Did you know that one of the most important ways to protect our bodies and mind against Aging is working out? That’s right: body and mind. Your brain’s primary purpose is to move your body and a huge amount of your grey matter’s real estate is dedicated to exactly that job. If you want to keep learning and creating new connections in your brain, then nothing will compare to staying active and exercising. What’s more, is that exercise stimulates the release of countless necessary neurochemicals including dopamine and serotonin.
It has been shown to greatly improve memory and to boost IQ too. Meanwhile, the benefits for the body are huge. Staying active can help to improve heart health and prevent the likelihood of heart disease. It can also improve your looks, combat diabetes, prevent depression, keep your bones stronger (especially if you train outside and get lots of sun) and much more.
Staying active is actually the best way to prevent the loss of mobility that will leave us hunched and in constant pain as we age. So, the question is, how do you stay active in the right way to combat age-related health issues?
One Rule: Move!
Get up right now and stand with your feet slightly apart and your toes facing forward. Now try to squat all the way down with your heels flat on the floor. Can’t do it? This isn’t just a problem for the older population it’s something that 90% of guys and gals in their 20s and 30s can’t do either. But you should be able to do it. Squatting is one of the 7 primal movements – it’s a fundamental ability that we should all have.
How about touching your toes?
The problem is that most of us spend 8 hours a day sitting in an office in the same position. That position involves having our shoulders hunched forward, neck craned down and legs bent. This causes muscles like the quadriceps and pecs to shorten and tighten, while our hamstrings and glutes become weakened and flattened. The longer this goes on, the more serious the problem becomes.
Eventually, we might even develop a pelvic tilt. Is it any wonder that we start to lose our mobility as we age? This is why I am such an advocate for stretching. Stretching helps to increase flexibility and blow flow. Our pets stretch and it keeps them healthy and active. So the key is to get really active and to push your body. You don’t need a personal trainer to teach you how to move, you have been moving since you were born. You can start a 30-minute per day walking program, and if you can’t walk 30 minutes at a time, break it up into 3 increments of 10-minute walks. It will make a difference. Incorporate some stretching first thing in the morning and/or at night, you will be amazed how invigorating your body will feel.
Functional fitness training is an excellent choice of exercise for everyone regardless of age. Functional fitness training is a type of strength training that prepares your body for daily activities. These exercises equip you for the most important type of physical fitness, the kind that preps you for real-life, daily living stuff like bending, twisting, lifting, loading, pushing, pulling, squatting, and hauling. Most functional fitness contains multi-joint movement patterns that involve your knees, hips, spine, elbows, wrists, and shoulders, which all build strength and improve your range of motion.
Here is a functional fitness training video from one of our recent Six Weeks to Family Fitness exercise classes with Certified Fitness Instructor, George Meikle. There is no limit to what the body can achieve if you move it properly. Remember, if you don’t “use it, you will lose it.”
If you need some help getting started with an exercise program or a little encouragement, feel free to reach out to me at vince@sixweeks.com.
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