Fall Sports Notes

As autumn approaches, are you still exercising every day? Take a test on autumn sports knowledge.

Test 1: Sports venue safety

1. Do you exercise near the road or on the road? (such as riding a bicycle, running)

2. Is the area where you exercise often filled with smoke?

3. Do you exercise in areas with dense trees before the sun rises?

4. Are there dedicated health trails or cycling paths where you exercise?

5. Are there motor vehicles entering and exiting the place where you exercise?

6. Do your sportswear or shoes have reflective strips or reflective logos?

The above questions are all safety issues in sports venues. If the answer is "yes" to any of the questions, improvements should be made as soon as possible.

As autumn approaches, the temperature difference between morning and evening becomes larger, and the time of dawn is gradually delayed. Just like in summer, it is inappropriate to go to places with dense trees for morning exercises early in the morning. Not only is there no fresh air, but the concentration of carbon dioxide is high and there may be other gases.

Some people are busy with work during the day and only exercise in the morning or evening. They must pay attention to the reflective signs on their bodies and avoid exercising on the road or on the side of the road.

Test 2: Sports safety

1. Do you warm up adequately?

2. Do you sweat profusely every time?

3. Do you exercise on an empty stomach?

4. Have you ever had chest tightness and shortness of breath?

5. Does your job require a lot of walking, weight lifting, or other strenuous exercise?

6. Do you do exercise that significantly increases your heart rate and lasts for more than 20 minutes more than three times a week?

7. Are you training rigorously for a sports competition?

8. After exercise, do you relax and stretch sufficiently?

9. Are you wearing special sportswear and sports shoes?

10. Are you equipped with necessary sports protective gear?

11. When the weather gets cold, do you wear a hat or gloves?

The temperature drops in autumn, and the human body is affected by the temperature change. The joints, ligaments, and muscle tissues are very susceptible to colds. You must warm up fully before exercise. In addition, the most common topic is fasting exercise, which is very dangerous once hypoglycemia occurs.

The intensity of exercise in autumn should be adjusted appropriately to avoid sweating, and water should be replenished in time to avoid dehydration. Chinese medicine also focuses on moisturizing and nourishing yin in autumn, and believes that climate reasons can easily cause people to lose too much water. Therefore, it is important to replenish water before, during, and after exercise.

The temperature change in autumn can easily cause upper respiratory diseases. You should pay attention to your clothing when exercising and prevent colds. If you have obvious chest tightness and shortness of breath after entering autumn, you must pay attention to adjusting the intensity of exercise.

It is usually expressed as a percentage of maximum heart rate and perceived fatigue/exertion.

Test Three

1. Do you smoke more than 5 cigarettes a day?

2. Do you drink more than 1 unit of alcohol (a glass of wine, a bottle of beer or hard liquor) per day?

3. Can you have bowel movements every day?

4. Are you over 60 years old?

5. Are you overweight?

6. Do you have type 2 diabetes?

7. Do you suffer from high blood pressure?

8. Do you have cancer?

Exercise is beneficial to physical and mental health, and helps maintain a healthy weight and reduce the impact of various diseases on body functions.

For people who currently suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes, the choice of exercise and exercise intensity should be based on their own condition and doctor's advice. Especially after entering autumn, when the temperature difference between morning and evening is large, you should pay attention to keeping warm and avoid the cold causing vasoconstriction that affects your health.

People of all ages should engage in physical activity every day to maintain a healthy weight. Adhere to daily physical activity, perform moderate-intensity physical activity at least 5 days a week, and accumulate more than 150 minutes; active physical activity is best to be 6,000 steps a day. Encourage appropriate high-intensity aerobic exercise and strengthen resistance exercise 2 to 3 days a week.

In short, in autumn, you should pay attention to the venue, clothing, intensity, and health of your body to choose the right exercise and the right intensity. At the same time, you should also pay attention to warming up before exercise, hydrating during exercise, and stretching after exercise.

The health benefits of exercise are far beyond your imagination. Keep exercising for your health!

Author: Wei Linlin | Registered dietitian and Chinese nutrition expert

Reviewer: Shi Rengfei | Professor at Shanghai Institute of Physical Education