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WHAT IS THE FITNESS LENDING LIBRARY?

Want to exercise but don't have the time? Wish you could work out while in the office? Check out HealthyUNCG's new Fitness Lending Library! HealthyUNCG's Fitness Lending Library allows employees and departments to "check out" various fitness equipment to use

while in the office. Items target flexibility, strength, and cardiovascular fitness and includes over 60 items including DVDs,

yoga mats, kettle bells, free weights, heart rate monitors, etc.

POLICES & PROCEDURES HealthyUNCG’s Fitness Lending Library is available to UNCG faculty and

staff only

Individual employees may check out up to 2 items at one time. Departments may check out entire kits (cardio, flexibility, strength, dvd series, etc). Please make special arrangements to do so by contacting healthy_uncg@uncg.edu

All lending material may be checked out for 2 weeks and must be returned to HealthyUNCG on the assigned due date

All lending material must be returned by the due date or the borrower may be subject to be charged for the retail price of the item

DISCLAIMER HealthyUNCG strongly recommends that you consult with your physician

before beginning any exercise program

You should be in good physical condition and be able to participate in the exercise

HealthyUNCG is not a licensed medical care provider and represents that it has no expertise in diagnosing, examining, or treating medical conditions of any kind, or in determining the effect of any specific exercise on a medical condition

You should understand that when participating in any exercise or exercise program, there is the possibility of physical injury. If you engage in this exercise or exercise program, you agree that you do so at your own risk, are voluntarily participating in these activities, assume all risk of injury to yourself, and agree to release and discharge HealthyUNCG from any and all claims or causes of action, known or unknown, arising out of HealthyUNCG’s negligence

SAFETY FOR STRENGTH TRAINING Learn the fundamental exercises correctly

Prevent injury during this particularly vulnerable time

Design a program that will encourage adherence

Beginners: practice resistance training about 2-3x/week, allowing a day of rest between workouts; it’s more important to focus on learning and executing proper exercise techniques

Proper warm-up is needed: 5-10 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise followed by gentle, moving stretches

Heavier weights need longer rest periods (e.x., 1-2 minutes of rest for lighter weights; 2-3 minutes for moderate weights and 3+ minutes for heavier weights)

It’s important, especially as one gets older, not to go to complete failure in a set as this can cause joint compression and breath holding (dizziness and nausea are not signs of a good workout and demonstrate that the workout should be stopped)

SAFETY FOR STRENGTH TRAINING CONTINUED…

Fatigue within prescribed ranges is natural; pain is not

Doing “too much too soon” can lead to overreaching — where the body becomes fatigued, one’s motivation to workout is lowered, and the potential for injury is increased

Proper technique is vital when increasing the resistance from one day to the next; if technique isn’t correct, the exercise should be stopped

Spotting is important when using weights even when working with machine exercises; many free weight exercises should never be done without a spotter

Very light or light intensity is best for older persons or previously sedentary adults starting exercise

SAFETY FOR CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITY Adults should get at least 150 minutes /week of moderate-intensity exercise

30-60 minutes 5x/week of moderate-intensity exercise or 20-60 minutes 3x/week of vigorous-intensity exercise

Before you start the cardio exercise, you should perform warm-up and stretching exercise to condition the muscles

These first two steps are very important and must be done during every cardio session

Warm-up and stretching will make sure that you do not damage your muscles during the exercise

If you are new to cardio exercise, or have been inactive for awhile, consult with your health care provider to make sure that cardio exercise is safe for you

If you have not been exercising, start at a slow pace and gradually increase the amount of time and the pace of your activity as you become more fit

Drink water before, during and after exercise.

Make sure you drink 8-10 glasses of water every day

Dress appropriately for the heat and cold

SAFETY FOR CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITY CONTINUED… To prevent injuries, use safety equipment such as helmets for biking If you are not sure what equipment you need, check the library or the Internet for

information

Maintain a comfortable pace You should be able to hold a conversation while walking briskly

If you do not feel natural again within 10 minutes following exercise, you are exercising too hard

If you have difficulty breathing or feel faint or weak during or after exercise, you are exercising too hard

Endurance activities should not make you breathe so hard that you can't talk and they should not cause dizziness or chest pain

If you experience dizziness, chest pain or have difficulty talking during exercise, you are working beyond your level

Slow down until you feel better, and consult with your health care provider

Gradual progression of exercise time, frequency and intensity is recommended for best adherence and least injury risk

Stretch after your activities, when your muscles are warm

SAFETY FOR FLEXIBILITY TRAINING Tight muscles can contribute to back pain or difficulty performing simple

tasks

Poor balance is known to increase the risk of falls and affect performance

Prior to flexibility training (stretching), a warm up should be performed at a low intensity for 5-10 minutes

This increases the temperature of the muscles and decreases the risk of injury

Flexibility training is best performed when the body is very warm

To stretch a muscle, it should be put in a position that produces a slight pull on the muscle but not to the point of pain

Overstretching causes muscle to contract and can cause small tears in fibers

SAFETY FOR FLEXIBILITY TRAINING CONTINUED… With a static stretch, the position in which a slight stretch is felt, should be held

10-30 seconds, and each stretch should be repeated 3-5 times on each side of the body

It should not cause pain or take the joint past the normal range

Avoid bouncing

Maintain normal breathing throughout each stretch

Focus attention on the muscle being stretched and try to limit movement in other body parts

Adults should do flexibility exercises 3+ days/week to improve range of motion

These guidelines are for the general population to increase range of motion of muscles and joints

Athletes or advanced exercisers may want to consult a personal trainer for more specific guidelines

HERE IS HOW TO

CHECK OUT ITEMS

WHAT CAN HEALTHYUNCG OFFER YOU?

HealthyUNCG offers a variety of healthy resources and activities for free to UNCG employees, including:

Personal Wellness Profile

Special Programming

Health Coaching

Healthy-U

ActiveU/MindfulU