Deciding on the intensity of your workout routine according to your weight and age is the first factor you should consider.
This article tells you everything you need to know about a strenuous workout routine and how to calculate what is strenuous enough for you.
Some form of workout is always good for the body. A healthy lifestyle will help you to bring positive changes in your life.
It is not necessary to hit the gym, just start with the bare minimum! Do what your body is comfortable with.
Some of us can sweat it out in a 15-minute full body workout and for some of us, 2 hours of strenuous workout won’t be enough.
But, the key is to stick with what you do best and keep challenging your body a bit more every day. Strenuous or moderate is the real struggle for beginners.
Table of Contents
What Is Strenuous Exercise?
Deciding on a type of workout and the intensity varies from person to person. What may be intense for one may not be intense enough for the other.
You need to know first of all that strenuous exercise is not a combination of different exercises for a workout routine.
As defined scientifically, strenuous exercise is any activity which increases 7 metabolic equivalents (METS) per minute or more.
In simple terms, your heart rate can tell you how strenuous an exercise is. The faster your heart beats, the more strenuous the exercise is.
How To Measure The Intensity Of Your Exercise?
Strenuous exercise uses 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate (MHR).
Maximum heart rate (MHR) is the limit you can push or exert your heart to, according to your age. But for this, you need to calculate your maximum heart rate first. The procedure goes as follows:
Simply subtract your age from 220.
This will give you your maximum heart rate (MHR). For example, if you are 20 years old your maximum heart rate (MHR) will be 200 beats per minute (220-20 = 200).
Now if you multiply your maximum heart rate with the percentage of intensity you would like to work, you will get your target heart rate.
We have already calculated the maximum heart rate of a 20-year-old is 220.
And if you put in 80 percent of your maximum capacity, you will have to multiply 220 by 80% which will give you 176. This will be your target heart rate for your strenuous exercise.
Examples Of Strenuous Exercises
If you are active then there are a number of strenuous exercises you can involve into.
Running, jogging, jump roping, aerobic dancing, race walking, cycling, swimming are the few examples, to begin with.
Hiking uphill and that too with a loaded backpack are adventurous and challenging enough. However, if you live a sedentary lifestyle all of the above may become extremely rigorous for you.
In such a situation, start with the basic and then start challenging your body as you go further.
Advantages Of Strenuous Exercises
Strenuous exercises have a lot of advantages to it as well. For example: These exercises make you stronger by challenging your body. Moreover, they strengthen your core muscles.
Like any regular exercise, intensive workout also helps you to shed weight.
Doing intensive workout will help you to take control of your respiratory system as you will learn how to control your breath.
Vigorous exercise helps to rejuvenate the body and as studies suggest, makes you appear younger.
Strenuous exercise means you will be burning and creating more energy in your body. This means you will be high on energy for every task or responsibility you undertake during your entire day.
Intensive workout strengthens the immune system and builds more stamina in the body. Also, the endurance capacity of your body will increase.
Better posture and profile is an obvious benefit that comes by doing any form of exercise.
Vigorous exercise helps to detoxify the body by helping all the organs to get rid of their waste and helps the body get rid of un-eliminated waste and toxins.
After a vigorous workout, you feel energetic as the body pumps the increased amount of blood to meet the oxygen need of the lungs. This results in high energy levels, good toxins and no fatigue. All these in turn help to keep you in a fresh and happy mood all day.
Studies suggest that vigorous physical activity helps to fight depression, stress, and worries and eliminates fear and anxiety. Physical activities prepare us both physically and psychologically to deal with unfavorable conditions.
Strenuous exercise helps the body to recover quickly and thus reduces the hours you need to sleep. When we sleep the body recovers the nerve energy lost in doing tasks.
But, when we exercise vigorously the body continuously rebuilds the nerve energy and leaves less work to be done during sleep. This helps to reduce your sleeping hours.
Strenuous exercise helps in the production of excess energy. This energy becomes helpful while having sex and results in the satisfying sexual relationship.
Vigorous activity helps to supply more oxygen to the brain and this helps the brain to remain more alert and sharp.
Disadvantages Of Strenuous Workout
As much as there are advantages from an intensive workout (as seen above) there are also a few disadvantages to it.
If you push your body too hard and begin by exerting it too much, your body may respond to it in a negative manner. You may suffer from fatigue instead of feeling energetic.
Also, strenuous exercise requires all the muscles of your body to contribute. They can lead to accidents and you may fracture a bone or tear a ligament in the process.
There is a possibility of over-exerting your vital organs like the brain or the heart.
If you do not start strenuous exercise gradually you may impact your joints which can lead to more serious problems like arthritis.
How To Recover From Strenuous Exercises?
After a power-pack exercise routine, your body needs to recover and prepare you for your daily chores or your next day.
There are certain ways which can help you relax.
