But no matter your exercise of choice, there’s always a risk of causing stress to your body. You’ve likely experienced this firsthand, whether that was soreness when you laughed two days after an ab workout or that twinge in your leg after a long run.
While you probably can’t eliminate postexercise discomfort, you can take concrete steps to improve recovery after a challenging workout.

Below, we’ve rounded up five things to do that could make a big impact on your physical well-being after a workout, ranging from how (and when) to hydrate to the potential benefits of cold-water immersion. Consider these techniques.

Get a massage

A massage isn’t just relaxing; it may boost your recovery after a challenging workout. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), massage therapy after a tough workout may reduce muscle soreness, pain, inflammation and perceived fatigue. Massages can also reduce overall stress while improving relaxation and immune system functionality.

A meta-analysis evaluating different workout recovery strategies found that massage was the most powerful technique for improving delayed-onset muscle soreness and fatigue. Other helpful techniques discussed included cryotherapy and water immersion.
Depending on your workout, you can get a whole-body or a targeted massage. A massage should ideally take place after a workout and last at least 20 to 30 minutes, according to the ACSM. For a convenient option, check to see if your gym offers massage.

Consider cold-water immersion

Sometimes, there’s a moment in a workout when your muscles feel so sore that all you want is to soak them in cold water. This desire may come from a good instinct. A research review in Frontiers in Physiology found that cold-water immersion reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness and ratings of perceived exertion — though the review authors noted that higher quality research on the subject is needed.

Cold-water immersion can include ice but doesn’t have to — the research review included studies in which people were immersed in water at 59 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. This technique can also target areas, such as a swollen foot, by immersing only part of the body in water (and this means the entire body doesn’t need to freeze).

A more involved (and expensive) version of cold-water immersion is whole-body cryotherapy. According to the ACSM, whole-body cryotherapy involves the use of a chamber filled with liquid nitrogen — which gets extremely cold, making the chamber minus 200 degrees Fahrenheit or even colder — for 2 to 3 minutes. You might expose a body part or your entire body to the cold. More research is needed on the practice, and it also comes with risks, such as frostbite. Mayo Clinic experts recommend that you check with your healthcare professional before trying whole-body cryotherapy.

Add in light exercise and stretching

It’s never good to go from zero to 100 and vice versa. Warm-ups get your blood flowing and the body stretched out before a workout. You might try walking for a few minutes or doing range-of-motion exercises like arm circles and leg swings. And when you’re done with the high-intensity part of your workout, don’t forget to do a cooldown and more stretches.

The ACSM recommends spending 5 to 10 minutes doing low-intensity cardio after a workout to gradually decrease your heart rate and prevent blood from pooling in your limbs. Cooling down isn’t linked to reducing muscle stiffness or soreness after exercise, but further research is needed to confirm.

After your cooldown, stretch the muscles you used for about 60 seconds. Stretches should not cause more than a slight discomfort.

Eat before and after a workout

You’re unlikely to find anyone who likes working out on a full stomach — but having some food in your stomach before exercising is essential. You burn carbohydrates as you work out, so eating them beforehand can help fuel your body. You can try a pre-workout drink or powder, but these aren’t necessary and the quality of such products varies. The American Heart Association website advises eating foods like whole-grain cereals and pasta, brown rice, fruits, and vegetables two hours before you work out. If you don’t have a chance to eat that far in advance or you spontaneously exercise, try eating a piece of fruit a few minutes before starting.
You generally don’t need to do anything during your workout besides hydrate (which we’ll get into below). But if your workout is longer than 60 minutes, it may help to have a carbohydrate-rich food or drink during the workout.

Try to eat carbohydrates and 20 to 30 grams of protein within a half hour of exercising to help your muscles recover and grow, Dr. Anastasi says.
Proteins are made up of 20 amino acids. The body can make 11 of these, called nonessential amino acids, but not the remaining nine, called essential amino acids. A food is considered a complete protein when it contains all nine essential amino acids. Some examples of complete proteins include:

• Peanut butter on wheat bread.
• Hummus with pita bread.
• Brown rice and black beans.
• Animal products like lean meats and eggs.
• Dairy products like chocolate milk.
• Tofu and soybeans.

When it comes to eating and exercise, everyone is different. So notice how you feel during your workout and how your overall performance is affected by what you eat.

Hydrate with water or a sports drink

Hydration is critical to ensure the body functions and recovers properly, so it’s necessary to drink before, while and after working out. Ideally, you’ll drink water, but workouts over an hour can merit a sports drink to boost electrolytes and energy.

Generally, you should drink about 2 to 4 milliliters of fluids per pound that you weigh between two and four hours before you exert yourself, the ACSM reports. Sweating during a workout dehydrates the body, so drinking while exercising also is critical to keep you going in the moment and improve your recovery.

Then there’s post-workout hydration, which ensures you don’t lose too much body weight. If you’re comfortable doing so, you can weigh yourself before and after a workout. Then, try to drink about 2 to 3 cups of water for every pound lost. If you don’t regularly weigh yourself, make a note of how much you need to drink following different types and lengths of exercise, and follow that general plan in the future.

