Exercise: Nutrient

Exercise as a nutrient

Do you consider exercise a requirement for your body or an optional extra?

Researchers have called exercise and movement an essential nutrient for brain function and development. And just like dietary nutrients there are many different components that you need to consider. In fact if you want to have a healthy “diet” of exercise there are ten general skills (nutrients) that you need to consider. The 10 recognised general fitness skills are endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. By definition, if you are not great at any of these 10 facets then your body is performing at less than its best.

These skills aren’t just arbitrary skills either. These are skills that you require to be able to perform in your everyday life. Whether it be running for a bus or walking up the stairs, picking something up off of the floor or keeping your balance as you change a light bulb, these activities are part of your daily life, whether you prepare for them or not.

To incorporate all of these skills into your weekly routine will take some planning and in fact if you try to do them all separately it may take you all week to get it done. The key to being able to cover all of these facets of exercise is to be doing compound exercises where you are covering several of these at once. For example if you are doing a squat with good technique, a large range of motion and lots of repetitions, you will actually be working on all 10 fitness skills at once. A well-rounded workout will require good technique and will need to be personalised to your level of fitness and you may need some professional help to achieve this.

Whatever you do, if you can incorporate some more well-rounded exercise into your week, you will perform better in your daily life and notice significant health changes as well.

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