Proper Ways to Exercise in Autumn
There is a Korean saying, “Fall is when the sky is high and the horse grows stout.”
In fact, autumn is a good time of the year for some exercise to recover your health and stamina, which have been worn out by the hot summer weather.
The warm-up is a MUST
It is important to do some warming up before getting into the real exercise so that you can prevent possible injuries. Your warm-up should consist of 10 to 20 minutes of a slow, gradual stretching of your muscles and ligaments, movements that relax the major joints of your body including the ankle, knees, waist, shoulders and neck. Do not bounce your stretches, and gently stop for 10 to 15 seconds to maximize the stretching effect.
Prof. Park Won Hah from Sports Medicine Center, SMC, says, “If you start your main exercise abruptly with intense movements, the exercise will only be painful and less effective, with increased risks of injury. Beginners should limit the intensity of their workout at 40 to 50 percent of their maximum capacity,” advising to gradually increase the intensity as your body adapts.
Check the daily temperature range!
Whether you work out in the morning or in the evening doesn’t matter much. However if you have high blood pressure or heart conditions, avoid exercising too early in the morning when the temperature drops sharply as the gap between high and low is quite huge in fall.
Prof. Hwang Ji Hye from Sports Medicine Center, SMC, explains, “Fall is a good time for sports, but if you forget the big temperature gap and don’t consider that your physical strength was reduced during the summer, your exercise won’t be effective enough.”
And clothes too thin or too short should be avoided, since they cause sweat to evaporate quickly after the exercise, which result in higher loss of heat from your body, which in turn increases the risk of contracting infective diseases like common cold. In fall, it is appropriate to wear long sleeves and long trousers that absorb sweat well and prevent heat loss. Even when you choose to wear shorts during the hot hours or during the workout, you’re advised to change into long clothes right after you’re done.
Fall exercise recommendations based on age
Hiking, jogging and bicycling are among the recommended sports that you can enjoy with the clean air and the warm sunshine in a fine autumn day. However, it is important not to go overboard for quick result; select a sport that suits your age and fitness level.
If you’re in your 20s or 30s, you must be able to try a wide range of sports as you’re young and healthy, but you might not have the time to do it on a regular basis because you’re busy working on, or landing, your job. In 2013, it was men in their 20s that showed the highest extreme obesity rate. Light jogging for 30 minutes a day, three times a week is recommended for your health. This will improve your muscular strength and pulmonary and circulatory functions. Due to overconfidence in their strength, people in this age bracket often injure themselves in sports, damaging the knee cartilage or dislocating the shoulders. You’re advised to stretch your whole body before and after your workout and moderate the intensity at below 70 to 80 percent of your maximum capacity.
In your middle years, it is recommended to plan your exercise focusing on improving your heart, bone and cardiopulmonary health. Aerobic exercises like fast walking, bicycling, swimming and aerobics dance are effective in enhancing blood circulation and strengthening your heart and blood vessels, and thereby preventing obesity and circulatory diseases.
Particularly, since they begin to develop osteoporosis, women at this age need to do some strength training to maintain and improve their muscle and bone health. Bicycling helps prevent and treat arthritis, strengthening muscles and enhancing joint movements in your lower body. When you’re hiking or doing other outdoor sports, be careful not to get injured in the joints in your lower limbs.
And take extra precautions against sprains and achilles tendinitis in the ankles and patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) and cartilage damage in the knee.
It’s recommended you consult a medical specialist before starting your exercise. Abrupt exercises may adversely affect your immune system or the aging of your body, as well as increase the risk of injuries including fractures. Therefore, activities like walking, calisthenics and stationary bicycles are appropriate that they pose a lower risk of injury and help strengthen the muscles. Consistency, not intensity, matters. Get some light exercise for about one hour every day.
And keep in mind that you must not forget cooling down after every workout session. Cooling down is necessary to re-stabilize your blood circulation, heart rate and blood pressure that underwent rapid changes during the exercise. Light jogging, slow walking, calisthenics or stretching can be a good cooldown exercise.
You might injure yourself if you work out too recklessly. Don’t forget—do it slowly and consistently.