. By improving the condition of your cardiovascular fitness you are also helping yourself live longer, decrease the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, strengthen your cardiovascular system, and the list goes on. These reasons alone could save you from having heart disease.

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