By performing warm-up routines, you actually do literally just that – warm up the body. Internal body temperature can't raise by a large amount, or you would have all the symptoms of a fever. Nevertheless, the temperature in the muscles can, and should, be raised slightly in order to dilate blood vessels and loosen muscles.

That dilation leads to greater blood flow, which helps oxygenate muscles and remove the waste products of cellular activity. Warm muscles are looser, more supple and flexible. That reduces stiffness and lowers resistance to larger movements. That helps reduce the risk of injury and prepares the body for high-performance activity.

A good warm-up also raises the heart rate, respiratory capacity and the overall metabolic level. Among other benefits, this helps deliver nutrients to muscles that will be useful for the workout to come. Warm-ups help lubricate joints, too, as well as lowering the risk to stretched tendons and tears.

No matter what kind of sport or workout you favor, having a well-functioning cardiovascular system and supple joints and muscles are essential for peak performance and low risk of injury.

A 10-15 minute warm-up period, including static and dynamic stretching activities, should be a low-intensity version of the routines that will be undertaken when the warm-up is complete.

Focus the non-stretching aspect of your warm-up more on the specific types of movement called for by the sport or activity you plan to engage in. If you plan to jog five miles, take a brisk walk, followed by a few gentle laps of a hundred yards or less. If you plan to play tennis or golf, spend a few minutes on low-speed, low-impact swings.

As you progress through the warm-up, gradually increase the speed and range of movement. This helps prepare the body and mind both.

Making the increase gradual helps increase the cardio and lung systems, and slowly cranks up needed body chemicals systems without depleting them. It helps gear up the mind for a high performance routine or sports event, in a way that static or even dynamic stretches won't.

Like any physical activity, don't overdo it. Don't warm-up too much or too fast. The idea is to prepare the body for a workout, not perform one.

At the end, you'll be ready to perform the sport or workout of your choice at peak level with minimal risk of injury.

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Working out aids fitness in a number of ways, each one involving one or more of those systems.

Raised physical activity causes the heart to work harder than at rest. That increases blood flow, floods tissues with fresh oxygen and eliminates cellular waste products.

Exercise leads to the lungs to draw in additional oxygen to bathe the tissues and aid power the heart. Exhalation removes carbon dioxide, a waste product of many biochemical reactions.

Repeated, moderate workouts helps increase HDL(High- Density Lipoprotein) cholesterol(the 'good' type) . It helps regulate blood sugar levels and converts stored fat into sugars which are used to give energy. This process also prevents fatness.

The other benefits of a consistent fitness program are much more obvious and usually among the more direct goals of most people that make the effort: bigger muscle mass, toned legs, bum, arms, abdomen and healthier appearing skin. Along the way, the individual receives the added value of more strength, improved balance, increased staying power and(often) a improved frame of mind.

Different types of routines will emphasize one location over another. Aerobic routines assist the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, weight lifting focuses on developing muscle tone and mass, yoga and pilates helps balance, flexibility and muscular control. But each of these, and several more, help more than just the intended focus group. The body is an integrated system and improving one area almost always has beneficial outcomes for others.

All those gains, at the least to a moderate extent, will be had for minimal day-by-day effort. Moderate intensity activity for 30 minutes each day, a minimum of 5 days a week, will go a long way toward optimizing health and fitness.

A brisk stroll, taking the stairs up a few flights, a quick regular jog, jumping rope and many other elementary activities can be accomplished with no special equipment or training.

More intense activity, done properly, can increase that level even more. A energetic tennis game, several laps in the swimming pool, an hour on the treadmill or exercise cycle, or any of a dozen others, can boost your fitness to a level with only a small commitment of money and time.

For the really committed there are, naturally, a thousand and one classes at the gymnasium, and every conceivable kind of home health and fitness equipment to fit a variety of budgets. A daily regime using free weights, followed by a good jog round the park will maintain all systems working perfectly.

Therefore, as Aristotle explained all those years in the past, to function well is to live well.

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Before starting any routine, be sure to spend at least 10 minutes warming up, including good stretching exercises. Warm, loose muscles are much less likely to tear themselves or attached tendons. Also, you'll want to get the circulatory system activated and muscle temperature increased for good blood flow.

How much weight to use, how many reps to perform and other variables are determined by your overall goals. Do you want to build muscle mass or just tone? For more mass, use more weight. For better tone, use less weight and do more reps. Do you want to increase flexibility and overall fitness or prepare for specific events?

In any case, these traditional exercises will help you get started down that road. Some can be performed without equipment, others require only a very simple set of free weights or resistance equipment. Resistance equipment includes rubber straps with handles, springs and others that work primarily by offering resistance to tension. Weights work primarily by providing compression and/or tension due to gravity.

Warning: Never exercise 'through the pain'. Mild discomfort – especially after a prolonged period of inactivity – is normal. But intense pain is a sign of trouble. Consult your physician.

Push-Ups

Even with all the contemporary sports science around, traditional push-ups remain an excellent upper body exercise. Start on your stomach, back straight, feet together, hands under the shoulders. Press against the floor, keeping your back and legs straight, then lower yourself back to the floor. For a little extra effort push-up, slow the action down and both raise and lower more slowly.

Try to do 20, then build up to 40, then to 80 push-ups.

More Chest Work

Start with 10 lb (4.5 kg) hand-held dumbbells. Flat on your back on a comfortable surface, such as a carpet or mat, hold the weights in each hand, palms up, arms extended perpendicular from the body. Lift slowly and bring the hands together.

To vary the action, and get the biceps a good workout, too, try bending at the elbow when the arms are raised about 20 degrees, then straighten and continue.

