Whether you're 20, 40 or 60 years old, abundant evidence shows that exercise improves health and can extend your life. Adding as little as half an hour of moderately intense physical activity to your day can help you avoid a host of serious ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, and several types of cancer-particularly breast and colon cancers. Regular exercise can also help you sleep better, reduce stress, control your weight, sharpen your mental functioning, and brighten your mood.
A well-rounded exercise program has four components: aerobic activity, strength training, flexibility training, and balance exercises. Each benefits your body in a different way.
Fight Disease with Aerobic Activity
Aerobic exercise is the centerpiece of any fitness program. Research indicates that the disease-fighting benefits of exercise revolve around cardiovascular activity, which includes walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling.
Protect Bone with Strength Training
Strength or resistance training, such as elastic-band workouts and the use of weight machines or free weights, is important for building muscle and protecting bone. Stronger muscles mean better mobility and balance, and thus a lower risk of falling and injuring yourself.
Ease Back Pain with Flexibility Exercises
Muscles tend to shorten and weaken with age. Shorter, stiffer muscle fibers make you vulnerable to injuries, back pain, and stress. Regular stretching can also improve posture and balance.
Prevent Falls with Balance Exercises
Regularly performing balance exercises is one of the best ways to protect against falls that lead to temporary or permanent disability. Balance exercises take only a few minutes and often fit easily into the warm-up portion of a workout.Whether you're 20, 40 or 60 years old, abundant evidence shows that exercise improves health and can extend your life. Adding as little as half an hour of moderately intense physical activity to your day can help you avoid a host of serious ailments, including heart disease, diabetes, depression, and several types of cancer-particularly breast and colon cancers. Regular exercise can also help you sleep better, reduce stress, control your weight, sharpen your mental functioning, and brighten your mood.
A well-rounded exercise program has four components: aerobic activity, strength training, flexibility training, and balance exercises. Each benefits your body in a different way.
Fight Disease with Aerobic Activity
Aerobic exercise is the centerpiece of any fitness program. Research indicates that the disease-fighting benefits of exercise revolve around cardiovascular activity, which includes walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling.
Protect Bone with Strength Training
Strength or resistance training, such as elastic-band workouts and the use of weight machines or free weights, is important for building muscle and protecting bone. Stronger muscles mean better mobility and balance, and thus a lower risk of falling and injuring yourself.
Ease Back Pain with Flexibility Exercises
Muscles tend to shorten and weaken with age. Shorter, stiffer muscle fibers make you vulnerable to injuries, back pain, and stress. Regular stretching can also improve posture and balance.
Prevent Falls with Balance Exercises
Regularly performing balance exercises is one of the best ways to protect against falls that lead to temporary or permanent disability. Balance exercises take only a few minutes and often fit easily into the warm-up portion of a workout.