Lack of activity destroys the good condition of every human being, while movement and methodical physical exercise save it and preserve it. ~Plato

Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional, and mental states. ~Carol Welch

The word exercise has a tiring, obligatory and joyless connotation for some of us. So lets use the word movement instead. The ability to move, to be transported, to dance, to walk, to run, to play, to stretch ourselves is a privilege given to us and exercising that privilege can be a lot of fun. On the other hand we lose what we do not use and our physical facilities can dwindle over the years, till we end up with restricted mobility. But the time to prevent that outcome is now. And I ask those of you who feel that they are not doing enough physically to make that resolution for change now. (pause for contemplation)

I am not suggesting that you become an Olympic athlete or run a marathon. Avoid the idea that you have reach excellent physical shape to get any benefits. The small steps are very powerful.The facts are surprising – you don’t have to be in the physical condition of an athlete to get maximum benefit from exercise. In fact the maximum curve of benefit is found in going from couch potato to walking! And you don’t have to surrender huge chunks of your day to the exercise regimen. In my earlier article titled ‘Working out the fun and easy way’, I discussed how the most natural and rewarding exercise programs are by way of ‘‘Interval Training’ and can yield benefits in 20 minutes once or twice a day. Also remember not to compare yourself to the super-athlete, exercise freak next to you and get discouraged. As one of my martial arts teachers of long ago told me ‘You are only competing with yourself.’ And beyond a certain point there is no additional benefit to exercise – only bragging rights.

The idea is that we improve a little bit every day. It does not matter if it’s an inch or a yard as long as its in the right direction. This brings me back to the Japanese concept of ‘Kaizen’. In his excellent book “One Small Step Can Change Your Life, Robert Maurer talks about taking small steps to make big changes in your life. Your first step towards exercise may be pretending you have a dog and taking numerous five minute walks through the day. Numerous small steps done on a regular basis has powerful cumulative effects.

Lastly but most importantly pick up something that is fun. Most of us have enough things on our to do list without needing to add one more. Even if you think you hate exercise you may well be on the road to discovering an activity that brings you tremendous joy and rewards over the years. If pumping iron in a gym sounds boring, then pick up Yoga or Zumba or start tennis lessons. Maybe put together a basketball league in your neighborhood and renew a passion that has laid dormant since childhood. There are even exercise programs for people with disabilities. My post New hope for Parkinson Disease. Part Two gives you links to studies showing the tremendous benefit of physical activity in Parkinson’s Disease. Similarly exercise programs for people with arthritis are becoming increasingly popular. Whatever your physical state, you can find an activity that is fun and fulfilling. And if you cant find one, then start one. The only limit is our imagination so take those steps – small or big – to improve our lives and consequently those around us. As Gautama Buddha once said “Like the moon come out from behind the clouds. Shine!”

CAUTION: As always use your discretion when you start a program. Get clearance from your doctor and start slow.

The health information on these sites www.drthomasalexander.com and www.thomasalexandermd.com is for educational purposes only. Dr. Thomas Alexander and the Harmonia clinic assume no responsibility and make no claims in treatment or cure of any disease or illness. The information provided by www.drthomasalexander.com and www.thomasalexandermd.com is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her physician. Please seek advice from a medical professional to help evaluate your symptoms and condition for proper diagnosis.

Tagged as: couch potato, exercise and health, exercise for elders, exercise for people with Parkinson's exercise for people with arthritis, exercise programs, interval training, rewarding exercise