Lats

Stand up straight, arms at your side, grasping the dumbbells. Maintain good balance and breathe normally. At the maximum point of inhalation, thrust the arms away from the body, palms inward. Exhale as you raise your arms to shoulder height, then lower your hands slowly back to the starting position.

To vary the exercise, and get the biceps and triceps involved, rotate the weights and curl your arms up at the top of the swing. Straighten the arm, then lower as described above.

Do 10 reps.

(Note: The 'lats' or latissiumus dorsi' are the large, side muscles that make men triangle-shaped.)

Biceps and Triceps

Move the weights in front of the body, with your arms hanging above the front of your thighs. Without swinging or pushing off the thighs, lift the weights toward your chest. Alternate using one arm, then the other.

Do 10 reps for each arm. If you experience lower back pain during the exercise, stop immediately. Put off the exercise until another day, or see your physician.

Exercises for the lats or biceps can be done with free weights or using a long, elastic resistance strap. Hook one end with the foot and grab the other with your hand. Proceed as described above.

Pull-ups/Chin-ups

If you have access to a sturdy bar, either in the gym or at a playground, or at home in a doorway, you can perform chin-ups and pull-ups. Chins ups are done with the fingers toward you, pull-ups with the fingers facing away, while your hands grasp the bar above your head.

This low-tech exercise remains one of the best ways to build biceps, triceps, lats and pectorals all at once.

No matter what routine you choose, don't overdo it. Build up your strength gradually. One of the most common reasons people don't continue workouts is pain produced from incorrect technique or excessive effort exerted too early in the process.

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Fitness equipment can run anywhere from $50 to $5,000 or more. You may be satisfied with an exercise ball or you may want a complete gym. That depends, of course, on your budget, your commitment and your desired workout routine.

A few free weights might be a good start if your preliminary goal is to tone and build muscle mass. A quality bar for chin-ups and pull-ups would be a good addition to a basic set. Between floor exercises and some elementary weight lifting, combined with chin-ups or pull-ups, you can design a varied workout.

It's always a good idea to have a longer-term plan, though. Buy higher quality today, equipment that lasts and that will continue to be part of your routine for several years. If you're considering an exercise bike, for example, in order to do some spinning for a great cardio workout, get something solid and reliable. You want the bike to be good for at least five years.

Make sure you take into account how much space you have, and how much you're likely to have for the next few years. For a bike you need only about 10 square feet, but a treadmill will require 30 square feet. A multi-station weight machine may take up to 100 square feet or more, depending on the design.

If you're just starting out, test a variety of equipment from different manufacturers at multiple outlets. Several companies make high quality gear, but every person is an individual. That means that a machine that works great for one person may be unsuited for another.

A rowing machine that fits your tall friend may be useless, or actually harmful, for you. Get equipment that's adjustable to fit your body size and type. That also helps when and if you share the equipment with a partner. Make sure the adjustments – for tensions, lengths, weights, etc – will travel through a wide range. As you build strength and endurance you'll want equipment that continues to test you as you develop.

Make sure you, and anyone who shares it, can use the equipment safely. Multi-station weight machines have safety features that vary in style and effectiveness. Pick equipment that suits you, not the salesperson.

From some advisors, 'no pain, no gain' can mean 'you should feel some pain'. Some mild discomfort the day after is normal and expected. But if it hurts you to use the gear, either you're doing something wrong – and should get guidance about proper technique – or the equipment isn't right for you. You should feel comfortable using it.

For example, walking machines should have rails that suit your height. They should also have rollers and settings that you can operate properly while in motion. Weight machines should have a chair and handlebars that you can sit in and grab without straining and don't produce back or neck aches.

Shop around, ask a lot of questions and don't buy until you are satisfied that you've found something that will last and suits your unique style.

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ATP is a core element of a process known in biochemical studies as (ready for it?): the tricarboxylic acid cycle, or the Kreb's cycle. But don't worry about the complicated names. The basic ideas are very simple.

Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars which produce ATP. Simple sugars break down more easily and therefore, on average, more quickly. Complex carbohydrates take longer – and therefore supply the body with a longer lasting storehouse of compounds needed to produce ATP.

Sugar, per se, is NOT bad, only excess sugar, consumed in unhelpful forms, can lead to poor health effects.

ATP is broken down into ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) and releases energy in the process. ADP later in the process then picks up the needed molecules to produce more ATP. That's why it's known as a cycle, since the process 'cycles around' to the beginning and starts over. That energy is used to maintain and repair cells, fuel respiration and organ systems and – more to our purpose here – produce the energy needed to fuel muscle contractions.

As byproducts of the cycle, heat and carbon dioxide are produced. The heat is eliminated by a number of means, including respiration and sweating. The carbon dioxide is carried through the system and some of it is expelled during respiration.

In order to carry out exercise, one essential element of which is muscle contraction, ATP must be produced continuously over varying stretches of time. In order to carry out this task, the body actually has three different ATP producing systems, with different production rates.

The phosphagen system replenishes ATP quickly, but only for short periods. That aids sprinters, fast-twitch fibers and other short-term uses. The glycogen-lactic system produces more slowly, but lasts up to 90 seconds or so. Aerobic respiration (normal oxygen breathing) makes ATP the most slowly, but can continue indefinitely.

As you exercise, ATP is consumed. That's one of the chief reasons you have to eat – in order to replenish the building blocks that can produce more ATP. Once you have more ATP, you have the basic molecule needed to engage in exercise and we're back where we began.

The body is an amazing, self-regulating complex of interconnected systems. None is more fascinating or central than the way it produces and consumes energy, an essential component of life itself.

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Your overall goal is to attain good range of motion, while gradually extending that range to a degree appropriate to your fitness level and body type. There are several different ways to accomplish that goal, and you should use at least a few of them before every workout.

