Exercise & Fitness Archive

Hiking continues to be one of the safest activities people can enjoy during COVID because it is done outside and away from confined group settings. The outdoor adventure also is one of the best exercises for both body and mind, as it can improve lower-body strength and endurance, increase balancing skills that can protect against falls, lower levels of stress and anxiety, and reduce the risk of depression.

Legs are the foundation for many enjoyable activities—running, bicycling, swimming, and more. Building strong leg muscles can improve your performance, build endurance, and reduce your risk of injury. These exercises will work all of the major muscle groups in your legs.

Exercise-related injuries are often preventable using a combination of strategies, such as warming up before an exercise session, increasing workout intensity gradually, opting for low-impact options, and performing exercises using the proper body position. Changing up the choice of activities can help people avoid repetitive strain injuries associated with focusing on a single sport, such as golfer’s elbow, tennis elbow, and iliotibial band syndrome, which causes pain along the outside of the knee.

The pandemic has increased the number of video workouts available to homebound exercisers. Many fitness centers routinely offer livestreamed classes, and exercise videos are readily accessible online. While video workouts are still a great option for those who are not ready to return to the gym or who want an alternative and fun way to exercise, people should follow some basic guidelines to ensure they get the most from their online experience.

Experts suggest people replace their walking shoes every 300 to 500 miles. For the best selection and advice, people should consider shopping at a specialty running store that also sells walking shoes. Other tips for choosing comfortable, supportive shoes include looking for low-heeled shoes that bend easily at the ball of the foot and have wiggle room at the toes.

Like kayaking or canoeing, paddleboarding provides a serious workout. But before you head out on the water, you'll want to get some key muscle groups in shape, especially ones that probably have not been used much during winter.

A 2022 study examined the brains of older adults after they died, and found that those who had stayed the most active late in life had higher amounts of synaptic proteins. These proteins improve the connections between the brain’s nerve cells.

It's difficult to get motivated to be active outside during cold-weather months, but it's important to your health and can help you meet any fitness goals you're trying to reach. There are ways to get outside and moving in cold temperatures.

Exercising is crucial for good health, even if exercising doesn't help a person get down to a healthy weight. Exercising reduces the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar levels, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and premature death. If someone is overweight and unfit, the risk of premature death is double the risk of someone who is the same age and sex, and is overweight but fit.