Exercise Time Management

We all know that five 30-minute sessions of vigorous exercise each week is necessary for obtaining and maintaining high levels of health and well-being. The type of exercise doesn't matter, although a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training provides optimal benefit. However, what many people don't seem to know is that their exercise time needs to be focused, that is, mentally focused. Without such specific attention, you may not derive the benefits you're seeking. Importantly, your exercise time is not just another way to spend time.1,2

If you visit a fitness center as an observer, you may see a lot of people wearing exercise gear who are doing many things, none of which is exercising. You'll see people doing a set with weights and then spending the next few minutes scrolling through their text messages, responding to a phone call, or fooling around with the playlist on their portable music device.

You'll see people who are presumably exercising, but what they're really doing is carrying on an extended conversation with their "personal trainer" throughout their entire set of 12 bench presses or 12 dumbbell squats. You'll see acquaintances meet by chance, as each one is on his or her way to another piece of equipment. They stop and chat for 10 minutes before moving on to where they were going and resuming their exercise session.

The same kinds of non-exercise activities occur in the stationary bike/elliptical machine/treadmill area, where people are consistently interacting with their electronic devices or talking with neighbors or passers-by while simultaneously striding, stepping, or pedaling, furiously or otherwise.

What's wrong with this picture? None of these texting-phoning-and-socializing-while-exercising persons seems to have been informed that exercise time is for exercise. But that's a critical message to have missed. When exercising, concentration is key.3 When you exercise, you're training entire physiological systems to respond to mechanical loads and ever-changing weight-bearing stresses. Deep structures involved in this training include muscles and ligaments attached to your spine and the long bones of your legs and arms, as well as the electrical control centers in your heart. These deep structures must be able to respond instantaneously, receiving and sending accurate information on the fly from and to your brain and your cardiorespiratory and endocrine systems.

Any other input and output, such as talking to friends or manipulating an electronic playlist, will act as noise and seriously interfere with gaining any lasting benefit from your exercise activities. Also, distractions lead to injury. When you're distracted, your body is cooling down. The back strain or hamstring pull you've experienced may, in fact, be accurately attributed to a failure of focus.

The takeaway is that interruptions should be brief. You can certainly chat with a friend for 30 seconds or a minute. You can very quickly page through your text messages, if that's what you feel you need to do. But your focus should immediately snap back to your exercise. By fully focusing on what you're doing, the valuable time you spend exercising will result in appropriate long-term benefits.

1Weng TB, et al: Differential Effects of Acute Exercise on Distinct Aspects of Executive Function. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2014 Oct 9. [Epub ahead of print]
2Voss MW, et al: The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention. Hum Brain Mapp 34(11):2972-2985, 2013
3Raine LB, et al: The influence of childhood aerobic fitness on learning and memory. PLoS One 2013 Sep 11;8(9):e72666. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072666. eCollection 2013

Multicare Health Clinic

3930 Stadium Dr
Sioux City, IA 51106
Phone Number: (712) 276-4325

Get Directions

Location

Email Us

Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Primary Location

Monday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-6:00 pm

Friday:

8:30 am-2:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

  • "My shoulder and neck feel so much better. I now have the knowledge, motivation, desire and tools to keep up the exercises."
    Barb B.
  • "I leave here feeling confident that I have the resources to manage my pain and live normally, and that's priceless."
    Alycen V.
  • "There couldn't be a better physical therapy team in Siouxland! Not only did my knee feel so much better after six weeks, but I feel like I made new friends."
    Karla K.
  • "After an accident at work I didn't think I'd ever get relief from my aching shoulder. But, the doctors at Multicare gave me adjustments and physical therapy and now I feel normal again."
    Cliff C.
  • "I'm now a believer now! I didn't think chiropractic could help my foot problems. But after meeting with Dr. Pistello and Dr. Dave for a few weeks, I'm feeling so much better!"
    Gino G.
  • "Dr. Sneller helped. I haven't been feeling dizzy anymore."
    Belinda B
  • "I'm so glad my sister referred me to Multicare! My elbow hasn't felt this good in a long time. Thanks to the great physical therapy team there."
    Ellen E.
  • "I'm a runner. When I wasn't able to run due to leg problems, I was devastated. But a consultation at Multicare Health Clinic identified the problem and after some adjustments, stimulation treatments and therapy, I'm running again!"
    Lisa L.
  • "My company encouraged all of us employees to get screened at Multicare. I didn't know what to expect. It was easy and I learned so much. The orthotics they prescribed really help me to feel more stable and confident at work."
    Jim J.
  • "Being able to present my back pain to three different professions in one place and knowing that they are working together to make me better is very comforting."
    Charlie P.
  • "Not only is my pain level down to zero, but what I'm really thrilled with, is that I have normal feeling in my hands."
    Jill L.
  • "After my consultatin with the doctors at Multicare Health Clinic, I understand how to address my balance issues."
    Anna A.
  • "At night my right hand would go painfully numb at least 2-3 times where I could not sleep. Now, I don't have that pain and can get a full night sleep."
    Janet D.
  • "I wasn't able to use my hand the way I should. After working with Dr. Sneller and the physical therapy team, I can use my hand again."
    Ivy I.
  • "After my knee surgery I was asked where I wanted to do my physical therapy, I chose Multicare Health Clinic and I'm so glad I did! Dr. Steve and the therapy assistants (Sara and Megan) are fabulous! They know what they're doing and they all really seemed to care about my recovery. I'm feeling fantastic! I'll definitely go back again whenever I need therapy or adjustments."
    Sheri J.
  • "I wasn't able to use my hand the way I should. After working with Dr. Sneller and the physical therapy team, I can use my hand again."
    Henry H.
  • "I now can go a full week without pain and headaches."
    Luke W.