Title: 
Warming Up to Exercise

Word Count:
536

Summary:
Introduction to exercise; the benefits of exercise; types of exercises; complications while doing exercise; definition of muscle fatigue; definition of muscle spasm; importance of warm up and breathing before exercise.


Keywords:
muscle fatigue, muscle spasm


Article Body:
A lot of people exercise to get fit and maintain a toned body. Others take it to the next level and exercise regularly for competitive advantage, such as athletes do . For reasons that are either cosmetic or otherwise, exercise is the healthiest way of trimming down to your desired weight without resorting to taking pills or similar dieting aids. But that is not the only benefit that exercise gives us. It is an activity wherein a person gradually develops or preserves their physical fitness and health. Exercise can be done at home or in the gym, depending on your lifestyle and preference. 

		It is important for a person to exercise regularly, since this also prevents certain cardiovascular diseases and chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. It is also associated to good mental health and depression suppression because it increases the production of endorphins, a chemical that induces a feeling of over-all wellbeing. There are different types of exercises to suit a person's need and endurance level. Exercises like swimming, cycling, walking, and running are for cardiovascular endurance. Exercises such as weight training and sprinting are called  anaerobic exercises which increase muscle strength. Flexibility exercises such as stretching, yoga and pilates can promote the range of motion for joints and muscles.

		A person is bound to get hurt when warm up exercises are not done properly. Our muscles tend to experience muscle fatigue after intense workouts or when a person is continuously exercising without rest whatsoever. Lactic acid builds up in your muscles because it cannot be removed by the body fast enough, making them feel sore and painful.  Muscle fatigue is caused by lack of oxygen availability. According to medical experts, “This condition is caused by oxygen inadequacy and an accumulation of metabolites like lactic acid and carbon dioxide which are not carried away in the blood stream as fast as they are generated”. This type of fatigue is basically occurring when a person exercises harder. Intense exercise will make a person feel stronger or better, but having muscle fatigue would be a probable consequence.
		Another condition exercise fanatics experience is muscle spasm, an involuntary contraction of the muscle, and is felt in certain areas such as the back, neck, legs, or shoulder parts of the body. It is an uncomfortable state similar to cramps when doing exercise or any other strenuous activities. When performing certain exercises, people sometimes tend to overuse their muscles and feel the tightness around the area but is not always painful. It is often symptomatic of an injury which if not treated may form abnormal areas within the affected are called muscle knots. The particular muscle part, when having such spasm or cramps, may be painful and hard to use. Muscle spasms can also be experienced in the neck when a person undergoes a lot of stress, making it hard to turn the head. This is a condition commonly known as stiff neck. 

		In avoiding muscle fatigue and muscle spasm when doing exercise, it is essential to have proper warm up stretching and deep breathing as well. Let your body be ready for the workout that will surely make your body and yourself, more fit and healthy.


