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WHAT IS THE BEST EXERCISE FOR YOU?

YOU say you've tried to stay fit, but the stationary bike has been standing idly in the basement since the day you bought it a year ago. And you haven't put on a pair of running shoes since the first attempt at jogging made you retired to bed with throbbing muscles. Or maybe you've gone to the health club twice this year, despite the cost of membership. Chances are your chosen route to fitness wasn't right for you.

Choosing the right exercise is a matter of common sense and personal preference. Based on your needs, age and medical history, you should select an exercise that will provide a good cardivascular workout. It should be fun, too. "People should choose an aerobic exercise first that's beneficial for their hearts and lungs," says Dr. Matthew Silver, a National Medical Association fitness expert with a family practice in Columbia, Md. "They should find one they really like doing, and do it often. That way it becomes a part of their lifestyle rather than a chore."

Before flexing a muscle, though, you might need a medical exam. Physicians advise the thirtysomething exercise newcomer to have a routine physical evaluation and possibly a cardiac stress test before starting a vigorous exercise program such as jogging or aerobic dance. This advice especially holds true for people with heart disease, high blood pressure or other ailments.

After you're cleared by a physician to begin exercising choose exercises that meet your needs. Are you exercising for better fitness, or for muscle tone or weight loss? Fitness advisors say that to accomplish either goal you should know the aerobic benefit of the exercise you are considering. A golf game doesn't burn as many calories as a brisk 4-miles-per-hour walk, which burns 350 calories an hour.

If you are overweight and dieting, you may want to bicycle or swim, or try a rowing or a cross-country skiing machine. These aerobic exercises are considered high-energy workouts that burn calories but don't overtax muscles and joints. Fitness pros also say they provide good cardiovascular conditioning because they use the large muscle groups of the arms and legs, and increase oxygen consumption and heart rate during the workout.

Swimming in particular is seen as one of the omst beneficial exercises because it uses all of the muscle groups. It's considered the exercise of choice for the elderly fitness buff, and those with back and knee problems or arthritis. Even the non-swimmer can benefit from water exercises, says Dr. Hanna Sanders, a Palm Springs, Calif., rehabilitative medicine specialist. Those who lack the discipline to work out on their own might get added incentive by joining an aquatic aerobics or dance class at a health club or gym. Such facilities usually offer trainers for consultation and a range of equipment to tone flabby muscles.

But it makes little sense, say health experts, for the sedentary "couch potato" to spend money on a health club he'll never use. A better investment might be an exercise machine that can be used while watching your favorite TV program. You also can jump rope, or do other calisthenics that require little or no investment.

Jogging and running require little more than proper running shoes and can be done practically anywhere. Brisk walking, on the othr hand, is a better exercise for the over-40 newcomer and those susceptible to joint and back problems. "It's the best stimulator to get that heart pumping so you can start the rest of the conditioning," Dr. Sanders says. The young or the restless, however, might consider cross training -- alternating between different exercise routines.

Exercise alone might not accomplish your fitness goal, notes Dr. Paris Bransford, the Houston surgeon who chairs the National Medical Association board of trustees. "You have to consider other aspects of your lifestyle such as overeating. You might need a structured diet."

Once you've decided a course of action, you should be consistent. Studies show that regular exercise can cut by 50 percent the risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Health experts say exercise also can help the body ward off disease and be more resilient when illness occurs. On the other hand, says Dr. Bransford, the "week-end warrior," who has a desk job and whose only exercise is a fast game of tennis on Saturdays, is flirting with a hea

"People get overly ambitious and try to do things they did in high school," says Dr. Sanders. "You have to ease into it. Start with low impact and build up. You have to evaluate your life, and place exercise in your schedule. It has to be something you can live with."

# posted by Medical Information : 3:26 AM