Health Benefits of Exercise and
Physical Activity:
Reduce or maintain body weight or body fat
Build and maintain healthy muscles, bones, and joints
Reduce depression and anxiety
Improve psychological well-being
Enhanced work, recreation, and sport performance
Reduce the risk of developing heart disease
Reduce high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure
Reduce high cholesterol or the risk of developing high cholesterol
Reduce the risk of developing colon cancer and breast cancer
Reduce the risk of developing diabetes
Benefits of Strength Training:
Increased muscular strength
Increased strength of tendons and ligaments
Potentially improves flexibility (range of motion of joints)
Reduced body fat and increased lean body mass (muscle mass)
Potentially decreases resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure
Positive changes in blood cholesterol
Improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
Improved strength, balance, and
Benefits of Aerobic Exercise:
Increased maximal oxygen consumption(VO2max)
Improvement in cardiovascular/cardio respiratory function (heart and lungs)
Increased maximal cardiac output (amount of blood pumped every minute)
Increased maximal stroke volume (amount of blood pumped with each beat)
Increased blood volume and ability to carry oxygen
Reduced workload on the heart (myocardial oxygen consumption) for any given
submaximal exercise intensity
Increased blood supply to muscles and ability to use oxygen
Lower heart rate and blood pressure at any level of submaximal exercise
Increased threshold for lactic acid accumulation
Lower resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people with high blood
pressure
Increased HDL Cholesterol (the good cholesterol)
Decreased blood triglycerides
Reduced body fat and improved weight control
Improved glucose tolerance and reduced insulin resistance