Warm-ups are fundamental. Cold muscles are much more likely to tear and lead to stretched or torn cartilage and other harmful results. Warm-ups and stretches help produce the fluid that lubricates the joints, and it helps the muscles become more elastic. Those both lead to safer, higher performance workouts.

Ten to fifteen minutes is the minimum for most people. This can be done by low-impact jogging in place, simple stretches and other techniques.

Static stretching, for example, is the old-fashioned stretch and hold for 30 seconds. This should be done with the arms, trunk, legs and neck. Dynamic stretching and ballistic stretching involve more active, bouncing-style or weight-assisted stretching, sometimes with extra force applied. Both types are helpful.

Some dynamic stretches involve holding the arms out to the side, then swinging them back and forth across front of the body, repeating for 30 seconds. Another technique involves using a short bar across the neck, lying on the shoulders. Place your hands on the bar, then bend slowly left, then right, moving the head toward the outer edge of the foot.

Abdominal muscles can be prepared by lying backwards on a large rubber ball. Push back slowly and raise the arms above your head. Repeat 10 times. Loosen your hamstrings by lying on your back, and raising one outstretched leg using a large towel wrapped around the foot. Grab the ends and pull up slowly. Switch legs, then repeat for 10 reps.

A full back stretch is accomplished by lying on your back and bringing both knees to the chest, hands clasped behind the knees. Roll forward until your feet hit the floor, then roll back until the head touches. Do 10 rolls.

Groin stretches can be done safely by using a large rubber ball. Place one knee on the ball and slowly rotate the ball a few inches away from your body. Move the ball back toward your body, then switch legs. Do 10 movements.

Both the legs and back muscles can get a good warm-up stretch by doing toe taps. Stand up straight, feet apart about shoulder width. Lean forward, touching the big toe on one foot with the opposite hand – left hand to right foot, and vice-versa. Those with lower back problems should consult a trainer or physician before attempting these.

For maximum flexibility, stretching routines should be carried out at least a few times per week. This will help maximize the range of motion and decrease the potential for injury.

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Few could afford to buy the variety of equipment that gyms typically offer. Multi-station weight machines are just the beginning. Most gyms have treadmills, stationary rowing equipment, stretching bars, etc.

Many have tennis and racquetball courts, occasionally even squash and Jai Lai courts. Jai Lai is that fast-paced Spanish-origin game played in a racquetball-like court with a curved racket, only much faster. In addition, some gyms offer swimming pools, saunas and even rock-climbing practice walls.

Unless you're a multi-millionaire you couldn't begin to duplicate the space or the gear.

Then there's the expertise you'll find at a gym – both from the trainers and the other members. Gyms frequently have professional trainers on staff that can answer just about any question you have. They provide weight-training guidance, health tips and even dietary advice.

Gym members are sometimes more knowledgeable than the professionals. People dedicated to optimal fitness often take the time and effort to study the field. You'll find fitness fanatics, aerobics instructors and medical doctors among the clientele.

Apart from the equipment and assistance, gyms offer an opportunity to socialize during activities that can be pretty boring. Few people think a treadmill is the height of excitement and watching TV while walking can deaden your mind as you tone your body.

You'll make social contacts, get encouragement and have the chance to psych up into a regular routine in a way that is hard to duplicate at home.

But gyms sometimes have a common set of drawbacks.

Gym membership can be expensive. Most offer different payment plans – per visit, per month, per year or lifetime. Per visit is usually pricey, though it might be a good option if you're just visiting a city. Per month is often the best value, but prices can still be between $30 and $300 per month. Many will offer a trial membership, either free or at a reduced rate for the first month.

Of course, no price is a good deal if you don't go. And going to the gym can begin to seem like just one more duty among more pressing obligations. Many people in contemporary society lead extremely busy lives and finding time to go to the gym may well end up near the bottom of a long list.

Gyms can be messy. Most gym members are conscientious about wiping down the equipment, but it only takes a small number to spoil a gym for the majority. Alert staff can help keep those occasions few and far between, so look for a gym with staff that care.

Gyms can be unhealthy. Mingling with lots of people in a hot, humid atmosphere can encourage the spread of colds and other air-borne or contact-spread diseases. Showers are particularly prone to this since you usually have to touch the controls.

Only the individual can weigh the pros and cons and reach a final decision about which are most important. Unless you are lucky enough to find the right one the first time out, try a few on a trial basis before committing to anything long term.

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A medical doctor, especially one that specializes in sports medicine – a relatively new focus – can check your overall fitness before beginning, help you define your limits and recommend specific routines to help you accomplish your chosen goals.

Regrettably, not all physicians are created equal. They're rushed, overburdened with government regulations and paperwork and sometimes they're just not very good doctors. This shouldn't be surprising. Every other profession has a range of competence, there's no reason to expect medical doctors to be any different.

Unless you are fortunate enough to get a great recommendation, experience (a part of which is simple trial and error) will ultimately land you a medical doctor suitable for your purpose. Asking the right questions like "What is your experience with sports medicine?", "What is your stance on diet 'X' or drug 'Y'?", "What would you recommend for someone like me?" – will help you reach that goal.

Don't be put off by a busy doctor, you're paying for his or her time. Also, find one that's willing to explain in terms you can understand, without acting like you're an idiot for asking.

Nearly all physicians will have a basic knowledge of anatomy, nutrition, proper functioning and so forth. But physicians who specialize in sports or fitness will have a thorough, in-depth experience-based knowledge of the subject. It's no criticism of physicians that they do not all have that. No one can be an expert in every area.

That in-depth expertise will help you in a dozen ways.

