Editor’s Note: The following information was provided by Fort HealthCare.

Does your schedule make it difficult to attend one of our in person or online LIVE fitness classes? Or maybe you’ve signed up for a class that meets once per week, but you find yourself wanting to add more workouts and more variety into your wellness routine? Then sign up for our NEW On-Demand Video Library subscription!

Our digital fitness video library offers you flexible options for adding fitness instruction into your day. For as little as $15 per month (that’s under $0.50 per day!) you can have on-demand access to a wide variety of workout routines – and you can cancel at any time.

Choose from a set of cardio workout routines, strength training routines, or mind/body wellness routines, or take advantage of the discounted package option and subscribe to all three categories! Scroll through video options and create your own customized viewing list. You can access the videos anytime on the go from a computer or mobile device with an Internet connection. There’s no time like the present to make your health a priority.

To get started or just review options, go to FortHealthCare.com/OnDemand and follow the instructions to create an account. Keep track of your login and password information. You can shop the options by category or as a package deal and set up your payment plan. Then you’ll be all set! Log back in at any time to workout on your own time and in your own space.

These videos are exclusive to subscribers, so if you still want to enjoy other in person or digital fitness classes (LIVE online) – like Zumba® – you’ll need to register for those separately at FortHealthCare.com/Classes.

Cardio Classes

Cardiovascular fitness – or cardio – is exercise that gets your body moving to the point where physical activity benefits the heart and blood vessels the most. Besides feeling better and toning muscles – which help keep your metabolism and joints healthy – cardio (as with all exercise) also increases the number of calories you burn during a workout. The key to cardiovascular fitness is getting a good but safe aerobic workout. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise per day for adults.

Maximum and target heart rates
Although target heart rates might seem too complicated for beginners, it’s important information to know regardless of your fitness level.

Here’s a simple way to determine your maximum and target heart rates: Subtract your age from 220 to figure out your maximum heart rate. For example, if you are 35, your maximum heart rate is 185 beats per minute (220-35). Your target heart rate is 50 percent to 85 percent of that number, so multiply it by .50 and .85 to get a range. In this example, that’s 93 to 157 beats per minute. These numbers are based on a healthy adult.

How to calculate your pulse rate
Many wearable health devices and smartwatches can give you a reading on your pulse rate. If you don’t have one of those devices, you can still calculate your own pulse rate. Hold one hand in front of you palm upward. Gently place the index and middle fingers of the other hand near the thumb-side of the wrist on your outstretched hand to feel the pulse. You should not need to press very hard to feel the pulse. Using a watch with a moving seconds hand or a stopwatch, count the pulse beats for 10 seconds, then multiply that number by six to give you the beats per minute.

Strength Classes

Strength training improves muscle strength, power, endurance, and size. It also helps reduce your body fat, increase your body metabolism so you burn more calories each day; it enhances your balance and stability, keeps your bones strong, and can reduce the symptoms of chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, or osteoporosis.

Strength training is an important part of a fitness routine because your muscles must be strong enough for daily activities. This includes things like carrying groceries or gardening. It also includes recreational and sports activities like walking or carrying golf clubs. As you age, you lose muscle mass and strength. Strength training helps delay and reduce this loss of muscle.

Strength training is also known as resistance training. It’s different from weightlifting or powerlifting. These are sports in which people compete to lift the heaviest weights. In resistance or strength training, you use weights or resistance bands to force your muscles to work against gravity. Over time, this builds and strengthens muscle mass by increasing the size of your muscle cells.

If your goal is to increase your strength, then you should use progressively heavier weights in your training sessions. If your goal is to improve your muscle endurance, then you should use lighter weights with more repetitions in your training sessions.

Optimal workout
Often, beginners can push too hard, thinking that exercise has to hurt in order to work well, which is not true! If you are a newcomer to exercise, check with your healthcare provider before starting a fitness program.

If you have an irregular heart rhythm, experiencing results of an injury, or during exercise feel very tired, have chest pressure, or feel faint, seek immediate medical attention and try not to panic.

Yoga Practice

What is yoga, and why is it so popular? Yoga is a series of stretches and poses that you do with breathing techniques. It offers the powerful benefits of exercise. And since yoga is gentle, almost anyone can do it, regardless of your age or fitness level.

Yoga is a 5,000-year-old discipline from India. It was developed as a practice to unite the mind and body. There are many branches of yoga. All yoga styles can help balance your body, mind, and spirit, but they achieve it in various ways.

Some yoga styles are intense and vigorous. Others are relaxing and meditative. No matter which type you choose, yoga is a great way to stretch and strengthen your body, focus your mind, and relax your spirit.

Benefits of yoga

Yoga can make you stronger and more flexible. It’s a great way to stay limber and energetic. You may also feel more focused and alert. For many people, yoga helps them feel great and function better in daily life.

Yoga can also help improve these conditions:

• Poor blood circulation
• High blood pressure
• Arthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Limited mobility
• Lower back pain
• Trouble breathing
• Headaches
• Tension or stress
• Depression

Yoga’s gentle movements are a big reason for why it’s so popular. Yoga is good for people who haven’t been active in a while. It’s good for people who have certain health conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis. You can change the exercises to fit your needs. But yoga is also great if you’re already fit and want a challenging workout. As you become stronger and more flexible with yoga, it’s easier to do other kinds of exercise like dancing, walking, or swimming.

Yoga can help you:

• Reduce your risk for injury. Each yoga pose targets specific muscles. This helps you increase your flexibility and reduce your risk for injury.
• Reduce stress. Yoga can help soothe the mind and lower stress levels. It does this by focusing the mind on the moment and the movements.
• Increase your concentration. A main part of yoga is rhythmic, focused breathing. This can help you focus.
• Understand the mind and body connection. Yoga requires you to focus all your energy on each movement or pose exactly. This can help you feel the mind and body work together.
• Gain strength and stamina. More vigorous styles of yoga promote strength and stamina.
• Improve balance and stability. Balancing poses require you to use your core muscles. This can help you improve your overall stability.
• Improve posture. Yoga poses strengthen and open tight areas of the body like the shoulders and muscles of the upper back. This can help you keep good posture.
• Develop body awareness. Yoga requires you to contract or relax specific muscles as you stretch into each pose. This can help you become more aware of your body’s strengths and weaknesses.

One of the most important benefits of any yoga routine isn’t physical — it’s the quieting of the mind. The bottom line is learning to pay attention. You fine-tune your attention, beginning with the body, and then moving to the mind. As you get deeper into your practice, you may discover additional mental health benefits.

Fort HealthCare is committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities, with a vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long-term basis. For more information, visit FortHealthCare.com.