Page 36 - HLIF Manual

STRENGTH, ENDURANCE & FLEXIBILITY

ENDURANCE
Daily movement can lead to a happier, healthier, more productive way of life. The leading cause of death
in the United States is heart-related disease. A consistent program with movement and cardiovascular
endurance helps strengthen the heart and helps keep your body healthy. When you exercise, your heart
rate should be between 80-120 beats per minute. Try to get your heart rate up a little each day to main-
tain a healthy heart and high endurance!

Examples of common high heart rate exercises include:
• Walk or run
• Hike
• Bike or use an arm cycle
• Rollerblade
• Jump rope
• Swim
• Canoe or kayak
• Anything you enjoy that gets your heart rate up

FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility exercises such as stretching are often neglected. However, we need to make time to move our
bodies through the full range of motion. This is arguably the most important aspect of any fitness pro-
gram, because as we age, our joints become more prone to problems such as arthritis. Arthritis is a painful
joint inflammation that can restrict our range of motion. Severe arthritis can prevent us from continuing
activities we enjoy. Taking the time to ensure our joints go through their full range of motion can help
decrease the impact of arthritis. This too will help us to continue activities of daily living throughout our
lives.

The joints in our body are able to perform a variety of motions. Some joints bend in one direction (knee)
or more directions (hip). Others rotate (shoulder). Pay attention to the natural bend of the joint when
performing flexibility exercises. The joint should never be pushed into a painful motion. The following are
stretches that should be performed on a regular basis.
(See flexibility stretches worksheet)

COACH’S NOTES
Use the following flexibility stretches worksheet to lead the participants through a quick version of the
stretches to get blood flowing before continuing the lesson.

IMPORTANT EXERCISE AND SAFETY TIPS:
Start slow and build up gradually. Choose activities that are good for your fitness level.
When those become easy for you, add repetition, time, or new activities into your routine.
Safety always comes first! If you have any health condition like diabetes, heart
disease, foot or joint disease or any other health condition, you MUST check with your doc-
tor before starting to exercise. Follow what your doctor tells you to do.
Drink water before, during and after your exercise. If you don’t feel well or feel pain in
your chest, feel like throwing up, feel dizzy, or it becomes hard to breathe, you must STOP
exercising immediately and get help. If you see a friend or another athlete who is not feel-
ing well, tell a coach or parent/guardian right away.
Be careful of your head. You’ve probably heard of concussions before. They
happen when you bump your head too hard and can cause a brain injury.

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