Avoiding injury is primary in developing any workout routine. Mild discomfort is normal, especially when beginning or after a long period of inactivity. But pain is a signal that something is wrong. It could just be improper technique, or it may be something more serious. A physician can help you find out the cause of your pain, or help develop a routine that avoids it in the first place.

Optimizing your cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, strength, endurance, balance, flexibility and overall fitness involves understanding first and foremost how different routines will effect you in particular.

Men and women have basic differences and even racial differences play a part in developing correct routines. Body types differ among different groups. Each individual has a specific arrangement of joints and muscles, a unique level of lung and heart capacity, a distinctive genetic inheritance and so forth. Ultimately, you need a workout that is optimized for you specifically.

A sports physician can help you achieve those goals, beyond the level at which most fitness professionals – good as many of them are – can generally do so. Make time to see one before beginning any strenuous exercise program.

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While some women can and do achieve the upper body strength of some (even very fit) men, the overwhelming majority of males have a natural advantage in this area. Male aesthetic values, the source of which isn't clear, reinforce this and so they tend to work on upper body more than some other areas, relative to women's efforts.

Women, in part out of a desire to be seen as attractive, will focus exercises more on buttocks and legs. But here they also have a slight natural advantage for some exercises. A woman's pelvis tilts at a different angle than a man's. This effects the style and efficiency of squats, for example. Women will benefit by tilting the feet outward with legs further apart, while not needing to squat so low.

Overall, (most) women have less muscle mass than men (though they have additional layers in the stomach) and a higher percentage of body fat on average. As a result, a well designed female routine focuses less on bulking up, than toning and achieving flexibility. Women are more likely to incur injuries by lifting too much, too soon as they build up.

Men are somewhat less flexible on average, partly due to natural differences in joints, partly owing to attitude. Men tend more often than women to short change their warm-up routines, including essential stretching exercises.

All these differences (and many more) are a matter of degree, of course. Both men and women can benefit by adapting some aspects of the routines of the opposite sex.

Women are more likely to be more open to trying something new or different, such as yoga or pilates. These focus more on being aware of different body parts, in order to maximize flexibility and overall fitness. They focus very little on achieving strength, though this is often (in part) a consequence of a good yoga or pilates routine.

For example, several yoga routines focus on balance. But balance is optimized when all the muscles help support the joints and skeleton at correct angles in a dynamic way. That is both the cause and consequence of improved strength in the muscles that help achieve that balance.

Pilates, in particular, is a coordinated system for achieving better strength and posture and breathing by using one to aid the other. It concentrates more on controlling muscle groups than building them.

Both yoga and pilates and many other systems popularized in the West in the last 20 years or so focus on the integration of mind and body, one helping the other. Both systems are helpful as therapy for certain spine and joint problems.

While men and women will continue to lay more importance on some exercise values – and hence routines – than on others, both can benefit by peeking over the fence to see how the other half lives.

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Naturally, not all goals are mutually exclusive. Building strength can combine well with improving balance, for example. Having toned, strong leg muscles helps keep joints stable and improves appearance.

Remember that any strenuous exercise should be done only after a warm-up period that includes stretching.

Spinning

One of the best exercises for toning and strengthening leg muscles is 'spinning', using a stationary bike. Using an ordinary bicycle is good too, but the exercise is less controllable and involves a lot of other muscle groups.

A 15-minute spin will help tone the calves, hamstrings and quads, improve joint flexibility and (sometimes) reduce cellulite and fat. It's also a great cardiovascular activity so you get two for the price of one when you spin.

Knee Exercises

If you want something a little less vigorous, say you only want to help strengthen the knee, here are a couple of options.

This first one is really good for those who suffer from conditions such as chondromalacia patella. That's a roughening of the cartilage underneath the knee cap, sometimes as the result of the bones not sitting properly in the 'V' of the knee joint.

Sit in a chair, back straight but not tensed. Your leg should be bent at 90 degrees, the thigh parallel to the ground, the lower leg vertical. Tense the thigh, hold for 5 seconds then release. Switch legs and repeat. Do 10 reps for each leg. Easy, huh!

Be sure to breathe normally during the exercise.

Another exercise does a little more to build strength in the muscles that control bending at the knee.

Sit up straight and breathe normally, then cross your legs at the ankle. Push forward with the rear leg and back with the front leg. (A little tricky at first, but think about it!)

Switch legs by reversing the direction of the cross. If the right leg was in front, move it to the rear. Repeat the exercise 10 times for each position.

Calf Burns

Now for something a little more strenuous.

Depending on your balance and the surface you're standing on, you may need to do this on a mat or carpet, or on a wooden floor. Avoid using a cement or metal floor.

Stand up straight, heels together, toes slightly apart. Make sure you are well-balanced.

Lift the heels, balancing on the balls of your feet. Imagine a string attached to the center of your head pulling you up. Hold for 5 seconds, then lower slowly. Repeat 10 times. Over time, as you build strength and balance, increase the length of time you're on the balls of the feet.

Vary the action by bending slightly at the knee while you still have the heels raised. This will bring the thighs (quadriceps or 'quads' and hamstrings) as well as the buttocks into play. Straighten up, then lower the heels. Repeat 10 times.

Among the many health benefits of strong, flexible legs there is one that is especially important for the older crowd. Many falls lead to broken hips, one of the leading causes of severe health problems for the elderly. A long-term practice of keeping the legs in shape will help prevent this later in life.

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But what to buy?

If you're just getting into, or back into, a fitness routine, you should hold off purchasing anything. Using relatively new professional equipment, under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor, will give you a good basis for comparison when shopping.

One of the first pieces of equipment anyone interested in weight training will want is, naturally, a set of weights.

