If you’re new to exercise, start slow and steady and build up the required intensity gradually. The benefits of exercise starts from the word go. So in no case would you ever require to push yourself. A healthy level of exercise can make you breathless but still you’ll be able to talk. Try chatting with your friends while performing if you exercise with your friends. And if you don’t have anyone to talk to, then sing a song or count to ten, loud and clear. Exercising will never leave you gasping for air.

If you have some medical condition, such as heart or lung disorder, high blood pressure, diabetes, infections or even a spine or joint ailment, then it is advisable to seek your doctor advice before starting regular exercise. Also, seek an advice from your qualified fitness instructor, to adjust your exercise sessions as per your personal needs.

No matter what exercise you plan to do, it is necessary that you always start with a gentle warm up routine and finish with a cool-down session. The amount of time you need on warming up actually depends on the activity you are preparing for. In general, a warm up exercise should last for 10 minutes and should normally include some aerobic exercises to raise the heart and breathing rate, and then also include stretching out your body so as to increase the suppleness of the joints and muscle flexibility.

A cooling down routine involves activities similar to that of warm up exercises, except for the fact that it lasts for half the time as in warm up exercise. During the cool-down exercise, you gradually reduce the intensity. It allows your breathing rate and heartbeat to slow down gently and prevents the blood from pooling into the veins, which if not done, can cause dizziness. The warm up and cooling down exercises also prevents any post exercising aches, stiffness or soreness, which particularly happens to those who are new to regular exercise.

The main reason for warm up and cool-down exercise is to prepare your body for more activities. But if you don’t find much time for long exercising sessions, even then warm up exercises are worth doing for their own sakes. They will get your heart and lungs working harder and limber up the joints and muscle so that you feel livelier and fitter. These exercises, when done in routine, also reduce the risk of injury, such as strained joint or muscles. So as I mentioned before, Play It Safe!!!!