forever young naturally exercise

Forever Young Naturally Exercise

141. Aerobic Workout Interval training
Boost your capacity for aerobic exertion (and longevity) by breaking up your regular cardiovascular work with short bursts of intense activity. Vary jogging with sprinting, run in place in the pool, interrupt brisk walking with 30 seconds of jumping jacks, or find a hill to cycle up. When walking, add in expansive skipping movements, bringing knees to hip height and exaggerating the movement forward and back of alternate arms. This augments your lung capacity and expands the chest, enabling more youthful breathing.
142. Working with Weights
Beyond the age of 40 shrinking muscle tissue means loss of strength. Regular muscle-building exercise may slow or even reverse this decline and help maintain a more youthful metabolism suggests research in The Journals of Gerontology. It preserves bone mass, too.
143. Working with Weights How heavy
Start with a weight you can lift comfortably 10–15 times (one set of repetitions). Make sure you can achieve the same full range of movement in the muscle with the weight as you can without. You should be able to guide the weight down in as controlled a manner as when you lift it. When, after practice, the action starts to feel easy (for example, you could lift 20 times without noticing) progress to the next level of weight. Start with 3 lb (1.5 kg) weights and progress to 5 lb (2.5 kg); men can start with the higher weight and move up to 10 lb (4 kg).
144. Working with Weights How often
Aim for three 10-minute sessions with weights every week, with a day’s rest between each routine. If you stick with this you’ll see results quickly you will look toned and firm and feel fitter which fosters motivation.
145. Working with Weights Short sessions
If you lack time for a full weights workout, don’t miss out completely. A study reported in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggested older people who completed a reduced set of strengthtraining exercises still improved in muscle strength and the ability to perform physical tasks although those who did the full complement saw greater benefits.
146. Working with Weights Get advice
Don’t start working out with free weights or on fixed-weight machines until you have completed an induction with a trainer at a gym. For your first few sessions, don’t muddle through ask a coach for advice and to help monitor your initial work.
147. Working with Weights Adding sets
Start with one set of repetitions (10–15 lifts of the weight), then take a break. If your muscles feel sufficiently overloaded, stop the exercise there and move onto the next movement. If not, work up to three sets of repetitions, taking a short break between each set to stretch out the muscles worked. You know best how far to push yourself.
148. Working with Weights Cans and bags
Lifting and walking with heavy objects counts as weight-bearing exercise. Try using cans of food and work up to bags of potatoes. Look for weights opportunities in everyday life, too: wheelbarrow loads, cans of paint, watering cans and shopping bags.
149. Working with Weights Handheld weights
With a set of dumbbells you can do weights work any time, whenever the urge strikes or you have 10 minutes free. It’s essential to learn how to use them safely, monitoring your posture throughout and making sure your lower back is protected. Start practicing with very light weights under the guidance of an instructor or in front of a mirror until you can feel as well as see the correct form and have gained the stamina to progress.
150. Working with Weights Using machines
at the gym Weights machines in gyms are great for beginners because you don’t have to worry about your posture and coordination, your lower back is well supported, and the movement is isolated in the muscle groups you plan to work. Ask an instructor to monitor your first few sessions if you feel uneasy or forget what to do.