Free weights can be purchased for very little money – a basic set is often under $50. You'll want a mixture of small, 10 lb (4.5 kg) and 20 lb (9 kg) hand-held dumbbells and a bar with larger, exchangeable weights. Just about any bar is as good as another, but weights can be either metal or plastic. Some people like the old-fashioned clink of metal, but plastic weights (usually composite or sand-filled) are marginally safer.

At some point, you'll want to 'graduate' to a weight machine. They offer the ability to focus on specific muscle groups – biceps, quadriceps, deltoids and others – in a much safer way than free weights can. Also, some muscle groups – calves or hamstrings, for example – are harder to work using free weights.

Once you're ready for a weight machine, be prepared to spend some serious cash. Costs and configurations vary. Some are just simple resistance machines, essentially composite rubber stretching straps that allow for some adjustment to the tension. These run a few hundred dollars. Others are multi-station, adjustable weight stacks, often costing from $1,800 to $5,000 or more.

Stair steppers are becoming increasingly popular. A very simple model can run anywhere from $80-$150. It offers you the ability to get a good cardiovascular workout in a small space at home with low joint impact, while you build thighs and calves. Beware anything that looks like too good a deal, though. Reliability is key here, otherwise you've spent $100 for nothing when it breaks two months after purchase.

Some stair steppers run as high as $1,700 or more. At this level you should be getting a lot more than just the ability to simulate walking up stairs. Apart from reliability and handrails, which should be rock solid for 5 years or more, you should be able to adjust resistance level, speed, angle, and distance between the pedals. You should also get a heart rate monitor and other digital readouts (speed, distance climbed, calories burned, etc) as part of the package.

Treadmills, too, are becoming a more common part of the home gym. Since they run anywhere from a few hundred dollars to $2,000 or more, you should expect to get a lot for your money.

Again, they should be completely smooth working, stable and reliable for several years. A good treadmill should have a great, non-slip surface and it should be able to go faster and offer more resistance than you could ever use as you build up.

Like stair steppers, it should come with an impressive panel of controls and digital gauges. Any treadmill that costs over $1,000 should have, at minimum, adjustments for and measurements of speed and distance 'walked'. It should include calories burned, with tailoring based on age, weight, etc. A heart rate monitor is a great plus.

Of course, if you plan to spend several thousand dollars to acquire home gym equipment, you should be prepared to dedicate yourself to a consistent, regular workout. But that's something no manufacturer can guarantee.

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As a person exercises, the internal body temperature rises. That triggers the body to release internal fluid to the outside through millions of sweat glands and via heightened respiration. As the high temperature sweat evaporates off the skin, it takes heat with it, cooling the body down again.

That internal temperature regulatory system is vital to health, but losing too much fluid can also produce problems. High activity can cause a person to lose three quarts or more of fluid per hour. As the amount of fluid lost increases, performance decreases.

Excessive fluid loss strains the cardiovascular system as well, which can lead to dizziness, muscle cramps and even heat stroke, in extreme cases.

Professional guidelines recommend regular replacement of both water and electrolytes (sodium, potassium and others) by drinking a sports drink before, during and after a workout. The right amount will vary with body weight and type, tendency to sweat, external temperature and other variables, but here are some rough figures.

Drink about 18oz (0.53 liter) a couple of hours before beginning your workout, then another 10oz (0.3 liter) about 15 minutes before starting your warm-up. Drink at least 30oz (0.89 liter) every hour you work out, then – after a cool-down period of a few minutes – another 20oz (0.59 liter) after the workout.

Caffeine-containing drinks should be avoided when re-hydrating since they have a diuretic effect. Consuming alcohol, too, is a bad idea for at least a couple of hours after a strenuous workout. Apart from the high amount of calories most alcoholic drinks contain, the alcohol can disrupt the smooth rate of cool-down as the body temperature changes.

Beware of sports drinks that have high amounts of sugar. You don't want to put back all those calories you worked hard to burn, and too much sugar can unbalance cardiovascular regulation after vigorous exercise. That means, go easy on both soft drinks and concentrated fruit juices. Even diet soft drinks have excessive carbon dioxide, which is less than ideal for best recovery.

Look for drinks that replace magnesium (~100 mg per liter), as well as sodium and potassium. Both sodium and potassium are essential elements for proper heart function. They help regulate cellular electrical activity.

Isotonic drinks are designed to closely match the body's natural concentrations of needed minerals, vitamins and enzymes. That makes them easier to absorb and excellent replacement fluids.

Maintain overall health, avoid medical problems and maintain peak performance by proper fluid regulation.

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There are three basic types of stretching exercises that help accomplish these goals: static, dynamic and Isometric/PNF.

Static stretches are the most traditional type, encompassing the more or less standard 'pull to maximum end point, hold for five or ten seconds, then release' group of exercises.

Static stretches should form part of every 10 minute warm-up routine. Every major muscle group should be given a gentle pull, hold and relax. This helps improve the circulation and readies the muscles for more vigorous activity, while decreasing the risk of tears or tendon stretching.

Dynamic or ballistic stretches are more controversial, since they involve stretch with added momentum or even using weights. They are potentially harmful and that risk-factor is one of the major elements behind the controversy. At minimum, you should seek out a knowledgeable trainer before engaging in this form of flexibility training.

As one example, rest one knee on a ball and slowly rotate the ball away from the body, giving a very moderate bounce at the maximum point. Lunges, performed by moving one foot ahead, kneeling slightly with the back straight and bouncing gently, would be another.

PNF (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) involves a combination of passive and isometric exercise. Apart from having a fancy technical name and associated acronym, PNF actually has several useful features that should motivate individuals to investigate its value.

