You may not know it but October is healthy lung month! The lungs are essential organs for humans, without them life is impossible. The primary function of the lungs is to transport oxygen into the bloodstream and release carbon dioxide from the bloodstream. Each lung is filled with small specialized sacs that aid in this transfer of oxygen and carbon dioxide called alveoli. A typical pair of lungs in the human body contain about 700 million alveoli with each wrapped in a mesh of blood rich capillaries. The lungs are also essential for any kind of physical demand the body is put through. So, having healthy lungs means having a healthier body.
The lungs, like other organs and muscles in the body, can be improved with physical exercise. Try this exercise program on an upright or recumbent bike to see improved lung function. First, start off with a two-minute warm up on a low resistance level to get your heart rate up and increased blood flow to your muscles. After two minutes, take your resistance level up to a moderate pace for three to five minutes. This pace should be tougher than the warm-up but not so hard that you cannot maintain it for five minutes. After seven minutes take the resistance up to a harder resistance and try to go for three to five minutes. At the end of the three or five minutes you should be breathing at a fairly heavy pace, so back down to the moderate pace. You can go back and forth between these two levels for fifteen to twenty minutes total. Throw this workout in with your regular cardiovascular exercise for two weeks and see if your breathing and lung function improves!
By: Josh Shade, ACSM-CPT, Personal Training Coordinator at Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center
Source: www.copdfoundation.org/
Sign up to receive our Newsletter and Emails
Monday - Friday 5:00 am - 9:30 pm
Saturday - Sunday 7:00 am - 5:00 pm
Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center - 401 Campus Blvd. - Winchester, Virginia - 22601 - (540) 536-3000
© 2024 Valley Health Wellness & Fitness Center. All Rights Reserved. - Term of Use - Privacy Policy
LLT Group - Website Design & Creative Agency