THERE’S MORE TO acquiring an aesthetically complete physique than just lifting heavy weight and bombarding your chest with bench press reps. This is especially true when it comes to developing muscle definition and hypertrophy, along with strength.

You may think that the key to chest training is having a big bench, but you’re spending too much time and energy in the wrong place if you neglect accessory moves that target how the pectoralis muscles actually work. Your aesthetic goals will be better served spending time on bettering your mind-muscle connection, according to Men’s Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., and celebrity trainer and MH Advisory Board member Don Saladino. In this case, convergence—moving weight to or past the centerline of your body (adduction)—is key to getting that well-defined chest.

“The bench press is important for strength development,” Saladino says, “but I also believe that after a period of time, you don’t really gain that mind-muscle connection from just staying with that same movement over and over and over, you don’t really get to experience what it feels like to do a movement with convergence.”

You don’t have to ditch the bench presses. But if your goal is that ripped inner chest look, you’ll need to add a few more moves to your training. Here are five of the best complementary chest exercises for your routine that can help complete that aesthetic upper body look.

5 Best Inner Chest Exercises

Squeeze Plate Press

2 sets of 10 reps

The squeeze plate press is a solid simulation of a bodybuilder’s posing routine, tightly pressing a light plate as if you’re trying to crush it between your palms. Because a light load is all it takes to create heavy tension, the squeeze plate press is oftentimes an underrated and underutilised exercise. And that is far from true. By extending your arms while squeezing the inner chest, you’ll be creating enough tension to fatigue in as little as two reps.

“It’s less about the load here, it’s more about the isometric tension that you’re creating with just your body,” Samuel says. “It works really well for beginners because it’s not about load… the moment you’re dragging your hands together, you’re learning how I’m dragging my hands together for this. I’m learning how to create that contraction.”

Single-Arm Cable Fly

3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps per arm

Here’s a unique mind-muscle masterpiece move that creates tons of tension at the midline, a major difference from your traditional pressing movements. However, by making this a unilateral movement as opposed to the standard fly, you can actually extend beyond the midline, thereby extending the range of motion.

One common mistake, however, with the cable fly is a tendency to bend too much at the elbow. Instead, focus on keeping the arm long throughout the movement, which will keep tension on your chest.

Hex Close-Grip Press

3 to 4 sets of 10 to 12 reps

Pick up the intensity with a more advanced move (that might pose a challenge for anyone with limited shoulder mobility). This close-grip press is a great exercise for getting a good chest squeeze with each rep. It’s essentially a squeeze press but using a heavier load—but not too much weight that would force you to sacrifice your squeeze at the top.

The focus with the hex press is to now have the load pressed in front, but with the dumbbells held tight together in a neutral position (palms facing each other). You still want to focus on creating and maintaining tension. Slow and controlled is the way to go toward building a fuller chest, while at the same time working your shoulder and triceps as well.

Machine Chest Press

3 sets of 12 to 15 reps

The machine press is another exercise that gets a bum rap among the functional fitness crowd, but certain variations provide plenty of muscle-building and shaping bang for your buck. We mentioned earlier the importance of pressing with convergence, or focusing on moving the weight closer to the midline to add tension. Machines such as a Hammer Strength press or similar models allow you to press while creating more tension toward the midline. Another machine benefit is that, unlike dumbbells, you don’t have to focus on stability toward the end of a taxing training session, but still be able to work on the much-needed muscle contraction.

Banded Dumbbell Press

3 to 4 sets of 8 to 10 reps

By adding a resistance band, we add a twist—and even more tension—to this traditional chest-building staple. It’s best to go lighter with the band; a light to moderate tension band is more than plenty to add more stress to your squeeze after each rep. The goal is not to move heavy weight, per se, but moving in a slow, controlled manner to hit that inner chest.

“When it comes to training to training your inner chest and attacking your chest, [it’s okay to] back down on the weight a little bit,” Samuel says. “Let’s own the contraction and the five exercises we’ve given you, you have no choice but to back down the weight to dominate the contraction, and that’s gonna get you the inner chest that you want.”

Wall Pilates exercises to tone legs

As you may already know, wall Pilates is a training method based on control, precision and breathing to strengthen muscles, improve posture and increase flexibility. Although there are specific machines to practice wall Pilates, you can also do exercises with your own body weight and the help of a wall.

The wall serves as support and resistance to perform slow and conscious movements that activate the center or core of the body, that is, the deep abdominal muscles, back and pelvic floor and depending on the exercise you do, as we now tell you, will also serve to tone legs.

Core activation

First of all, let’s start with this exercise that serves to activate the core of the body and tone the entire trunk and arms.

