For example, some people jog for exercise. This means they jog a few times a week at a challenging pace. This makes their heart, lungs and muscles stronger.
Exercise can be done:
at a gym, a community centre, at home or outdoors
with a group of friends or alone
with or without special equipment
Exercise can be safe during and after prostate cancer treatment. All physical activity is good for your health, and getting more planned exercise in your life adds even more benefits.
What are the main
types of exercise?
Aerobic exercise
Aerobic exercise is a movement that uses large muscle groups in a pattern. It can be carried on for at least 10 minutes at a time and gets the heart and lungs to work harder than when you're resting.
Why should I do it?
Aerobic exercise can help with:
improved heart and lung health
weight management
lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer
healthy cholesterol and blood pressure levels
improved mood (less anxiety and depression)
Benefits of aerobic exercise for men with prostate cancer include:
less weight gain for men on hormone therapy
lower fatigue or extreme tiredness in men going through radiation therapy (radiotherapy) or on hormone therapy
decreased blood pressure in men with (or at risk of) heart disease from hormone therapy
better quality of life across all stages of cancer and all types of treatment
Regular aerobic exercise may decrease the risk of dying from prostate cancer.
How can I get started?
Add aerobic exercise to your routine with these 3 steps:
Begin with a 10-minute walk, 2 to 3 days per week, for 3 to 4 weeks.
After 3 or 4 weeks, add 1 to 2 minutes to your walk every week.
Continue adding minutes until you are up to 30 minutes, 3 days per week.
Examples of aerobic exercise
walking
running
biking
dancing
swimming
hiking
working out on the elliptical or stair climbing machine at the gym
Resistance exercise
Resistance exercise means moving your muscles against some type of weight.
It can be done using dumbbells and barbells, weight machines in a gym, elastic bands, or even your own body weight.
Why should I do it?
The goal of resistance exercise is to improve your muscle strength and your endurance. Resistance exercise helps avoid muscle and bone loss with age. It can also help lower body fat, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Improving muscle strength and keeping your bones strong:
makes day-to-day activities easier to do - such as lifting or moving heavy loads like furniture or getting yourself out of a chair
decreases risk of falls and bone fractures
Improving endurance can help you:
bring in several loads of shopping
dig in the garden
For men with prostate cancer, resistance exercise can:
lower fatigue and feelings of tiredness
increase quality of life for men going through radiation therapy
improve sexual function
For men on
resistance training can be helpful to ease the symptoms you’re experiencing. Hormone therapy can weaken bones and muscles, cause weight gain, and decrease heart health, but resistance training helps:slow bone loss
increase muscle size
stop gain of body fat
lower insulin levels in the blood
improve physical function and movement making cleaning, bathing, and getting dressed easier
How can I get started?
A simple way to add resistance exercise to your routine follows these 3 steps:
First, think of 3 exercises that use your body weight. For example, getting up from a chair without using your arms and sitting back down, raising your heels off the ground, and doing push-ups against a wall.
Do these 3 moves 3 days per week. Start with 5 repetitions per exercise.
Add a repetition every week until you reach 15 repetitions.
For a workout that uses weights, you can figure out the right amount of weight to lift when you find a weight that is:
light enough that you can lift it the minimum number of repetitions
heavy enough that you cannot go beyond the maximum number of repetitions and keep good form
Remember: as you get stronger, you may need to increase the weight you lift to stay in the right range of repetitions and get the most benefits
Examples of resistance exercise
To improve your muscle strength - lift heavier weights (using dumbbells, barbells or a weight machine) a few times, about 6 to 8 repetitions.
To improve your endurance - lift lighter weights many times (about 10 to 15 repetitions).
Flexibility exercise
Flexibility exercise stretches a muscle or group of muscles by creating a slight pull on the muscle and tendons (where your muscle attaches to your bone). This helps increase your range of motion.
Why should I do it?
Stretching your muscles helps them stay loose and avoid getting stiff. This allows your joints (where two bones come together) to move more easily. Regular stretching makes you more flexible and it’s great for everyone, including older adults.
You’ll have:
improved movement, making day-to-day activities easier
steadier walking
less tension and stress
better sleep
How can I get started?
Start by stretching for 15 minutes in the morning, 3 times a week. Stretch each of these muscle for 15 to 30 seconds, then repeat 2 more times:
shoulders
back of the arms
chest
back
hips
thighs
calves
ankles
Examples of flexibility exercise
stretching at home
yoga
Other types of exercise
What are they?
There are many other forms of exercise that you may be interested in learning about. Here are just a few examples:
Yoga
Tai Chi
Qigong
These other forms of exercise often include aerobic, resistance, and flexibility movements. Some people prefer these forms because they're done with music or put together in an interesting way. They often add elements like:
deep breathing
mindfulness and paying attention to your thoughts
graceful movements
Yoga is a holistic program that can involve:
breathing
stretching
posture
meditation
Yoga improves mobility, mood and well-being. Many types of yoga are safe and effective for older adults, like vinyasa and restorative yoga.
Tai Chi is a martial arts form that has been used for centuries. Tai Chi:
is a series of flowing, controlled movements and breathing that are performed in order
involves moving slowly and smoothly from one move to the next
focuses on moving the body around and past its centre of gravity
improves focus and connects breathing and posture changes
Qigong is an ancient Chinese health care practice that combines:
physical postures
breathing techniques
focused intention
Why do these types of exercises?
Studies of these exercises show benefits for people with prostate cancer.
These benefits include:
improved energy and less fatigue
improved quality of life
better balance and function
These types of exercise can be a good way to ease into regular activity. Or, you can add them to a program of aerobic, resistance and flexibility exercises.
How can I get started?
If you look online, you can find classes for these exercises in your area.
Check with your doctor or care team to understand what activities and exercises you can take part in. Talk with the exercise instructor to make sure the class is safe and a good fit for you. Let the instructor know about anything that might make exercise hard for you.
A good instructor will listen and should be able to make changes if needed. Or, they can point you to a program that's better for you.
