Quick tips to help simplify your healthy lifestyle
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Strengthen Your Joints for More Stability
There’s no doubt about it… we are hard on our bodies.
And that can come in many forms in the fitness world (i.e. running, heavy lifting), our careers (i.e. physical labor, standing for long hours, or sitting for long hours), and even the quality or our rest and sleep—or lack thereof.
The aches and pains of abusing our bodies don’t necessarily show up right away. Typically, they don’t show up until we are much older in the form of arthritis, joint dysfunction, and issues within the spinal column.
So what can be done about this?
- Maintaining a healthy weight throughout life is important. Studies show that being just 10lbs overweight can actually put the equivalent of 30-40lbs of extra pressure on your knees.
- Allow yourself rest days from training and even heavy physical labor from the job. Prioritize a quality night’s sleep.
- Incorporate joint stability training into your fitness regime. The earlier you start strengthening the joints specifically the better! This includes isometric exercises and also understanding which muscles support and stabilize each joint so you can train those muscles specifically.
I personally love using resistance bands for joint stabilizing exercises as they require the muscle to stay active throughout the movement.
Join me for one of my favorite knee and ankle strengthening and stabilizing exercises that you can incorporate into your routine, whether you are a beginner or seasoned pro. Any kind of resistance band will work. Keep the movement slow and controlled so knee stays in line with hip and ankle in line with the knee.
Build a Stronger Back and Core- Key Foundational Movements
Stand taller, walk more gracefully, and relieve low back pain with two easy moves.
Why Should I Continue to Strength Train As I Age?
Just a few of the amazing reasons we should always include strength training in our fitness plan.
Strength training comes in many forms and all are beneficial, i.e. body weight lunges and glute bridges; resistance bands for rowing and shoulder fly’s; dumbbells, barbells, kettle bells for biceps and squats.
In the world of exercise there is so much you can do to benefit the mind and body and never get bored!
Exercise when and where you can
I think many of us have been led to believe that we need to block out a whole hour to benefit from exercise and that we must finish red faced and sweaty. While there is nothing wrong with this kind of exercise; it can make you feel strong, accomplished, and stress free; many find it difficult to schedule this kind of workout most days of the week.
So get your moves in when and where you can. One of my favorite exercise quickies are lunges or squats while I brush my teeth. Calf raises while doing the dishes. Drop and get in 10 push-ups before you jump in the shower. A little movement every day is better than no movement at all!
Heart Rate Monitored Exercise
I have become a big fan of creating fitness programs based on heart rate. Thanks to Apple Watch, FitBit, Garmin (and many others) for making this easy to do.
It goes back to understanding that every body is different. And every body reacts differently to exercises and levels of intensity. If you own one of these monitors, I hope you are using it to benefit your exercise routine. If you don’t have one, I encourage you to get one that you will wear and use. If you are completely against one of these monitors for whatever reason (I know, they can be expensive), learning to measure and monitor your heart rate on your own can be just as beneficial.
Access my FREE Fit to Your Core – 4 Week Beginner Strength Training Guide that will help you build your foundation for movement. Improve movement and posture, feel better in your body by clicking here.
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