Exercise and Exertion – A THIN LINE OF DIFFERENCE

A thin line exists between exercise and exertion. It is interesting to study this line and stay within the range to avoid future adverse consequences. Before going into further detail, let us understand the objectives laid out by Ayurveda for exercising.

Objectives of Exercise :

1. Refresh the body by improving the peripheral circulation which happens by exercising.
2. Improve capabilities of the body to perform more, to increase muscle strength.
3. Increase the stamina of the body to work for long hours.
4. Improve the digestion and digestive capacities.
5. Burn up the excess body fat; maintain the required amount of fat at the right sites of the body.
6. Develop the muscle bulk in the right proportions to sustain the strain on the muscles.

Exercise should be performed by healthy persons and be avoided by people suffering from vat -pitta disorders, infants or young children, elderly persons and persons with indigestion or chronic digestive disorders.

The amount of exercise should be done at half the strength of the person. That means, if a person is capable of doing 20 repetitions in a workout, it should be stopped at 10. If a person is capable of lifting 100 kgs weight; only 50 kgs should be lifted. This way the exercise is done to raise the blood supply in the muscles, and raise their strength.

There is a thin line between exercise and exertion. If a person feels rejuvenated, happy and finds a rise in appetite after exercising, then it is a proper exercise.

If a person feels drained, fatigued, sleepy, loses excess weight to appear pale then it should be understood that it is becoming an exertion to the body. The exercise burns up the fat and subsequently the muscles too, to cause a drain in energy. It increases pitta or heat in the muscles, when the exercising is stopped, the exhausted muscles release the pita  and the muscles tend to look saggy, and soft, devoid of the firmness that goes with a toned exercised body.

There must be sweating after exercising and it should not have any odor.  If the sweat carries a pungent odor, then it should be understood that the exercise has been done by sheer will than by virtue of strength.

Exercise should be done by channelized analytical thinking and not in an emotional rush. At every step the person should introspect to observe how the body copes up with the strain inflicted on it by exercising. It is a meditative state than a impromptu emotional surge .