Staying active and strong isn’t just about living a fulfilling life, it’s a key aspect to living a long and healthy life. Exercising has been shown to significantly increase longevity by reducing the risk of chronic diseases like heart diseases and stroke. Cardio is the way to go, but one should also incorporate strength training and stretching exercises to help reap the benefits of staying fit and becoming healthy.
Remember, age is just a number. There’s no reason why one can’t live a happy, perfectly active life, regardless of whether you’re in your 20s or your 70s. Kushal Pal Singh, fitness and performance expert, Anytime Fitness sheds light into some exercises that will increase longevity of a person and will help stay strong and healthy at any age.
Brisk walking: Brisk walking is a very easy but effective way to improve one’s longevity. Regular brisk walking shows many benefits if one keeps consistent with it. Its benefits include reduction of risk to chronic diabetes, improving weight management, strengthening the body’s muscles and bones and boosting the body’s overall mood and cognitive function. Brisk Walking for even a small duration can show results and health benefits. One can start gradually and increase the duration. One has to maintain consistency and make it a daily habit to see some results. Also, if one is opting to work out indoors, they can conduct the same exercise on a treadmill and reap the same health benefits.
Bicycling: It is an effective workout exercise to increase longevity. It has been shown to boost cardiovascular health, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Bicycling everyday has proven to strengthen the muscles and bones and can work on strengthening the joints. It also provides a great workout for the legs, the core muscles and the upper body.Bicycling is also a great way to lose weight and improving mental health.
Running: It is a great exercise to boost longevity. It has been shown that running can improve the circulation of the blood, strengthen the bones and muscles and help maintain overall weight, thus boosting the longevity of the person. One should begin slowly with short distances and gradually increase the speed and duration. One should not push too hard at one go and listen to the body for any signs of pain or injury. Also, running on a treadmill if you are indoors providing the same health benefits.
Always say yes to strength training: Building and maintaining muscle mass are key aspects of staying healthy at any age however, they become more critical to increase longevity. The development of muscle mass helps maintain the strength of bones enhances balance and coordination even preventing common age-related conditions like osteoporosis and sarcopenia (age related muscle mass loss).
Strength training exercises which include push-ups, squats, body lunges and planks engage the entire core, while creating a strong foundation for the entire muscles of the whole body. These exercises can also be carried out with dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells and even resistance bands. If one is new to strength training, one should consult a fitness expert to avoid any injury to the body.
Stretching exercises to increase flexibility and mobility: Stretching exercises should be part of your daily fitness regimen to enhance flexibility plus mobility and also reduce injury risks. These may include yoga or even Pilates in your fitness regimen which not only promote relaxation but also help alleviate stress.
Yoga and pilates emphasise stretches and controlled movements, increasing flexibility and balance. This helps maintain mobility as you age and reduces the risk of falls, a major concern for longevity. Many yoga poses and Pilates exercises engage various muscle groups, building strength and promoting bone density. Stronger muscles improve posture, stability, and help prevent age-related muscle loss, all contributing to a longer, healthier life.
