Physical Activity Doesn't Mean Sports, Check Out The Differences

Illustration of a man exercising (Pexels/Andrea Piaqcuadio)

JAKARTA - It should be noted that exercise by doing physical activity is two different things. If you do a lot of physical activity in a day, it doesn't include exercise.

This was conveyed by the Internal Medicine Specialist & Travel Health Expert Eka Hospital BSD, dr. Rudy Kurniawan, Sp.PD, MM, MARS, Dip.TH, Dip.SN, DCD, FRSPH. He said physical activities such as cleaning the house do not include sports.

"We have to differentiate physical activity with exercise. Physical activity is not the same as sports. So if you say it's been swept, pinned, cleaned clothes, is it sports? No," said Doctor Rudy Kurniawan when met in the Serpong area, Tangerang, on Tuesday, November 12, 2024.

Doctor Rudy said that exercise is an activity related to heart rate. There is a minimum heart rate that must be achieved within a certain duration when exercising to get maximum results, so that it is different from physical activity that does not depend on this.

"Sports must have a minimum heart rate. A minimum heart rate is said to be a sport with a certain duration. If exercise there is a certain duration and our own capacity," he said.

Exercise also aims not only to burn calories, such as physical activity. Exercise aims to help facilitate other important body organs, especially the cardiovascular system.

The goal is not only to burn calories, but to increase the effectiveness of the cardiovascular system. So if the conditions are normal, of course our heart rate, heart pump is not practiced if it is normal. Second, there is no condition of muscle increase," he explained.

Then Doctor Rudy also said that exercise must have a combination of movement in the body. It is recommended to exercise every day outside of physical activity, so that the body is healthy and fit.

"We have to try to exercise every day, at least 30 minutes. We don't have to run or walk, the important thing is to exercise, move, lift weights. Sports must have a combination of cardio systems, lifting weights, and the third is flexibility such as yoga. It needs a combination of various types of sports, "concluded Doctor Rudy Kurniawan.