• Lie on your back on the mat with your back well supported.
• Your legs should be straight and at a 45-degree angle to the floor while placing your feet on the wall.
• While keeping your heels together, rotate your feet slightly outward.
• Keep your arms extended at your sides.
• Expand your lungs as you inhale.
• As you slowly exhale, extend your arms about a foot off the floor, bringing your fingertips close to the wall. At the same time, bring your chin to your sternum, look toward your navel and inhale deeply.
• Hold the position until you run out of breath.

This exercise should be done three times, in sets of ten.

Leg Lift

This exercise is the best of all if your desire this summer is to tone legs. In addition, it is also good for the abdomen.

• Stand facing the wall with the arm that is closest to the wall, extended above your head and leaning against the wall.
• For balance, place the other arm at your waist or in front of your chest.
• Keep your back straight and abdominals contracted.
• Without bending your knee or rotating your hips, lift the leg farthest from the wall.
• Hold the posture for a few seconds before gradually lowering the leg.
• Repeat with the opposite leg after changing sides.
• Perform ten repetitions with each leg.

Inverted posture

Do you want to tone your glutes in addition to your legs? This is the best exercise:

• Lying face up on the mat with your back supported, align your knees and hips, bend your legs and place the soles of your feet on the wall.
• With your palms facing down, place your arms alongside your body.
• Take a deep breath, lift your hips off the floor so that they are in a straight line with your shoulders and knees.
• Hold the pose while tensing the abdomen and buttocks for a few seconds.
• Breathe deeply as you slowly lower each vertebra at a time to the floor.

Perform this exercise three times, in three sets of ten.

Supported Squat

Along with the legs, this other exercise also tones the buttocks.

• Stand with your back to the wall, feet hip-width apart and slightly away from the wall.
• Slide down until your knees are bent at 90 degrees and in line with your ankles, leaning against the wall.
• Keep your back straight and your abdominal region tight.
• With your palms facing down, extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
• Hold the position for a moment before bringing your back up the wall and slowly coming to a stop.
• Do this exercise three times, each for a set of ten.

Along with the exercises mentioned above, and that will help you to tone your legs and other parts of the body, we also want to recommend these. Easy to do and very beneficial for your body.

Lateral Stretch

This exercise serves to stretch the side of the body and improve not only the overall tone, but also for the mobility of the spine.

• Take a few steps backwards and face the wall.
• Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the wall with your arms extended above your head.
• While keeping your legs straight and feet firmly planted on the floor, lean your torso to one side.
• On the side you are leaning on, feel the stretch.
• Repeat on the opposite side after returning to center.
• Do ten times each on each side.

Supported push-up

Finally, this exercise works your arms, chest and shoulders.

• Face the wall, place your feet hip-width apart and take a few steps away from the wall.
• Place your hands shoulder-width apart and in line with your chest on the wall.
• Restrain your abdomen and maintain a straight posture.
• While keeping your back against the wall, bend your elbows and bring your chest close to the surface.
• Return to the starting position by pushing with your hands and extending your arms.
• This exercise should be done three times, in sets of ten.

Most people think abs happen on a mat, but the wall is an underrated tool for core stability. Stand with your back against a wall and press your lower back firmly into the surface so there is no gap. Extend your arms straight out and push against an imaginary force while keeping your stomach pulled in tight toward your spine. This “hollowing” move wakes up the deep transverse abdominis—the muscles that act like a natural corset—without you ever having to get down on the ground.

Standing Slow-Motion Marches

Forget high-knees that get your heart racing; try the slow-motion march instead. Stand tall and slowly lift one knee toward your chest while keeping your upper body perfectly still and upright. The magic happens in the “hold” at the top; by moving slowly, you force your abs to stabilize your entire weight. It feels like a balance test, but your lower abs are actually doing the heavy lifting to keep you from wobbling, all while keeping your heart rate steady.

Dead Bug (The “Slow Crawl”)

Lying on your back, lift your legs and arms into the air so you look like a bug on its back. Slowly lower your right arm and left leg toward the floor at the same time, then bring them back and switch sides. The trick is to keep your lower back glued to the floor. Because the movement is so slow and controlled, it targets the “six-pack” muscles without causing the heavy breathing or sweating associated with faster repetitions.

Seated Knee Tucks

You don’t even need to stand up for this one, making it the ultimate “lazy” ab move. While sitting on the edge of a sturdy chair, hold the sides for balance and lean back slightly. Keep your legs together and slowly pull your knees toward your chest, then extend them back out without letting your feet touch the floor. This constant tension burns the lower abs effectively, yet because you are seated, it feels much less exhausting than traditional floor crunches.

Bird-Dog Extensions

Start on your hands and knees, then slowly extend your opposite arm and leg until they are parallel to the floor. Imagine someone is pulling your hand forward and your foot backward. This exercise isn’t about speed; it’s about holding that straight line. It works your entire core, including your obliques and lower back, helping to create a lean, wraparound definition that makes your abs pop without a single drop of sweat.

