Fitness IQ

Generally speaking, if you are doing moderate exercise, like taking a brisk walk or playing a game of pickleball, you’ll need at least 150 minutes every week. (However, if the exercise is more vigorous, like jogging or swimming laps, experts say 75 minutes per week is the minimum.)
While not everybody warms up before a workout, many people find it helpful. Experts say that if you are going to warm up, the best way to get your body ready is with dynamic stretches that get the body moving, as opposed to static stretches, where you extend your muscles and hold one position. Try to mimic the movement you’re about to do.
When it comes to motivation, sports psychologists suggest thinking about two words: fun and sustainable. Try to cultivate a sense of play, whether that’s through a game of basketball or dancing around the living room. Accountability is key, so make a regular appointment with someone to work out. Or if you prefer to exercise alone, bribe yourself by reserving your favorite TV program or audiobook for workouts. But avoid using unhealthy food to motivate yourself, as that can encourage an unsustainable calorie-swapping mentality.
If you want to get the most aerobic exercise in the least time, kick up the intensity. Some studies suggest that even short runs can deliver triple the health benefits of walking. You’ll know you’re working hard enough when you can speak only a few words at a time without pausing for a breath. This kind of vigorous cardio might also include riding a bike up a hill or playing singles tennis
Running shoes break down over time, and the cushioning and foam start to degrade. A used-up shoe can throw off your stride, put more stress on your joints and make you more likely to slip on rocks or dirt as the tread wears away. One way to extend the life of a pair of running shoes is to use them exclusively for running and take them off when you are done. Believe it or not, your shoes need time to recover between workouts by allowing the compressed foam to expand.
You don’t need to exercise every day to see a benefit. Studies suggest a longer weekend workout can be just as healthy, if the exercise is intense enough and you hit your weekly 150 minutes.
The best way to get an accurate picture of your heart health is to see a doctor, but your resting heart rate and heart rate recovery can give some idea of your cardiovascular fitness. To calculate your heart rate recovery, measure your heart rate immediately after your workout and again a minute later. Subtract the second number from the first. A healthy score is between 22 and 52.
Even if you’ve never lifted a barbell or set foot in a gym, you can still build muscle in middle age and later in life. (A 2011 meta-analysis found that subjects over 50 who started a consistent weightlifting program increased their muscle mass by an average of almost 2.5 pounds in only five months, roughly half of what they might accomplish earlier in life.)
The secret to adding muscle is to gradually increase the weight you lift, the repetitions and the sets (or groups of repetitions) over time. Also, be sure to eat plenty of lean protein.
Gone are the days of staying in bed at the sign of a twinge in your back. Experts now agree that if you want a healthy back, get moving.
The most beneficial exercises will build your core muscles, which function as a back brace, keeping the middle of your body strong and stable. Traditional sit-ups are no longer recommended. Do planks instead, starting on your knees if it’s too challenging to balance on your toes. While leg lifts can help strengthen your abdominal muscles and hip flexors, they can also potentially cause lower back pain if done incorrectly. The seated leg press is another exercise that puts stress on your knees and lower back and doesn’t strengthen the core.
Despite what thousands of influencers would have you believe, abs and core aren’t synonyms. Your core stretches from your pelvis to your neck, and wraps around the central part of your body. It’s your core that helps you transfer force from your legs to your upper body when throwing or hitting a ball, and it’s your core that protects your back from injury and pain. Your abdominals are one important muscle group within the core, but so are those along your spine, diaphragm, hips and back.
They may not be fun, but squats are a great way to strengthen your knee joints, especially if you can add weight by holding dumbells or even soup cans. The key is slow, controlled movement. If your body doesn’t feel up for squats, swimming is a low-impact activity that can reduce joint stiffness, and may even help prevent knee osteoarthritis. Skiing, basketball and tennis all require rapid changes in directions, which can potentially lead to knee injuries.
A lot of exercise names can sound made up, but some of these are real. Turkish get-ups were once used by elite fighters in Turkey, called janissaries. As for burpees, they’re a miserably effective bodyweight exercise created by the U.S. military that involves jumping from a plank or push-up into a standing position. Beast crawls are like moving planks. On the other hand, a French tuck is a stylish way to show off your belt, and a boilermaker is a drink that combines a shot of whiskey and a glass of beer.