How to Work Out Gently
February 28, 2013 | No Comments | Fitness
Exercise is the key to fitness. Every doctor recommends regular exercise, typically 30 minutes a day. This level of exercise is good for the heart, helps lower blood pressure, reduces your waistline, lowers risk of diabetes and improves your chance at longevity. However, not everyone is able to exercise the same way. For some people, routine workouts may be too strenuous, and activities like jogging can be too rough. This is particularly true if you’re older.
So how can you add regular exercise to your lifestyle without overdoing it? There are many ways, but the key is to focus on low-impact workouts that involve gentle movements. They’re typically slower and less jarring, but can still be physically demanding so that you get the benefits of exercise.
If you’re looking for a low-impact workout, here are three great ways to start:
- Yoga: Yoga continues to grow in popularity, and there’s a reason for that. People are attracted to yoga because it’s relaxing and based on a spiritual philosophy that makes it very fulfilling to practice. However, yoga can still be a thorough workout. It involves stretching your body and holding challenging poses. Over time it builds up both muscle and flexibility, while also focusing on proper breathing and lowering stress. There are many different kinds of yoga, so ask an instructor how difficult it will be before signing up for a class.
- Swimming: Many gyms have swimming pools and this can be a great way to get a workout without any high-impact movements. Because your body is immersed in water, all of your motions are “cushioned” so to speak, making swimming very gentle. But try doing just a few lengths with good form and you’ll quickly find that swimming is a serious full-body workout. You can lose weight swimming and build up lean muscle quickly.
- Tai Chi: Similar to yoga, tai chi involves slow movements and a spiritual philosophy, but instead of holding stretches you move through isometric postures that work out different muscle groups. Tai chi was originally a martial art, and is designed to build up your reflexes and muscles. Doctors recommend it for arthritis sufferers, because it forces you to move your body and use your joints without over-exerting yourself.
Any workout should be supported with lots of water, a good diet and plenty of rest. If you want to get the most out your workout, Prograde Genesis offers a daily green drink packed with natural supplements to maximize metabolism, weight loss and overall health.