Side Plank with a “T-Reach”

To work the sides of your abs, prop yourself up on one elbow in a side plank position. Instead of pulsing up and down, simply hold the position and reach your free arm toward the ceiling. Focus on lifting your hips as high as possible. Holding this static position creates “isostatic tension,” which strengthens the obliques. It’s a quiet, powerful move that tightens your waistline effectively while you remain relatively cool and dry.

You love your exercise routine. It’s just perfect in every way. It feels so good, in fact, that you’re tempted to do that same exact workout day after day after day. Why try to fix what isn’t broken, right?

But is repeating the same workout every day good for you? Well, it depends. Certified personal trainer Alena Beskur, CPT, explains why there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer to this question.

Is it OK to do the same workout every day?

Fitness experts disagree on whether repetitive daily workouts are healthy and safe. “This is a controversial issue,” says Beskur. “For some people, doing the same workout every day is fine. But it really depends on you, your health and your goals.”

Doing the same cardio workout every day

Beskur says that doing the same type of cardio workout every day is generally OK for healthy people without underlying issues.

“But the intensity of the cardio affects people differently,” she notes. “Vigorous cardio every day can sometimes be too much. If you have heart or joint problems, for example, doing intense daily cardio workouts may not be safe or good for your body.”
Doing the same cardio workout five to seven days a week may be fine if you:

• Don’t have injuries.
• Choose an intensity appropriate to your fitness level.
• Get enough nutrition to fuel your workouts.

Beskur recommends getting some movement every day that’s appropriate to your health and fitness level. But that activity doesn’t have to be intense. Gardening, walking to the store, taking the stairs and many other daily tasks count as movement, too.

Doing the same strength workout every day

Hitting the weights in the exact same way every day isn’t considered ideal for most people, says Beskur.

When you lift heavy weights, your muscles actually tear a little. Taking a day off between workouts gives those taxed muscles time to recover and allows your body to flush out products like lactic acid that build up while lifting.

Resting between strength workouts also prevents oxidative stress (an imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals in your body).

But if you want to hit the gym daily, there’s a way to blend strength-building workouts with the rest your muscles need to make repairs. The key is to work different muscle groups on different days.

“For example, it’s fine to do a leg workout on Monday, your arms on Tuesday and your back on Wednesday,” advises Beskur. “A rotation like this works well because even though you’re lifting every day, you’re giving each muscle group time to rest.”
But these guidelines don’t necessarily apply to everyone. A study on strength training frequency found that some people may not need a full rest day placed between workout days to recover.

For some, 24 hours between workouts may be enough — meaning you could potentially do the same weight training on consecutive days. (But Beskur notes that the study participants were fit, young and healthy, so the results don’t apply to everyone.)

What are the benefits of changing your workout routine?

Having a steady workout routine that fits your health and life is great. But changing things up can give you some significant benefits, says Beskur. Adding variation to your workout can:

• Challenge your body: New exercises help your body adapt and improve.
• Prevent boredom: Doing the same activity repeatedly can become a drag and eventually lower your motivation to exercise. Switching things up can keep workouts interesting.
• Work different muscle groups: Why let the same muscles have all of the fun? Different activities — even if it’s just trying a new cardio machine — can target and strengthen different areas of your body.

What are the benefits of taking breaks from your workout?

Even if you’re healthy and fit enough to work out every day, Beskur says there are notable benefits to taking days off. Breaks from exercising:

• Give your muscles time to heal: Muscle fibers tear and break down during heavy exercise. Building recovery time into your workout schedule allows muscles to repair and get stronger.
• Prevent injury from overtraining: Pushing too hard over too many days can lead to injuries that sideline you and keep you from working out. (And who wants that, right?)
• Replenish ATP (adenosine triphosphate): ATP fuels your muscles so they can contract and work hard as you exercise. Rest allows your body to build up your ATP levels.

But recovery days don’t mean sitting on the couch. You can and should be active. Beskur suggests gentle movement like stretching on rest days. (“I recommend stretching multiple times a day, throughout the day, if you can,” she adds.)
Another option? If you typically do intense exercises, try a “de-load week” where you continue to exercise but at a lower intensity. Dialing it down offers your muscles a chance to reset and recover.

And the best part about taking a rest break? Coming back to that regular workout will just reinforce how much you love doing it.

If you’re heading to the gym feeling low on energy, your pre-workout snack could be the missing piece. While supplements are popular, sometimes the simplest fuel works best. Fruits, packed with natural sugars, fibre, and essential nutrients, can give you that quick, clean boost without weighing you down. According to a study published in the journal Nutrients, using multiple carbohydrate transporters glucose combined with fructose allows the body to absorb energy faster than using glucose alone. So, which fruits actually work best before a workout?

Why Fruits Make A Great Pre-Workout Snack

Before exercise, your body needs easily digestible carbohydrates to fuel performance. Fruits are rich in natural sugars like glucose and fructose, which provide quick energy. They also support glycogen replenishment, helping your muscles perform better during workouts. Plus, fruits are light on the stomach, making them ideal if you are eating 30 to 60 minutes before training.

