Exercise & Fitness Archive

Articles

Seeking fitspiration on social media?

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.

7 things your personal trainer wants you to know

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.

Everyday activities count as exercise, but intensity matters

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.

Early morning exercise may be the best time for weight loss

A 2023 study found that people who exercise in the morning, specifically between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., have a lower risk of obesity than those who are most active in the midday or evening.

3 easy ways to strengthen your shoulders

When a shoulder workout seems time-consuming or challenging, it might help to make the exercises easier or more appealing. One approach is doing shoulder exercises with a resistance band instead of fancy weight machines. Another strategy is doing a few occasional shoulder exercises, such as making arm circles, while seated. And it might be fun to dance and move the arms in time to music, which works the shoulder muscles; or to place a ball against a wall and roll the ball in small letter shapes from A to Z, which works all of the muscles in the shoulders.

The best strength-building exercise to lower blood pressure?

Isometric exercises that engage the muscles without movement—such as wall squats and planks—may help lower blood pressure more than other types of strength training. Experts have speculated about a possible mechanism: During isometric exercise, clenched muscles temporarily constrain blood flow. The following surge of blood may stimulate the release of factors that help relax the vessels and ultimately contribute to a reduction in blood pressure.

Do more for your core

A strong core serves as the foundation for upper- and lower-body movements. It helps maintain a healthy posture and prevents back injuries and falls. Like all muscles, the core muscles weaken as people age, so it's important for people to do core exercises on a regular basis. The best core exercises are movements that activate as many of the core muscles as possible at one time. Some examples include planks, diagonal chops, and deadbugs.

Move of the month: Side lunge with knee lift

A side lunge with a knee lift works the inner and outer thigh muscles and helps improve balance.

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