Exercise & Fitness Archive

Beta blockers can slow one's heart rate, which can make gauging intensity during exercise difficult. Monitoring your breathing is a good way to ensure you work out at an intensity that is sufficient and not too high.

Personal trainers can provide a range of benefits, including developing a personalized, balanced workout. People focused on heart health often prioritize exercise that raises their heart rate (cardio or aerobic exercise). But strength training builds lean muscle mass, which helps burn body fat, keeps blood sugar in check, and may help reduce cholesterol levels. Trainers also teach people how to exercise safely to avoid injuries (which is especially helpful when using free weights) and also provide motivation to foster a positive mindset.

Jumping rope is an ideal plyometric exercise that helps improve coordination, agility, and flexibility and offers an excellent heart-pumping workout.

Fitspiration describes social media posts intended to inspire physical fitness and promote health. But is this type of motivation helpful? A recent study looked deeper into the trend.

In a 2023 study, people who did bouts of daily activities, such as taking stairs, mopping the floor, and gardening, that lasted from one to 10 minutes had a lower risk for heart attacks and strokes compared with those who were active for less than a minute.

It takes more than a weekly session with a personal trainer to maximize exercise benefits. Personal trainers recommend that people exercise in between training sessions; do strength training at the beginning of a workout; alternate the muscle groups that get a workout; challenge each muscle group with a variety of exercises; stretch regularly; eat a healthy diet to fuel the body; and exercise purposefully, with a strategic approach that moves them closer to their exercise goals.