1. Take Rest
Take a structured amount of rest. Too much or too little of it is dangerous. You do not want to look tired and lethargic or wake up with a sore muscle.
Do what is best for your body and manage your workout and resting routines.
2. Avoid Alcohol
Your body already needs extra nutrients and vitamins to recover from an intensive workout.
In such a case filling your body with alcohol is not a good idea. It is just a way to add to the toxins in the body and making the body work hard to flush them out.
3. Take Enough Sleep
Nothing is better that a sound peaceful sleep to recover from an intensive workout. Make efforts to make your sleep as peaceful and relaxing as it could be.
For example, take a hot water bath before sleep, invest in a good mattress, remove any distractions and keep your problems aside before going to sleep.
4. Take Proper Nutrition
There is nothing better that a proper healthy and nutritious diet which can help you to recover from a strenuous workout.
Balance your diet or ask your nutritionist for a proper diet plan.
5. Stretch
Stretching helps to improve blood circulation. Stretch before and after a workout as it reduces lactic acid formation.
6. Be Well Hydrated
Being hydrated is the key to a healthy body. After a workout, the toxins are removed from the muscles with the help of water. Drink lots of water after a vigorous exercise routine.
7. Get Massage
The tension in the muscles can be reduced by getting a massage from a massage therapist. This helps to relax and remove toxins from the body.
Strenuous Workout During Pregnancy
It is totally safe during pregnancy to exercise and it is advisable by health experts to do so in early weeks so as to not gain too much weight. But, should pregnant mothers do
But, should pregnant mothers do the strenuous workout?
The answer is yes, but only if your doctor allows and that too under the guidance of an instructor.
Precautions For Pregnant Mothers Doing Strenuous Workout
Ask your doctor if it is safe for you and your baby and which form of strenuous workout you should do and to how much intensity.
If you are going for an intensive workout during your pregnancy always do so under the guidance of an instructor.
Do not perform strenuous exercises for a long period of time as they can lead to dehydration.Dehydration can result in preterm urine contractions and the worst scenario can be preterm labour.
During the pregnancy, you are at risks which arise from weak joints like sprained ankles and knees. It is hence advised to stay under the supervision of a good trainer who will provide you with a mix of different exercises.
Avoid lifting heavy weights all of a sudden. The workout should be carefully planned and gradual, so as to avoid any direct trauma, fall or injury.
Disadvantages Of Strenuous Workout During Pregnancy
Workout during pregnancy should not be too strenuous and the main focus of it should be strengthening the body and not pushing limits. Pregnant mothers should workout, but also take care of themselves and their baby in the process. Otherwise, it can result in the following disadvantages.
Doing long hours of intensive exercise can decrease blood flow to the uterus.
If you lift too much weight or rather strain yourself lifting weights during pregnancy, you may have intra-abdominal pressure. This could cause harm to the membranes surrounding the uterus or cause contractions.
You can totally avoid lifting weights or can modify the amount of weight.
If you suffer from dizziness, back pain or abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding or shortness of breath stop doing the exercises right away.
Strenuous Exercise During Period
Periods should not be an excuse to stop exercising. Exercising during periods helps to fight mood swings and bloating and can improve your cranky mood.
It is advised that during your period you perform high-intensity interval exercises because the shift of hormone in your blood makes you put in the extra effort. But, you have to listen to your body and do what it allows.
Also, during periods you should not exert too much as there is a risk of vascular congestion, which can result in excessive menstrual flow.
Do not step up your workout game during your periods and stick to what you were doing earlier (only if your body allows).
Strenuous Exercise Linked To Memory Loss
In a study done in July 2009 in Vienna Austria, it was found that long-term strenuous exercise can lead to memory loss.
It was seen that women who regularly do the exercise like swimming, running, jogging, HIIT for decades can experience a decrease in memory, thinking, and other brain-related functioning.
It’s a common myth if a small is good a lot can be better. But, this is not the case with strenuous exercises. Contrary a lot of exercise can prove hazardous to women in the longer run.
Nevertheless, a moderate amount of exercises like walking or cycling can sharpen their brain functioning and memory.
This study was presented at the Alzheimer’sAssociation 2009 during the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease.
The researcher explained the idea behind this research was the other research suggesting moderate exercise can lower breast cancer, and high-quality strenuous exercise can further lower it.
Final Talk
Strenuous exercises if done properly and under supervision (if you are pregnant) can have many benefits. But, always remember to not push your body too hard and that you will not notice the results instantly.
Do not give up and do not try to copy anybody. Do what your body allows and remember change begins gradually.
You May Also Like Reading:
How To Prevent Muscle Cramps During Exercise
Yoga Vs Gym Exercises: Which Is Best For You
How Much Water Should You Drink During Exercise?
Lead a healthy life always.
