Fitness--not just for United States (or MTNA) presidents.(In Unison)(Music Teachers National Association)

Recognizing the importance of helping our members remain healthy, MTNA is taking on the responsibility of providing crucial wellness information. Given the sedentary nature of our work as music teachers and performers, it seems especially appropriate for MTNA to promote the benefits of fitness as one important component in our health arsenal that will help improve and enhance our feeling of wellbeing.

Are you one of the small percentage of individuals who has already incorporated regular exercise into your lifestyle? Or are you like I was? Each year I made a New Year's resolution to exercise and within a month had already broken and set it aside for another year. In 1984, I made my annual resolution, but in that fateful year, an important decision altered my usual outcome. I decided to join an adult fitness program offered by my university--a life-changing event?

The program focused on aerobic exercise. After fitness testing, which placed me at the lowest level of the fitness scale, my prescribed daily routine for the first week consisted of riding a stationary bicycle for a total of 5 minutes (1 minute, five repetitions, 30 second breaks). At each consecutive workout, I would add another minute until I reached 8 minutes. Then I did the same in 2-minute increments, then 3, 4, 5, until I gradually reached 60 consecutive minutes. I share these specifics with you because it demonstrates how one can ease into exercise. By increasing my exercise time in such small increments, I never got sore and was not tempted to quit. As aerobic exercise became a part of my daily routine, I noticed that I also chose to be more careful about my food intake and initiated positive changes in my eating habits.

We all have heard the benefits of a healthier lifestyle--lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, weight loss, all positive changes that I experienced. As musicians, we use our bodies to perform in much the same way as athletes, and I discovered specific, tangible benefits that affected me as a musician. Incorporating exercise into our daily lives can bring noticeable improvement in the following areas:

* Enhanced ability to concentrate: It is possible to work throughout lengthy rehearsals or practice sessions and maintain focus throughout.

* Greater endurance: It is easier to maintain correct posture and remain energized throughout practice sessions.

* Stronger body: Not only is your cardiovascular system more fit, you also have strengthened your entire body, making injuries less likely.