Test your smarts on exercise and fitness

Whether you’re a newbie to working out regularly or have been a committed exerciser for years, it’s a good idea to either learn or brush-up on the do’s and don’ts of fitness to help you maintain your motivation and keep yourself injury-free.

Here’s a quiz to test your knowledge on how much you know about exercise:

1.  If you have no pain, there is no gain – True or False?

False – Anytime you experience pain during physical activity, stop what you are doing.  It’s one thing to have sore muscles after a workout and if you’re just starting out, feeling tender for a few days is common. But discomfort that occurs while exercising could mean you are pushing your body too hard and could injure yourself, putting you out for several weeks.

2.  Which exercise plan offers the best balance? 

     a. Walking, weight lifting, and yoga

     b. Running weight lifting, and tennis

     c. Running weight lifting, and cycling

Correct answer – A.  Walking, weight lifting and yoga offers three different types of exercise – aerobic or cardio (walking), strength or resistance training (weights), and flexibility training (yoga).  Aerobic exercise (swimming, jogging, bicycling, and walking) boosts heart and lung strength while lifting weights builds muscle and keeps bones strong.  Yoga is perfect for lowering stress, improving range of motion and lowers your chance of injury.

3.  You should do cardio exercises before you lift weights – True or False?

False – There really is no correct order but it depends on what your fitness goals are.  If you want to improve endurance, then do cardio first.  If building strength or bigger muscles is your goal, then pump iron first. 

4.  It is better to do 10 minutes 3 times a day of exercise than thirty minutes straight – True or false?

True – Even though the important thing is to get in the CDC’s recommendation of at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity cardio exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise, breaking it up throughout the day means you are more likely getting up frequently moving around than simply getting it all done in one thirty minute session.

5.  You should warm up every time you exercise and cool down afterward – True or False?

True – Warming up before exercise prepares your body by slightly raising your heart rate and breathing and can help reduce injury.  After working out, a cool down is good for helping your body to recover.  Simply continue your exercise session but at a lower level of intensity.

6.  What target heart rate should you aim for during cardio?

     a. Twice your resting heart rate

     b. Three times your resting heart rate

     c. 50% to 85% of your maximum heart rate

Answer – C.  To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. At some point during exercise, stop and take your pulse by placing your fingers on your wrist or on the side of your neck, and count the number of beats in a minute.  If you are just starting out exercising, aim for the lower end of the range and work your way up.

7.  Water is always better than a sports drink – True, False or most of the time?

Most of the time – If you are performing normal, daily exercise, water will be your best choice. But if you are pushing hard for more than hour, a sports drink will be the better choice.  Sports drinks offer energy through carbohydrates and help replace electrolytes lost through sweat.  This will enable you to work out for a longer period of time.

8. Everybody needs to get a doctors approval before starting an exercise program – True or  False?

False – The majority of people usually can begin an exercise program without a doctor’s approval.  However, you should get one if you fall into one of these categories:

·      You are a man over 45 or a woman over 55 and you plan on doing vigorous workouts

·      You have a medical problem such as diabetes or heart disease

·      You have joint problems like arthritis

·      You take blood pressure or heart medications

9.  When you lift weights, you should feel the burn, and tire out your muscles – True or False?

True – The point of lifting weights is to work your muscles to the point of tiredness which is what helps strengthen and tones them.  Be sure to use good form and control the motion.  Start off lifting weights by using lighter weights and then gradually increase the weight and the number of set you do to get stronger.  Free weights, resistance bands or gym machines are all good for muscle strengthening and toning.

10.  Which mind-body exercise can improve your fitness?

     a. Yoga

     b. Pilates

     c. Tai chi

     d. All of the above

Correct answer – D. All three practices can boost flexibility, strength, balance, and overall fitness.  Yoga’s challenging poses gets your heart rate going. Pilates involves tough strength training. And tai chi lowers your blood pressure.