Performed properly, under the guidance of an experienced fitness professional or devoted amateur, PNF can maximize range of movement and best prepare the body for more strenuous exercise.

Several exercises involve using a partner. The muscle group you want to work is stretched under tension, then contracted for several seconds, and your partner applies resistance to inhibit movement.

For example, stretch your arms out and slowly move them behind you, then contract the biceps, triceps and shoulders. Have the partner gently pull your hands together a little past the 180 degree mark as you attempt to pull your arms back to 180 degrees.

As another example, lie on your back on a comfortable surface. Raise one leg vertically and have your partner grab your foot. Your partner then presses the foot gently backward until you feel tension on the hamstring (the muscle on the rear of your thigh). You then contract the muscles as you attempt to move your leg back down, with your partner resisting the movement.

These examples are to serve only to give a general idea of the exercises. PNF exercises should only be attempted after you have received proper, hands-on training. Done incorrectly they can lead to muscle sprain or joint damage.

Whatever your workout routine, be sure to precede it by good flexibility exercises. That will maximize your performance during the more strenuous part of the total workout.

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Mild exercise, of types appropriate to the various stages, will help keep the circulatory system healthy, increase pelvic muscle tone and strength, and help to smooth out mood swings. Done right, you can lessen the severity of backaches, keep joints flexible and firm, and improve sleep.

Mild exercise helps release endorphins, which can help elevate mood. Proper strengthening and toning of the back, buttocks, and thighs helps improve posture and relieve backaches. Daily stretching keeps joints well-lubricated with synovial fluid. Moderate working out burns up some of that anxious energy, leading to more restful sleep.

Three exercises in particular are appropriate for most soon-to-be mothers: swimming, spinning and pelvic strengtheners.

Swimming is a great cardiovascular exercise and has the added benefit of easing the back and leg burden during later stages. Most women enjoy the (all too temporary) relief during those final months. Keeping the cardiovascular system active helps regulate the endocrine system and keeps muscle tissues full and joints flexible.

Swimming has the added benefit of working nearly all the muscles and joints in a low-impact way. Knees get a break from the higher stress of carrying additional weight and breathing exercises can be done while wading, in between laps.

Spinning, provided it isn't done too strenuously, can be a terrific exercise up until the last two months or so. The cardiovascular benefits are similar to swimming and the legs as well as stomach and pelvic muscles can get a really good workout. That benefits fitness overall, while helping to keep legs in shape to prevent falls. It also helps two particular muscle groups that will be needed during delivery.

A 10-minute routine on a stationary bike is plenty, keeping in mind that you should stop at the first sign of bleeding, fluid loss, dizziness or intense pain.

'Kegels' are a commonly recommended exercise – and for good reason. They help develop those very specific muscles that aid in giving birth.

To find the right muscles to focus on, pretend you're trying to halt urination in the middle of elimination. Squeeze those specific muscles for a few seconds, then relax. During the exercise, avoid tightening the legs or stomach. That will help isolate the right muscles you need to zero in on. Remember to continue to breathe normally, in and out slowly and regularly.

Before beginning or continuing any exercise routine once you know you are pregnant, be sure to have a long talk with your physician. Many of them are rushed, but be firm and get the answers you need in order to stay fit in a safe way.

Stop immediately any activity that produces heart palpitations, back pain or light-headedness. Don't concern yourself with weight loss during pregnancy, just keep fit in order to maximize your overall health and mental well-being.

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Particularly today, when there are so many electronic alternatives, young people may exercise less than they should. It's during the formative years that individuals lay the groundwork for what later become healthy or poor habits.

Kids will usually become quickly bored with routines designed for adults. But the activity doesn't have to involve organized group sports, either. A gentle jog with an adult, a tennis game, swimming, golf, martial arts, bicycling, dancing, gymnastics and many other sports are enjoyable for the younger crowd.

Kids are usually sensitive to anything that appears inconsistent or hypocritical from adults. Be prepared to follow your own advice and exercise with them. That also helps parents share quality time with their kids outside the house and during activities that benefit both. Parents get the added benefit of monitoring to ensure that the kids are exercising in a safe and proper way.

Like any routine, if it produces pain – even the day after – the individual is less likely to continue. Keep it simple and build up the difficulty and length gradually. Kids are more flexible, but they too need to warm-up and gently stretch before engaging in vigorous exercise. A few minutes of static and dynamic stretching will help avoid injury.

Exercise routines should take into account the age group of the individual child.

Children from about 4-7 should focus primarily on developing basic physical skills, such as coordination and balance. These are the years when motor skills, eye-hand coordination and other things adults take for granted are still fluid. Children take to these activities naturally, as well. Jumping rope, hopscotch and other simple activities help guide the development of these skills.

From the age of 8 or so, exercises can become more vigorous in order to keep that active metabolism from turning food into fat. Here again, though, adults need to guide kids in order to build good habits and avoid injury. Weight machines are almost always a bad idea for pre-teens, for example. They're risky and unnecessary.

Gymnastics, by contrast, helps build on those basic motor skills learned earlier while developing strength, balance and keeping the endocrine system active and healthy.

For teens, the field is wide open. They have the basic bone and muscle structure that gives them the potential for high performance activity in a wide variety of activities. But here, too, the possibility of injury remains for those who don't get the proper guidance.

Teens are inclined to roughhousing and rebelliousness. Give them an outlet that directs all that energy and independence to the achievement of positive goals – fitness, endurance, high scores.

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No reputable researcher will claim that exercise will repair a weakened or diseased immune system. Nonetheless, a broad spectrum of studies confirm that moderate exercise can help sustain and strengthen it, even when the effects are indirect.