1. Bananas

Bananas are often called nature’s energy bar, and for good reason. It is rich in carbohydrates and potassium, which helps maintain muscle function and prevent cramps. Bananas are easy to digest and provide a steady release of energy, making them perfect before workouts like running, cycling, or weight training.

2. Apples

Apple is a great option if you prefer something light. According to a study in the journal Foods, apples and pears have a high fructose-to-glucose ratio and more fibre. This results in a slower, steadier release of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing the “insulin spike and crash” that can happen with high-sugar snacks.

3. Dates

If you need an instant boost, dates are a powerful choice. They are high in natural sugars and provide rapid energy, which can be especially helpful before high-intensity workouts. Just 2 to 3 dates can give you a noticeable lift without feeling heavy.

4. Oranges

Orange offers a refreshing combination of carbohydrates and hydration. Loaded with vitamin C and water content, oranges help keep you energised and hydrated, especially during summer workouts.

5. Berries

Strawberries and blueberries are excellent for those who want a lighter option. They provide antioxidants along with natural sugars, supporting overall performance and recovery. Pair them with yoghurt for a balanced pre-workout snack.

6. Watermelon

Watermelon is unique because it contains L-citrulline, an amino acid that the body converts into L-arginine, and then nitric oxide. As per a study published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, nitric oxide dilates blood vessels , which improves blood flow and oxygen delivery to working muscles. that watermelon juice can reduce muscle soreness 24 hours of post-workout. It is mostly water, helping prevent dehydration, while still providing a small amount of carbohydrates for energy.

7. Mango

Mango is rich in natural sugars and can be a delicious way to fuel your workout. It provides quick energy, but should be eaten in moderation due to its higher sugar content.

How To Time Your Fruit Intake

Timing matters as much as what you eat.

• Eat fruits 30 to 60 minutes before your workout
• Combine fruits with a small protein source if you want longer-lasting energy
• Avoid overeating to prevent discomfort during exercise

Fruits are one of the easiest and healthiest ways to fuel your workout. They provide quick energy, hydration, and essential nutrients without the heaviness of processed snacks. Whether it is a banana for endurance, dates for instant energy, or watermelon for hydration, the right fruit can make your workout feel stronger and more effective. The key is to listen to your body and choose what works best for your routine.

The liver does far more than process food and filter blood; it constantly adjusts to signals coming from the rest of the body. One of its closest partners is muscle. When muscles contract regularly, they release compounds that help the liver manage fat and control inflammation. When activity drops, that support fades, and the liver’s workload quietly becomes harder to manage.

This connection was recently explained in a detailed post on X by hepatologist Cyriac Abby Philips, widely known as “TheLiverDoc.” He highlighted how different types of exercise send specific signals to the liver, each with measurable benefits backed by clinical trials. His core message was simple: the way muscles are used every day can shape how well the liver performs over time.

Why muscles matter to your liver

Muscles are not just for strength or appearance. They act like a metabolic engine. When they contract, they release molecules that improve insulin sensitivity and reduce fat storage in the liver.

This explains why two people with the same weight can have very different liver health. The one with stronger, active muscles often has a healthier liver profile.

A large-scale UK study confirms this connection. More daily movement directly lowers fatty liver risk.

Walking: the simplest medicine

Brisk walking remains the most underrated habit. Around 150 minutes a week can cut liver fat by nearly one-third on MRI scans.

Even small changes matter. Adding 1,000 extra steps a day lowers fatty liver risk by about 12 percent. No gym, no equipment. Just consistency.

Cardio that lets you talk, not sing

Moderate-intensity cardio includes jogging, cycling, or swimming at a steady pace. The simple test is this: talking should feel easy, singing should not.

Doing this for 30-45 minutes, a few days a week, can reduce liver fat and improve liver enzyme levels. What stands out is that these benefits appear even without weight loss. That shifts the focus from the weighing scale to metabolic health.

Short bursts, big impact: HIIT

High-intensity interval training, or HIIT, uses short bursts of hard effort followed by recovery.

In about 12 weeks, this approach can reduce liver fat by up to 37 percent. It also strengthens the heart and improves endurance. The key appeal is efficiency. Similar benefits to steady cardio, but in nearly half the time.

Even shorter workouts: sprint intervals

Sprint interval training takes intensity a step further. Sessions can last under 15 minutes.

Studies show that just six weeks of this can reduce liver fat and visceral fat significantly, especially in people with fatty liver disease. It suits those who struggle to find time but can tolerate intense effort.

Strength training: the real game changer

Lifting weights or doing bodyweight exercises builds muscle, and that directly supports liver health.

Strength training reduces liver fat even if body weight does not change. It also lowers liver enzyme levels. For people with serious liver conditions like cirrhosis, it becomes even more important. It helps prevent muscle loss, which is a major risk factor for complications.

The winning formula: mix it up

If one approach had to be chosen, combining cardio and strength training would be the best bet.

