Exercise

Exercise refers to the physical activity and mental exertion, carried out to maintain physical health and mental fitness. The benefits of exercise can be seen in everybody’s life.

Good health: It is impossible for one to keep good health without proper exercise. Prevention is better than cure; and the best means of guarding against disease is exercise. One who is weak in health often falls an easy prey to diseases.

Fit for outdoor work: A man, without taking exercise, may fortunately, escape disease, but he keeps indifferent health, and is hardly fit for active outdoor work.

Alert Brain and memory: Young boys and girls reading in schools or colleges and enjoy good health by taking out some-time for exercises. They should take sufficient exercise to counteract the effects of excessive brain-work, often in small and ill-ventilated rooms. Diabetes, which is a common disease with educated men in our country, is due to excessive brain-work coupled with neglect of exercise.

Vigor and energy: For the victims of indigestion or dyspepsia, exercise is a great tonic. If they take a regular course of exercise even for a month, they will find most of their ailments gone, and their body and mind will regain vigor and energy.

Physical strength: A strong and manly stature is the outcome of years of exercise. If exercise is regularly taken, every bodily organ functions properly, giving rise to a felling of joy and cheerfulness. It is a proven fact that through regular physical exercise one can attain immense physical strength.

Various types of exercises and their benefits

There are different kinds of exercise suited to different constitutions. The forms of exercise that are almost always recommended nowadays are:

Morning walk is the first is more common and is suited to almost all constitutions.

Gymnastic exercises are best gone through under the guidance of an experienced teacher. To weak constitutions, gymnastics may be positively injurious.

Free-hand exercises can be easily practiced by all.

Yoga helps us to control both mind and body.

Sports and exercise

Sports such as swimming, climbing, cricket, football, hockey, basket-ball, etc. are simple and quite popular. They were both useful and amusing.

• Walking as an exercise is not entertaining except in congenial company or through a place where the scenery is interesting.
• It is admitted by all that walking is the most suitable exercise for all old people.
• The games of cricket, football, soccer, etc. combines social enjoyment with physical exercise and has now become popular sports.
• Rowing and riding are also good forms of exercise but the latter is not open to the poorer classes.

Conclusion

Both mental development and physical exercise is necessary for success in life. Exercise is essential for having a sound mind in a sound body. Our limbs grow stronger by constant physical work. We should also train ourselves in several kinds of gymnastic exercises. However, taking out some time to rest is as important as exercise. Over-exertion weakens the organs. Thus, you should aim at maintaining a balance between work, rest and exercise.