Effective exercise prescriptions for weight loss and insights from swimming and bodybuilding stars

What is an effective exercise prescription?

Doctors at the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army in Beijing conducted a systematic study on exercise for weight loss and summarized an effective exercise prescription, the specific steps of which are as follows:

Head movements 4 times, chest expansion exercises 4 times, arm circles forward and backward 4 times each, side leg movements and torso rotations 8 times each, forward bends 8 times, lunges and leg presses 8 times each side, jogging for 20 minutes (approximately 2500-3000 meters), walking slowly for 3 minutes, forward and backward leg kicks 20 times each, push-ups and sit-ups 25-30 times each, squats and stand-ups 15-20 times, walking slowly for 1 minute, rapid side-crossing forward walking 80-100 meters, walking slowly while shaking legs and buttocks, followed by 5 minutes of relaxation exercises.

Completing this exercise prescription within 40 minutes can burn 216 kilocalories.

This exercise for weight loss should be performed at least six times a week. For those who rarely exercise, the first week should consist of three workouts, with the intensity reduced by one-third or one-half as an adaptation period. If the exercise prescription is combined with dietary therapy, the weight loss results are satisfactory. The General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army prescribed this exercise prescription to 45 obese individuals; after three months of observation, they experienced an average weight loss of 4.4 kg, an average reduction in waist circumference of 3.2 cm, and an average reduction in abdominal fat layer thickness of 1.43 cm. Some patients with concurrent hypertension also saw their blood pressure return to normal. Generally speaking, this prescription should be used with caution by heart patients and those with hypertension.

Why did the "Bodybuilding Queen" love swimming?

In the first half of 1989, China screened the 1944 musical comedy "Baby Swimming Queen," produced by MGM. The film is memorable for the voluptuous figure of bodybuilding star Estelle Helena, and her outstanding water performance skills. Estelle Helena was originally an excellent swimmer, winning the U.S. swimming championship at the age of 15. Standing at 1.74 meters tall and weighing 58 kilograms, she was a multiple-time bodybuilding queen. Almost all of her films featured her superb ice swimming performances. Thus, titles like "Mermaid" and "Fairy of the Lotus" were bestowed upon her, making her a globally renowned star. In 1961, after filming her first movie, Estelle Helena, not yet fifty, abruptly retired from acting, returning to the swimming team as a coach. At the Hollywood centenary celebration, she was invited to attend the commemorative event. Although over seventy years old, she walked into the venue with a sprightly gait, her beauty undiminished. When asked how she maintained her optimal physique, she replied, "Swimming is my only way to stay fit, and also the best way to stay fit." She believed swimming was extremely effective in maintaining a beautiful figure, so she swam three times a day.

In addition, she also did several aerobics sessions daily.