This combination improves cholesterol levels, reduces triglycerides, and supports liver recovery better than either method alone. It creates a full-body effect where the heart, muscles, and liver improve together.

Yoga: helpful, but context matters

Modern yoga routines like Surya Namaskar or certain asanas can support liver health. Practised regularly, they improve insulin sensitivity and may reduce liver fat, especially in people with diabetes.

However, gentle stretching alone does not replace aerobic exercise. Movement that raises heart rate still plays the central role.

Low-impact options that still work

Not everyone can run or lift heavy weights. That does not close the door.

Pilates helps reduce body fat and improves liver markers in a joint-friendly way. Tai Chi and Qigong offer slow, controlled movement that improves balance, muscle tone, and glucose control. These are especially useful for older adults or those with limited fitness.

Even damaged livers respond to movement

A common myth is that advanced liver disease means rest is the only option. Evidence says otherwise.

In people with cirrhosis, combining aerobic and strength training reduces serious complications and improves survival outcomes. It also protects against muscle wasting, which is a major driver of disease progression.

What this means for daily life

The takeaway is simple but powerful. The liver does not need extreme routines. It responds to regular movement. Walking, lifting, stretching, and short bursts of effort all send signals that help it heal.

Consistency matters more than intensity. A routine that can be followed for months will always beat a perfect plan that lasts a week.

Living with joint pain can be difficult as it causes hindrance in your daily activities. But this doesn’t mean you don’t perform any physical activity or follow a healthy lifestyle. Low-impact workouts are a safe and effective way to stay fit, reduce stiffness, and build strength without the stress of high-intensity exercises on sore knees, hips, back, or other areas. These exercises help in smooth motions and controlled movements, improving circulation, flexibility, and muscle tone around joints. It can also ease daily discomfort, boost energy levels, and enhance overall mobility.

Beyond physical benefits, these exercises also help build mental resilience. Regular movement triggers endorphins, while fostering a sense of accomplishment and calm. Here are some low impact workouts that people with joint pain can practice daily.

Low Impact Workouts For Joint Pain

1. Swimming

Swimming stands out as one of the best low-impact options because water’s buoyancy supports up to 90% of your body weight. This eliminates pressure on painful joints. Every stroke engages your arms, legs, core, and back for a full-body workout that serves as excellent cardio. The warm pool helps relax tight muscles, eases stiffness, and promotes better range of motion. Beginners can start with simple strokes like freestyle or backstroke for 10-15 minutes, two to three times a week. Focus on steady breathing, inhale through your mouth, exhale underwater, to maintain rhythm and avoid fatigue. As you progress, try water aerobics that add resistance.

2. Cycling

Stationary biking or gentle outdoor cycling targets the lower body and heart without the jarring impact of running. It strengthens quads, hamstrings, and calves, which act as natural stabilizers for knees and hips. Adjust the seat so your knee has a slight bend at the pedal’s bottom to prevent strain. Aim for 20-30 minutes at a comfortable pace, three to four days weekly, gradually increasing resistance as endurance builds. This workout burns calories, improves cardiovascular fitness, and enhances joint lubrication through smooth, circular motions. For variety, incorporate intervals: pedal faster for 30 seconds, then recover slowly. It’s perfect for home use with a basic bike or recumbent model, which offers back support for those with spinal issues. Over time, cyclists notice less daily stiffness and better uphill mobility in everyday life.

3. Walking

Brisk walking on flat, even surfaces provides cardio that strengthens legs, improves balance, and triggers feel-good endorphins. Unlike high-impact activities, it adds minimal stress on joints while boosting blood flow to reduce morning stiffness. Wear cushioned, supportive shoes and start with 10-minute daily strolls in a park or neighbourhood, building to 30 minutes. Aim for 5,000-7,000 steps initially. This simple habit helps in weight management, which reduces joint load, and fosters mental clarity.

4. Yoga

Yoga poses stretch tight muscles around joints, enhancing flexibility and core stability without weights or jumps. Poses like child’s pose, cat-cow, or seated forward bends target hips, back, and shoulders effectively. Practice 15-20 minutes three times a week on a mat, using props like blocks or straps for modifications. Breathe deeply; inhale to lengthen, exhale to deepen, reducing stress that increases pain. Benefits include better posture, reduced inflammation, and mindful movement that prevents injury.

5. Pilates

Pilates focuses on core strength, posture, and precise control to protect joints like the spine, pelvis, and knees. Exercises such as pelvic tilts, single-leg slides, or hundred, helps build deep abdominal muscles without impact. Perform 10-15 reps per move, for two to three sessions weekly. Emphasise on your form; move slowly, engage your center, and stop if you have pain. This method improves body awareness, stabilises wobbly joints, and enhances everyday tasks like bending or lifting.

6. Tai Chi

Tai Chi has flowing, dance-like sequences that shift weight gently, lubricating joints and improving balance. Basic moves like wave hands like clouds or golden rooster mimic walking but slower, ideal for hips and ankles. Follow free videos for 10-20 minutes daily. You will need no gear, just space. The meditative pace calms the mind, lowering pain perception.

