"लाघवं कर्मसामर्थ्यं दिप्थोग्निर्मेदस: क्षय: |
विभक्तघनगात्रत्वं व्यायामादुपजायते ||"
About 5000 years ago, Ayurveda has spoken about Vyayamam, i.e. Exercise. Ayurveda has given Importance of Physical exercise as follows
लाघवं ,lagavam which means light. Light body helps in कर्मसामर्थ्यं i.e. perfection in work by improving body strength.
दिप्थोग्नि:, Agni is nothing but digestive fire which helps in digesting the food intake. Deeptha-agni means sufficient or healthy digestive fire. So it implies practice of Vyayama gives good digestive power.
र्मेदस: क्षय:, practice of physical exercise removes extra medas or fat which get accumulated in the body. Such that body becomes slim and trim.
Also body gains tone.
Other references from Ayurveda says, that which brings about exertion or weakness to the body is called Vyayama or physical exercise.
All bodily strains are called as Vyayama.
Lord Punarvasu, preceptor of Ayurveda has said that the body activities which brings pleasure and peace to mind is called Vyayama.
Ayurveda has mentioned about vyayama in the daily regimen, it prescribes vyayama for a healthy life. It is interesting to note that ayurveda has not advocated yoga asanas and pranayama in daily regimen.
Vyayama or physical exercise should be practiced in limits. Once when sweat starts to generate from the armpits and forehead, vyayama should be stopped. Vyayama should be done only to one's half capacity. Sweating in armpits and forehead according to ayurveda indicates spending of half of capacity. Over doing is harmful because it aggravates vata in body...
CONTRA INDICATIONS:
Vyayama aggravates both vata and pitta in the body. Hence person suffering from vata and pitta disorders, aged people should not do vyayama.
Children are in the stage of kapha kala. Vyayama alters their dosha levels by decreasing kapha and increasing Vata and pitta. The decreased Kapha during their Kapha period welcomes many disorders in children. So Children are strictly contraindicated for Vyayama.
People suffering from Ama or indigestion should also avoid vyayama because already their pitta is in disturbed state. As vyayama increases pitta, it should be avoided untill ama is removed....
EXCESSIVE VYAYAMA OR PHYSICAL EXERCISE:
Acharyas warn about over doing the physical exercises. Doing excess of vyayama or physical exercise will give rise to thirst, emaciation, severe dyspnoea, bleeding disease, exhaustion, feeling of debility, cough, fever and vomiting.
Through a brilliant analogy acharyas explain the ill effect of exhausting oneself with exercises. The person who indulge in too much of physical exercise, keeping awake in nights, walking long distance, sexual intercourse, too much of laughing, speaking will lose energy like a lion which loses its energy after vanquishing an elephant.
Too much of anything is good for nothing..!