Physical exercise

"Workout" redirects here. For other uses, see Exercise (disambiguation) and Workout (disambiguation).

Cycling is a popular form of exercise.

Weight training
Exercise is intentional physical activity to enhance or maintain fitness and overall health.[1][2]

It is performed for various reasons, including weight loss or maintenance, to aid growth and improve strength, develop muscles and the cardiovascular system, hone athletic skills, improve health,[3] or simply for enjoyment. Many individuals choose to exercise outdoors where they can congregate in groups, socialize, and improve well-being as well as mental health.

In terms of health benefits, usually, 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise per week is recommended for reducing the risk of health issues.[6][7][8] At the same time, even doing a small amount of exercise is healthier than doing none. Already doing an hour and a quarter (11 minutes/day) of exercise could reduce the risk of early death, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and cancer.[9][10]
Physical exercises are generally grouped into three types, depending on the overall effect they have on the human body:[11]

Aerobic exercise is any physical activity that uses large muscle groups and causes the body to use more oxygen than it would while resting.[11] The goal of aerobic exercise is to increase cardiovascular endurance.[12] Examples of aerobic exercise include running, cycling, swimming, brisk walking, skipping rope, rowing, hiking, dancing, playing tennis, continuous training, and long distance running.[11]
Anaerobic exercise, which includes strength and resistance training, can firm, strengthen, and increase muscle mass, as well as improve bone density, balance, and coordination.[11] Examples of strength exercises are push-ups, pull-ups, lunges, squats, bench press. Anaerobic exercise also includes weight training, functional training, Eccentric Training, interval training, sprinting, and high-intensity interval training which increase short-term muscle strength.[11][13]
Flexibility exercises stretch and lengthen muscles.[11] Activities such as stretching help to improve joint flexibility and keep muscles limber.[11] The goal is to improve the range of motion which can reduce the chance of injury.
Physical exercise can also include training that focuses on accuracy, agility, power, and speed.

Types of exercise can also be classified as dynamic or static. 'Dynamic' exercises such as steady running, tend to produce a lowering of the diastolic blood pressure during exercise, due to the improved blood flow. Conversely, static exercise (such as weight-lifting) can cause the systolic pressure to rise significantly, albeit transiently, during the performance of the exercise.