There are many misconceptions in our society about Work and Exercises. Many think that because they work and use energy they are getting stronger and they don’t need exercise, this is especially common thinking among people performing physical work i.e. labor, construction, landscaping, manufacturing, etc.

Definition of Work –activity involving mental or physical efforts done in order to achieve a purpose or result, most commonly associated with earning income or as a form of employment.

Definition of Exercise is a specific, intentional activity designed to increase physical and physiological fitness by improving endurance, strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance. It establishes a sustainable correlation between all organs that are functioning to sustain such abilities to achieve and promote improvement/maintenance of health, fitness and overall well-being of an individual based on their desired needs, goals and capacity.

Exercise Characteristics and Types:

  • Specific: Person can chose what area of improvement they can work on, Flexibility, Strength, Endurance, Coordination, Technique (Gaming or Technical sports i.e. skating)
  • Planned: Person can choose Frequency and Longevity, Intensity and Seasonal, AM/PM, based on the desired goals.
  • Controlled Intensity: Person can choose, intervals, distance, duration of activities, number of repetitions and sets, weight and speed.
  • Mode: Static Mode (Isometric) is when person sustaining weight, load, position without muscle motion or Dynamic Mode (Isotonic) when person is in motion.
  • Aerobic: using Oxygen for energy production and/or Anaerobic: using metabolic function of producing energy without oxygen.
  • Recovery time: Exercises are designed to produce some sort of change that requires time for adaptation
  • Reproducible: Person can repeat similar activities to build or maintain a specific quality, skills, or fitness.
  • Intentional: Person must choose to exercise!

The Primary goal of exercise is to grow, build, and develop a person’s capacity to be STRONGER in life!

Exercises EXPAND a person’s capacity!

Exercises GIVE energy by OVERCOMPENSATION!

Although, confusion can be understood because there are possible common elements involved in both, such as activities and energy, but desirable physiological outcomes are different.

As we can see, Work and Exercises are different in many ways:

  • Work takes energy, Exercise GIVES energy!
  • Work makes us weaker, Exercise make us STRONGER!
  • Work is the must, Exercise is a CHOICE!

The bottom line is “WE NEED TO BE STONGER THAN WORK!” which is the only one way that work will not create an INJURY!

“WORK KILLS, EXERCISE BUILDS!”

Therefore, we need to intentionally build ourselves to be able to serve God, Family, and People to use our God’s given gifts! For this reason, we need to be healthy and strong as well as being an example for our children and other people.

Be strong!

Be well!

Be Blessed!

Dr. Dmitri