The role of exercise in helping to lower stress – and the subsequent beneficial effects on health – has been widely studied. Here the studies are less clear, contradicting one another in some details. But overall the conclusion is the same: moderate, regular exercise helps the immune system by moderating the effects of stress.

Most studies carried out over the last 30 years agree: a continual high level of stress has a number harmful effects on overall health. People who experience high stress get more colds, suffer more digestive tract problems and have more frequent bouts of fatigue. Part of the latter is indirect, since it tends to lead to lowered amounts of restful sleep.

Regular exercise helps relieve stress. It does so directly, by providing an outlet for, and consuming much of, the nervous energy produced by stress. It also helps indirectly by shifting one's focus away from the external factors producing the stress.

Exercise can help the cardiovascular system, which in turn improves blood flow, carries away toxins from muscles and organs, and helps keep the kidneys and endocrine system working well. It helps remove germs and circulate antibodies.

All those promote a healthy immune system by lessening the body's susceptibility to disease, while increasing the robustness of the immune system itself.

Exercising increases the body temperature slightly. This, as anyone who has suffered from a cold knows, is the body's natural response to colds, flu and other diseases. The increased temperature helps kill the infecting organisms.

A study at the University of Colorado, Boulder suggests that moderate exercise helps prevent colds as well. It showed that individuals are less likely to get sick after stressful situations when they had engaged in a regular program of moderate exercise. Those that began exercise only on the same day as the stressor didn't enjoy those benefits.

The study was carried out on rats, but one of the reasons those mammals are used is the similarity in some systems, and their responses, to humans.

Exercise programs, undertaken consistently and correctly, help improve body image – that's one of most individuals primary goals in making the effort, after all. That improved body image often leads to higher levels of confidence and relaxation in social situations. That in turn helps reduce stress and enhance the immune system.

Whether the effects are direct or indirect, exercising can help you support and enhance your immune system. That leads directly to better overall health.

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When and how you can begin exercise routines after major surgery will vary with the type of treatment you had. Most physicians will recommend at least a week, sometimes 6-12 weeks, of recuperation before even attempting regular routines. Consult your physician.

Most people will want to perform some kind of toning exercises and probably induce some weight loss. Most surgery reduces the metabolic and activity level – leading to weight gain and flabbiness.

Be sure to keep well hydrated, no matter what form of exercise you perform. This is helpful in order to keep the endocrine system functioning properly and aids the process that keeps joints lubricated.

Take it slow and return to your pre-operative level gradually. Here are some specific exercises for two different types of surgery. Again, consult your physician first.

Breast Surgery

About a week after surgery, you'll still be experiencing discomfort. But recovery will be aided by some simple arm exercises. Perform steady breathing during the following:

Lift the arm on the operative side and simulate hair brushing and eating. Do a few reps at most the first few times. Raise that same arm above the heart for an hour, two to three times per day in order to reduce swelling. With the arm raised, gradually open and close the hand, building up to clenching a tennis ball as the discomfort decreases. Alternately bend and straighten the elbow.

After a couple of weeks you may feel fit enough to perform the following exercise.

Hold a broom handle (with the broom cut off), in both hands with your palms up, arms outstretched. Lift above the head and hold for a few seconds, then lower the broom handle to the pelvis. Repeat several times.

Hysterectomy

In these exercises, you'll work the abs, pelvic, and back muscles. As with any routine, be sure to get the advice of your doctor before beginning.

Lie on the floor, knees bent, hands behind your head. Press the small of the back gently into the floor, then more firmly. Don't try to work 'through the pain'.

Raise your head and shoulders slightly off the floor, paying attention to the contraction of the abs. Take care not to move the chin toward the chest. Then slowly lower the head and shoulders back to the floor. Repeat several times.

Lift the hips, hold for a few seconds, then lower them. Do 10 reps. Then, alternate with the abdominal exercises. Roll over onto the knees, making sure you have some knee pads or carpeting to soften the point of contact.

Slowly raise one arm and the alternate leg. Alternate. Right arm out, left leg out, then, left arm out, right leg out. Hold each for a second or two, switch and repeat 10 times.

Again, don't try to exercise if you feel intense pain as distinguished from mild discomfort. Take it slow, building up strength over time.

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The lats are the large 'side' muscles that make a man triangle-shaped. To demonstrate how they are used during squeezing a tennis ball, try it! You'll quickly feel a tensing of the muscles on the side of the arm you use. It's especially noticeable if you have back pain.

Any sport will require strong back muscles, for speed and coordination, for balance and movement and for providing a strong 'pillar' for all the limbs to move off of.

Here are some simple exercises to help stretch and strengthen those all-important back muscles. Most of them are better performed on a firm, but not hard surface. While you work the muscles, you don't want to cause undue, painful pressure on bony parts of the body.

Knee to Chest

Lie on your back and clasp your hands behind one thigh. Pull slowly toward the chest, keeping the other leg flat on the ground. Vary the action by flexing the ankle – first pointing the toe, then pulling it back toward the knee – at the same time as you stretch the leg.

Hold each position for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat. Do 10 reps.

Rotations

Lie back, knees raised and together, feet flat on the floor. With your arms extended and near the body, and your palms flat on the floor, lift the feet off the ground slightly and rotate your trunk by moving the knee. Move the knees slightly left, then right.

Over time, as you become more flexible and build strength, you can increase the range of motion. Ultimately, you should be able to touch your knee to the floor.

Alternate the action by crossing your arms over your chest, then repeat.

Pelvic Press

Lie down on your back, knees raised and feet flat on the floor. Push the small of the back into the floor, feel the tension in the lower abdominals. Vary the action by moving your feet together and performing the exercise, then slightly apart and repeat.

