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You have just finished a 55-minute spinning class that would give
Lance Armstrong a run for his money. Your shirt, shorts and hair are
dripping with sweat. As you eye your classmates, you determine that
you must have worked much harder than them since they are not
sweating nearly as much as you. Your drenched T-shirt has become a
well-earned trophy from an intense fat-burning aerobic workout,
right? Maybe . . . but not necessarily.
Using sweat as a gauge of exercise intensity and
effectiveness is often misleading. The amount you sweat does not
directly correlate to calories burned, strength gained or
flexibility achieved. It is simply a response to the rise of your
core body temperature while completing your exercise routine. There
are many factors involved in why and when the sweating process
occurs.
The process of sweating involves the development
of moisture coming through the pores of the skin from sweat glands
as a result of a rise in environmental temperature, physical
exertion or emotion. As your temperature rises, the body can utilize
sweating to cool the skin and maintain a proper core body
temperature of 98.6 degrees F. This is why you may find it easier to
sweat in the summer while exercising, when the outside temperature
is helping raise your body temperature, compared with winter, when
you may have to wear extra layers just to maintain your body
temperature.
Many exercisers believe they have not really
worked out unless they break a sweat, but sweat mechanisms are
highly individual. Climate, fitness level, type of activity and
exercise training style all factor in to your potential to sweat. I
know . . . mentally it feels good to finish a workout and have
physical evidence of your hard work, but the success of your
exercise program should be tracked with measurable goals.
So forget the sweat and instead establish goals
that focus on improved cardiovascular endurance, increased muscular
strength and flexibility. For example, if you are not able to walk a
mile without stopping, set a goal to walk a little farther each day
until your goal is achieved. Once your current goal is reached,
extend it, and remember, whether you sweat or not, you are making
progress.
Please consult a physician before beginning an
exercise program.
Andrea Renee Wyatt, M.S.S., C.S.C.S., is a
personal trainer with an extensive in strength and conditioning as
well as therapeutic recreation. If you have a fitness or training
question, e-mail Andrea at letters.kfws@hearstsc.com, or write her
in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,
FL 32853-6475
(c) 2002 King Features
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