If you’ve been strength training and not getting the desired results, it is time to introspect on where you may be going wrong. Fitness coach Raj Ganpath took to his Instagram account to share 6 strength training tips for those who desire to get stronger.

Reduce the number of exercises you are doing

Raj emphasised the importance of a more focused approach, which includes incorporating a few effective exercises rather than doing 20-30 different types every week. He said, “You simply need the six big ones—the squat, the deadlift, the bench press or the push-up, the overhead press, the pull-up or the hang and the row. If you want variety, do more exercises. If you want progress, do fewer exercises and do them well.”

Technique trumps everything

Quality over quantity is his mantra and he suggested the same to his followers. “Regardless of what exercises you’re doing make sure you’re doing them with good technique, with good form because doing so means using the right muscles and that’s essentially what you need in order to get stronger,” he said.

Forget reps and load, focus on feel

The key lies not in manually checking the boxes and counting reps and load, but in feeling which muscles are being worked on while you’re doing any exercise. He added, “If you can make sure you’re feeling the right muscles and you can work hard enough, reps, sets, load, all of that will take care of itself.

Improve your mobility

Raj shared that mobility plays a vital role as it determines the range of motion. “Optimal mobility means better range of motion and that means better loading patterns which implies faster strength progress.”

Sleep and nutrition

When it comes to fitness, sleep and nutrition are equally important. The fitness coach shared that real progress happens outside the gym when you give your body enough rest and feed it with the right nutrients. Increasing both yields better results.

Be patient

Finally, he advised, “Do not chase results, chase effort. The question you need to be asking yourself is not how quickly will I get stronger. It is how hard am I able to work? Am I able to do this consistently? How patient am I?”

10 Best Chest Exercises for Men

1. Cable Cross-Over

This is a popular chest workout for men at the gym that can be performed low-to-high or high-to-low. Both versions require a cable pulley machine. To execute low-to-high, set the machine to the lowest setting, attach a D-handle on both sides, and grab each handle with your palms facing up. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, your back straight, your chest up, and your arms down and slightly bent at both sides. Next, bring both handles up and forward to eye level before returning them slowly to the starting position. Stick with lighter weights and lower reps.

If you’re going high-to-low, set the cable pulley machine to the highest setting, and grab each handle using an overhand grip. Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, extend each arm out to the side in a T-like formation, with your elbows slightly bent. Now, bring both handles down toward your gut until they meet in front of your hips. Give your pecs a little squeeze and tighten your core before slowly bringing the handles back up to shoulder level. Repeat.

Muscles worked: sternal heads of pectoralis muscles
Equipment needed: cable crossover machine
Level of difficulty: intermediate

2. Push-Ups

Believe it or not, push-ups are one of the best chest workouts for men, which is great news because you can do them just about anywhere. We won’t insult your intelligence by explaining how to do a push-up. What we will say is that your hands should be shoulder-width apart and your legs should be hip-width apart. Also, when you’re performing the actual push-up, your elbows should form a complete 90-degree angle. Last but not least, if anything but your palms and the tips of your toes is touching the floor, you’re doing it wrong.

Muscles worked: pectorals, deltoids, triceps, abdominals, serratus anterior
Equipment needed: no equipment
Level of difficulty: beginner to advanced

3. Suspended Push-Up

So you’ve mastered the push-up, but can you handle the suspended push-up? If you’re ready to try, you’ll need TRX straps, which put your hands and body in an unstable suspension. Keeping your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the handles, extend your arms in front of your chest, and put your body at an angle of 45-90 degrees to the floor. Tighten your core as lower yourself toward the floor, stopping when your hands are just outside your shoulders. Bring yourself back and do it again. Your elbows and head should remain in a neutral position throughout.

Muscles worked: chest, delts, pecs, shoulders, triceps
Equipment needed: pull-up bar, TRX
Level of difficulty: intermediate

4. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Any gym regular can tell you that chest exercises and dumbells go together like peanut butter and jelly, but did you know that performing bench presses at an incline reportedly maximises upper pec activation during contraction? To make it happen, set the incline bench at a 30 to 45-degree angle, grab two dumbbells using an overhand grip, and sit all the way back. Keeping your feet flat on the ground, lift the dumbbells above your face, and extend your arms. Next, lower the dumbbells toward the middle of your chest on either side and then lift them up while drawing them slightly closer to one another. Repeat.

Muscles worked: chest, shoulders, triceps
Equipment needed: dumbells, inclined bench
Level of difficulty: intermediate

5. Barbell Bench Press

Studies might say that incline presses are more optimal, but don’t let that stop you from tackling the good old barbell bench press. Widely considered the best chest workout for mass.  A true mainstay in gyms across the world, this exercise remains synonymous with strong and healthy pectoral muscles, presuming you don’t overdo it (or underdo it, for that matter). Just remember to have a spotter on hand at all times when performing this chest exercise. Also, try not to arch your back or move your chest during each rep.

