by Maurice Sassoon

Created on: May 30, 2008

The importance of exercise is unquestionable and should become a part of the day's routine.
Exercise becomes all the more important as we grow older. Another word for exercise is calisthenics. It is a way of exercising our arms, legs and body, mostly by stretching, bending, and other movements of the body. It can be performed at home or in a group. In the case of the latter, a leader or director tells us what to do. Usually, he or she instructs us as to what we are required to do. Regular exercises make the body strong and limber. In the United States Army and Navy and the Marine Corps, men and women do calisthenics every morning. There are those who do a few exercises by themselves every morning. It is said that people that exercise do their "daily dozen," for the reason that there are generally twelve exercises in a course of calisthenics.

Exercising every day is essential and conducive to good health. It helps our circulation and keeps our muscles well-toned. There is ample reason to believe that it also prevents disease that we may develop if our body is neglected. Human beings can be compared to a piece of machinery that must be used and lubricated from time to time, in order to keep it working smoothly. Another form of exercise is walking. It is necessary to walk briskly, moving our arms at the same time. We must begin walking a couple of times around the block at a given pace and increase it gradually by doing so as many times as we can. We can walk with a canine companion. In this case, we develop a given routine of discipline. However, when walking our dogs, we may experience some interruption, as the dog must stop and sniff from time to time. It is much better to walk alone in order to maintain some consistency.

Just as we must eat every day, we must also exercise our limbs on a daily basis. We do not have to subject ourselves to any unnecessary strain by overdoing the exercise. Moderation is the key to anything in life. Breathing exercises help the normal function of our lungs.
Swimming is also an important form of exercise. We move our hands and legs at the same time, when we swim. Any kind of recreation that helps our body and mind, serves to keep us in good shape and perhaps, assure our longevity. Those that do sedentary work everyday, such as sitting for long hours at the desk, need to be reminded that they must exercise each time they find the opportunity to do so.

Running is helpful but not as necessary as walking at a steady pace. We must remember that our body is fragile We can help our organs to function better if it is maintained properly. When we start to age, we are generally confronted with tell-tale signs of slowing down. It should be considered as a sort of message, warning us that we must begin to reattune our lifestyle by adhering to a course of exercise in order to prevent the onset of certain physical problems. It is never too late to exercise. However, if we start excercising far too late in life, there is a possibility that we may aggravate our problems.

Doctors and therapists keep reminding us of the importance of exercising everyday. A particular aspect of exercise on which they stress is walking. At the same time, they emphasize on the need for moderation and the willpower to do what is best for our mind and body.

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