Exercise is a constant theme for SuperAgers. And thankfully, there’s a growing realization that there’s a huge range of possibilities — all of them valuable. Full workouts in a gym, under the eye of a personal trainer? Sure. Exercise snacks at home? Walking? Climbing stairs? Over and over again, the research shows that almost any activity, if it’s consistent, can be beneficial.
But with the start of a new year, you may want to organize, or formalize, your program a bit more. If so, we found this wonderfully helpful article in the New York Times. It’s a summary of some of the favorite workouts they’ve covered in 2023, and it gives you — all in one place — a rich and varied menu to choose from.
Highlights include:
— How to turn walking into jogging into running
— The fundamentals of rucking – carrying a backpack while you go
— The five best moves to train all the major muscle groups
— How to increase your grip strength
— Exercises that will help you avoid neck pain
— A 5-minute morning yoga routine
— If you can handle high intensity interval training (HIIT), a 19-minute workout to get you started
— Six exercises to build core strength
— How to get started on hiking
Plus tips for safe skiing and swimming, and the benefits of tai chi.
The usual warning applies: check with your doctor before undertaking new exercises. But regardless of your current level of fitness or the state of organization (or disorganization) of your current program, here is an invaluable single source for a ton of new ideas and possibilities.
There’s no reason 2024 can’t be your most consistently active year yet!
(Photo credit: nd3000 at iStock by Getty)