Start by lying back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground and your eyes even with the bar. Use an overhand grip to grab the bar, keeping your arms a little more than shoulder-width apart. Next, fully extend your arms and take the bar off the rack so that it’s hovering directly over your chest. Keep your elbows in as you lower the bar, stopping when it touches the tippy-top of your chest (i.e. your nipples), and holding for one second. Now, thrust the bar up with considerable power until your arms are back in the starting position. Repeat.

Muscles worked: chest, triceps, delts
Equipment needed: barbell, bench
Level of difficulty: advanced

6. Close-Grip Bench Press

While standard bench presses are as common as they are effective, some experts suggest that a close-grip bench press is better for your shoulders. The actions are more or less the same with one main exception: your hands and arms are closer toward the middle of the bar, though still just outside of shoulder-width. From there, you raise, lower, hold, raise, lower… you get the drift.

Muscles worked: chest, triceps, delts
Equipment needed: barbell, bench
Level of difficulty: advanced

7. Dip

You know you’re making progress when you can implement a mighty dip routine into your chest workout regimen. When ready, head over to the dip machine or parallel bars, standing dead center between both bars. Put one hand on each bar and lift yourself off the floor, leaning forward until your chest is at a slight downward angle. Next, bend your arms and lower yourself while maintaining the lean, before lifting yourself back to the starting position. Not only are you working your pectoralis major, but you’re also strengthening your triceps and shoulder muscles.

Muscles worked: chest, shoulders, arms and back
Equipment needed: dip bar
Level of difficulty: intermediate

8. Seated Pec Deck Machine

Here’s another ubiquitous chest exercise that never fails to generate results. Sit at the pec deck machine with your elbows at 90 degrees, your forearms on the vertical pads, and your hands on the handles in an overhand grip. Maintaining the 90-degree angle of your elbows, pull the handles backward until you feel the stretch in your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat. Don’t rely on momentum from your hands when performing this exercise, as the energy should be coming from your chest and forearms.

Muscles worked: pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, serratus anterior
Equipment needed: pec deck machine

9. Plate Press-Out

Start this exercise by picking up a plate that weighs between 10 and 45 pounds. Keeping your feet hip-width apart, grip the plate using both hands and put your arms in front of your chest. With your back and arms straight (and your core tight), squeeze your shoulders to draw the plate closer to your chest. When it’s as close as it will go, extend it back out again. Repeat. After 10-15 reps of horizontal plate press-outs, you can mix things up by performing the same exercise in an overhead (i.e. vertical) fashion.

Muscles worked: pectorals, triceps, anterior deltoid
Equipment needed: plates

10. Resistance Band Pull-Apart

Ahh, the trusty old resistance band pull-apart, which makes for a great warm-up or cool-down routine. Keeping your feet even with your shoulders and your arms fully extended, hold a resistance band using an overhand grip. Next, spread your arms wide as you stretch the band while bringing your shoulder blades together. Spread the band until it’s touching your chest, and then slowly return to the starting position. Repeat.

Muscles worked: upper back, shoulders
Equipment needed: exercise band
Level of difficulty: beginner

Tips for Training Your Chest

Here are some other pointers: perform chest workouts 2-3 times a week, find the chest exercises that function best for you, and confine yourself to no more than three of those exercises per workout. Also, stick to a range of 60-140 reps per week, as anything above that officially qualifies as overkill.

Additionally, avoid redundancy when you go to the gym, i.e. don’t perform the same general exercise on or with a variety of different equipment. On the flip side of that coin, don’t bench press yourself to burliness without mixing things up a little. It’s all about finding and using the right tools for the job, especially when the “job” in this case is your body.

When it comes to effective chest workouts for men, there’s a tendency to push your body to its limits. And while you’re not barking up the wrong tree, a number of experts will iterate that you should stop just short of extremes when performing chest workouts with dumbbells or barbells, in particular. It’s an important distinction to address, as it can ultimately make the difference between healthy chest muscles and severe injury. In other words, take a smart and balanced approach when enacting chest workouts, even if you’re building mass.

What are Your ChestMuscles?

Ever wonder why all those dudes at the gym refer to their chest muscles as their “pecs?” Well, some of them are doing it because they picked up the term from their bros, but others are actually aware that the chest is comprised of pectoral muscles.

First and foremost, there’s the pectoralis major, a thick and broad muscle located under the breast that fans out across the chest. It contains at least six separate sets of muscle fibres and receives dual motor innervation from both the medial and lateral pectoral nerves. By pulling on the humerus, the pectoralis major enables lateral, vertical, or rotational motion.

Situated underneath the pectoralis major is a thin and triangular muscle by the name of pectoralis minor (naturally). The smaller of the two, it extends from three origins on the ribcage and assists with movement of the scapula. Together, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor form your pectoral muscles (aka your “pecs”) and play a significant role in both arm motion and deep inhalation.