Physical activity and exercise Archive

Performing reverse lunges helps develop key hip muscles for better stability and teaches how to better control backward movement and coordination.

While the COVID pandemic changed how many people approached their health, the experience offers a teachable moment about how people can maintain new and improved healthy habits. Four areas that were most affected by COVID and enabled people to create positive changes are exercise, diet, medical check-ups, and social connections.

Exercising in a pool provides an effective workout that is easy on the joints. Exercises can be made easier if they're done in slightly deeper water, where there's more buoyancy and support. They can be made harder by moving faster and holding fingers together like paddles. When starting a water workout, experts advise taking it easy at first. People should start with easier exercises and shorter durations, or do less than they feel up to. If they're not sore the next day, they'll know they did the right amount of exercise. From there, they can gradually increase the intensity.

Walking has long been the most popular form of aerobic exercise among American adults. Though it offers cardiovascular benefits, walking can fall short because it doesn't incorporate other body areas besides the legs. People can power up their walking regimen by using walking poles, alternating walking with high-intensity intervals or resistance exercises, or strapping on a weighted backpack. Listening to music, podcasts, or books on tape can make exercise seem easier.

A 2023 study suggests regular exercise improves symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress more effectively than sedentary behavior.

A 2023 study found that for people with atrial fibrillation, a program of supervised and home-based exercise may reduce the severity and frequency of their symptoms.

Mud runs are outdoor team events that take the form of an obstacle-course competition and promise plenty of good, clean (dirt-covered) fun for participants. Competing in a mud race is physically challenging, but can deliver many health benefits for those who  train for them.

If you work out at a gym, you may notice warnings on the exercise equipment. For most of us, these warnings should not be cause for alarm, although people with certain health conditions should be cautious about exercising.

People who take an average of 4,500 steps each day may have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure than those who take less than 2,000 steps per day.

Going for a brisk walk with one or more friends has many health benefits. It's a form of socializing, which is good for thinking skills and helps stave off loneliness, isolation, and many chronic diseases. Walking with others helps people stay accountable and stick to an exercise regimen, and motivates and challenges them to work harder. Plus, it's safer to walk with buddies, who can all watch for hazards and call for help in an emergency.