Youth Satva Exercises

By Body Satva Essentials Team                           www.bodysatva.com

Even a little exercise is better than no exercise at any age. This article is a fervent plea to the young and old, to commence a planned exercise schedule and improve fitness. This is about disease free survival and preserving physical functions throughout life. It is not about increasing the life span or longevity. Prolong youth up to a very old age by leading an ‘enlightened and balanced life’. The matter presented below has been summarized from the latest reports listed at the end of this article.

“While total body weight may stay relatively stable over adult life, body composition changes occur that affect function. Sarcopenic obesity, associated with decreased muscle mass and increased subcutaneous fat, is prevalent and problematic in older adults. In addition, muscle quality (strength per kilogram of muscle mass) decreases in older obese adults, resulting in lower physical function, mobility, and quality of life. The result is greater frailty than is found in thin elderly persons, the exact group in which we expect to find weakness. More than 95% of sarcopenic-obese elderly are functionally impaired.

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass that results in a reduction in skeletal muscle function, quality of life and an increased risk of falls. Older muscle has an 'anabolic resistance' to both nutrients and exercise. The term sarcopenia, from the Greek words for flesh (sarx) and loss (penia), Sarcopenia occurs even in healthy, active older individuals at a rate of approximately 0.5–2.0% loss in muscle mass per year. The incidence of sarcopenia is 13–24% in those aged 50–70 years and up to 50% in those over 80 years of age.[1]

The Recommended Quantity and Quality of Exercise for Developing and Maintaining Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness, and Flexibility in Healthy Adults

(Position statement of ACSM – American College of Sports Medicine 2011). [2]

The ACSM recommendations of physical activity for most adults are:

1.     Moderate-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise training for more than (or equal to) 30 minutes daily for at least 5 days per week, and a total of at least 150 minutes per week

2.     Vigorous-intensity cardiorespiratory exercise training for at least 20 minutes a day on 3 days in a week, aiming for at least 75 minutes per week.

3.     Resistance exercises should be performed at least 2–3 days per week for each of the major muscle groups, and neuromotor exercise involving balance, agility, and coordination.

4.     Flexibility exercises are crucial for maintaining joint range of movement. Perform a series of flexibility exercises for each the major muscle-tendon groups (a total of 60 seconds per exercise) on at least 2 days in a week.

The exercise program should be modified according to an individual's habitual physical activity, physical function, health status, exercise responses, and stated goals.[2]

Minimum Physical Activity

The minimum amount of physical activity needed to reduce mortality and extend life expectancy is 15 minutes per day. According to a very large study (of 4,16,175 people) with a 8 year follow up period, this minimal exercise reduced all-cause mortality by 14% and increases life expectancy by 3 years. Every additional 15 minutes of daily exercise beyond the minimum amount of 15 minutes a day further reduced all-cause mortality by 4%. It is suggested that this minimal amount of exercise is beneficial even for persons at risk for cardiovascular diseases. [3] 

Multiple Short Bouts of Physical Activity

Results of studies in humans, suggest that short-bouts of exercise may enhance exercise adherence. Short-bouts of exercise may also enhance weight loss and produce similar changes in cardiorespiratory fitness when compared to long-bouts of exercise. Thus, short-bouts of exercise may be preferred when prescribing exercise to obese adults. [4]

For short bouts to be effective, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is advised. Generally, it is a series of exercises (eg. arms, chest, legs, pull-ups) done with minimal or almost no rest period. Based on the duration of such exercises, they are termed as sporadic sessions (1-4 minutes), short bouts (5-9 minutes); and medium-to-long bouts (10 or more minutes) of MVPA. [5]

Accumulate exercise for the week

If you missed a couple of exercise sessions at the Gymnasium, don’t worry. As a strategy, multiple short bouts of activity may be accumulated for the week to achieve the physical activity goals. [6]

As for the appropriate intensity for elderly adults, low-intensity activities ranging from 40% to 60% of maximum capacity, such as walking, gardening, yard work, house work, and dancing, are generally recommended.

Intensity may be difficult to determine because what is intense for an elderly obese person may be very light for a trained athlete. Intensity can be measured in different ways but generally can be determined using the talk test.

·       During moderate-intensity activity, a person can talk, but not sing.

·       During vigorous-intensity activity, a person cannot say more than a few words without pausing for a breath.[6]

The benefits of exercise are seen with even low levels of physical activity. For control of obesity the physical activity recommendations are at least double the ACSM recommendations described above. Every single bout of exercise confers benefits.

In order to be functionally independent in middle and old age, the time to start exercising is today, not tomorrow. Modern society permits the unfit to survive, but the fittest will excel. Participation in sports and exercise improves the quality of life very significantly and may be the most enlightened and balanced way to prolong youth up to a very old age. Lets start today!!

References:
1. Gray et al, Clin Lipidology. 2013;8(2):187-194

2. Garber C.E. et al, Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(7):1334-1359

3. Chi Pang Wen, Lancet Volume 378, No. 9798, p1244–1253, 1 October 2011

4. Jakicic et al, Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1995 Dec;19(12):893-901.

5. Mark AE et al, Am J Prev Med.  2009; 36(5):416-21 

6. Piercy K et al, Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2018;11:e005263

Disclaimer

Body Satva Team has taken maximum care to ensure authenticity of the information provided, by sourcing from reputed medical journals and books. Body Satva Team urges members to seek professional advice before commencing any regimen of diet, exercise and medication.