Photo by Cynthia Young on Unsplash
It will only add 2 minutes
At-home workouts often lack a good pull exercise. People, in general, don't do enough pulling movements, even when the gym is open.
There are two I recommend. Add these to your routine as otherwise, you'll not be getting the total body benefits you need during #StayAtHome. When the gym was open, I always rowed every session and did other pull exercises such as rope pulls and cable pulls. I don't have that access now. 
Long Retirement - Walk On The Beach. Image credit: The Author
You can beat fragility
I'm disappointed when I see someone prematurely fragile. Fragility is associated with a shorter lifespan, and with being put into care earlier - losing your independence.
It disappoints me because, with some simple additions to your lifestyle, you can significantly delay fragility caused by loss of bone and muscle mass. I did a bone density scan last year, and it showed me having 25% better bone mass than males my age, and 5% better than the average 25-year-old male. 
Photo by Christophe Hautier on Unsplash
Gym machines were built for gym owners, not to help you balance
It seems that one of my quirks at the gym is that I do quite a few balance exercises. Not many others do. Like stretching, people seem to think that balance exercises are a waste of time.
This disappoints me, as those I see about me don't show signs of having good balance - I'm talking here about those over 50. If they could put their socks on while standing, I'd be very surprised. I'm disappointed because falls cut people's life short by 5 years on average. 
Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash
You'll be doing 20 and feeling strong
We've all seen it. The instructor announces "20 push-ups everyone", and a groan rolls through the class.
"If you can't do 20 then start properly and then go to your knees!", she yells in vain—Eighty-percent of the class to straight to their knees. Frustrated, the instructor yells "if you always start in the easiest position you'll never get to the hard position". Everyone pretends that they didn't hear. That's the point. If you always start in the easiest position, you WILL never get to the hard position. And you'll never get the full benefits of the exercise. I'll show you how to get from knees to full push-ups, and it will be worth your while. Strengthen Hip Flexors, Spring To Your Feet, Balance Better With This One At-Home Exercise14/2/2020 
Some find it relaxing as well
As you age, stretching becomes more important, even if you're less active. Unfortunately, I see fewer older people stretching - even those that go to the gym. This one exercise will help regain your flexibility and strength.
Flexibility declines as the years go by because our muscles get stiffer. And if you don't stretch them, the muscles will shorten. Inflexibility puts a crimp in daily acts, making it harder to walk, raise your arms overhead, or turn your head while backing up the car. It undermines your balance, too, which can cause life-altering falls. 
The forgotten low-risk exercises you can do at home
We've all noticed as we age that we become a little less steady on our feet. This loss is due in the main to the deterioration of our neuromuscular capability to balance. But our fast-twitch muscle responsiveness - or lack thereof - also plays a crucial part.
When we lose balance our fast-twitch muscles act quickly to steady us and put us back into balance. If they are weak, then we potentially take a fall. There's good news. You can rebuild your fast-twitch muscle capability with less effort than you might have imagined. Even if you don’t need the motivation of running with music, research says it's worth trying21/1/2020 
It's more than just emotionally satisfying
People who workout to the beat say they do it because they enjoy it more.
I don't do it because music distracts me from being fully body-aware. If you are like me, research says that we might be missing out. So what's the deal with music and workouts - are the majority who listen the smart ones, and crushing their results thanks to their earbuds? Are you afraid to use these 3 simple tests now to predict your longevity and quality of life4/1/2020 
My goal is to help you live longer better, but how would you measure your progress towards that objective?
You could wait, and see if you do indeed survive longer than your less active friends. Or, you could try some simple tests now, which will give you early signs of your progress. Poor results on these tests correlate with earlier death, and more probable hospitalisation as well. You will live longer better if you take action to improve the underlying causes of poor results. The common causative factor for getting improved results is ... exercise! Did you guess? 
How bored are you with your "leg-day, chest-day, arm day" gym routine?
If you are looking for something that will get you better results and be more satisfying, then I have good news for you. Stop now, and you'll be better off. Training splits, the "leg-day/chest-day/arm-day" guff are just figments of the bro-culture. If you're under 40 no harm done - you'll look good in a t-shirt following any strength-training regime. If you are over 50, then it's time to stop and think seriously about your training objectives. How to stay in your own home for longer living independently, starting now - do this test30/12/2019 
Some things are not all that they are cracked up to be--especially regarding fitness and exercise advice. Balance is the opposite, and there's a reason why ...
One "challenge test" I often ask of people in my writing about fitness after 50 and living longer better is this: - Can you put your socks on while standing up? That's simple enough. It is an elementary requirement - a basic human movement you might say. Yet most people over 50 cannot do it. That concerns me, and it should concern you too. |
ChoicesSince I was diagnosed at 50 with Type 2 diabetes I've been learning how to do bone-building fitness training which lowers my age. You can too. It's your choice. Walter
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