As you press into the ground, hold for 5 seconds, but continue to breath slowly and normally.

Pelvic Lift

Lie on your back, knees raised and feet flat on the ground, arms crossed over your chest. Keeping the legs and knees together, raise the buttocks up slightly and hold for 5 seconds. Lower slowly, count to two, then repeat.

Remember to breathe normally through the exercise, in and out slowly.

Dog Stretches

On all fours, raise your head, eyes forward. Lower your arms and arch your back, hold 2 seconds, then resume the starting position. Slowly extend one leg, as near parallel to the floor as you can. Hold 3 seconds, then put the leg back into starting position. (If this produces back, hip, or leg pain stop immediately.)

Switch legs and repeat. Vary the exercise by extending the leg with toe pointed, then flex the ankle perpendicular to the leg. Hold for 2 seconds and repeat. Do 10 reps for each leg.

Never perform these exercises if they produce back pain. Mild discomfort from inactivity is natural. Pain is a signal that something is wrong. Consult your physician.

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A good workout routine will test you, but shouldn't damage you. As muscles get used, especially somewhat beyond their usual range, lactic acid, micro-tears and other physiological changes occur that result in muscles being built up stronger than before.

But if you are experiencing back pain, neck aches, knee joint soreness and other symptoms, you should consult with an expert. Your technique may be wrong, you may be trying to do too much, too soon, or you may have a medical problem that should be addressed.

Work up to any vigorous routine slowly. How slowly will vary from person to person, depending on age, experience, prior exercise routines and overall fitness. Get muscles warm and limber before cranking it up. Most strains and rips result from being too cold and not stretching, or extending more than you're ready for.

Warm-ups should take at least 15 minutes and include very gentle jogging in place or jumping jacks to get the cardio and lung systems working well. They should include some slow, gradual stretching to get joints lubricated and muscles relaxed and gently lengthened. Warm-ups that are too short can easily lead to stretched or torn cartilage that takes a long time to heal.

Don't let inexperienced trainers, or so-called 'friends' embarrass you into believing you have to get out and run five miles two weeks after an injury, surgery or other debilitating condition. Physical therapy and exercise sometimes requires that you work against discomfort, but you don't leap over tall buildings the first day out.

Every person committed to fitness will want to push him or herself to achieve excellence. But an attitude that leads to overdoing it is counter-productive to your goal. You're working to improve or maximize health and overall body tone and strength – not proving you are 'mentally tough'.

Before you begin a new routine that involves activities that are unfamiliar, get guidance from an expert. Next to bad warm-ups or overdoing it, incorrect technique is the leading cause of injury. If you don't know how to use a station at the weight machine correctly, don't be embarrassed to ask. No one is born with this knowledge. Anyone who mocks you for ignorance, isn't someone whose opinions you have reason to heed.

Be aware of your environment while you go through your routine. It's easy to get into a rhythm, get concentrated on your workout and end up crashing into a wall or a nearby person. Jogging especially requires that you pay attention to the surface you run on and the people and cars around you. No shoe in existence will keep you from slipping on a muddy patch. Only awareness and good reflexes can help.

Stay within your comfort zone as you gradually expand it. One of the foremost reasons people give up on workouts is injuries produced by working beyond their capacity. That makes working out no longer fun. Building up, while you build out, to increase your ability to do more, faster will keep you going for years to come.

Your health will thank you for exercising common sense, while you exercise your body.

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Exercise for the over-50 crowd is decidedly healthy. As people age, several changes occur that exercise can help slow or reverse. Metabolism slows, leading to increased fat accumulation. Artery passageways often narrow, leading to higher blood pressure and lowered flow. Bones become thinner and more porous, a condition known as osteoporosis. Muscles and skin lose tone.

Those effects can be retarded or even turned back to a degree with regular, age-appropriate exercise. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests 15-60 minutes of aerobic (oxygen-enhancing) exercise a few days per week.

One goal among others is to raise the heart rate to 60-90% of the safe maximum (220 beats per minute, minus your present age). A good cardiovascular workout – a 30-minute brisk walk or three 10-minute walks per day, mild jumping jacks, gentle jogging in place, swimming, a dance routine or any other method – helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy.

Strength-building exercises help keep the muscles toned and keep weight and blood sugar levels at appropriate levels. Balance exercises can help build good leg muscles, leading to better support for joints and less likelihood of a fall. (The National Institutes of Health report 300,000 hospital admissions per year for broken hips, many of them from seniors falling.)

Gentle static and dynamic stretching exercises help keep muscles flexible and joints lubricated. That helps out with balance, but it also maximizes range of movement. That means better coordination and less pain during both exercise and everyday activities.

Endurance exercises help keep the heart and lungs healthy as well as keeping muscles toned, joints moving freely and other body systems functioning well. A slightly higher metabolic rate stimulates a variety of organs to produce needed biochemicals. The human body functions better, longer when it is subject to mild activity than when sedentary for long periods.

All these activities help raise the onset age of osteoporosis and to minimize its effects after it begins. Non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus is less likely for the physically active. Certain forms of heart disease are less likely for those who exercise moderately later in life.

There is ample evidence that moderate, regular exercise helps the psychology as well. It can decrease the severity of depression and heighten mood. The social aspects can help with the isolation that older people sometimes feel, especially as friends and loved ones are no longer part of their lives.

Older people should consult a physician or trainer (preferably both) before starting any new exercise program. Begin slowly, especially if exercise has not been part of your lifestyle. Build up flexibility, strength and endurance gradually.

If you have a medical condition, be sure to discuss your plans with a physician and sports expert to develop an exercise routine appropriate to you.

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