The World’s Best Exercise
Not all exercises are created equal. In fact, there is one form of exercise that is better than many others: walking. Harvard Medical School took a look at various exercises and concluded that walking is up there with swimming and tai chi in terms of health benefits.
As simple and straightforward as walking is, it can be difficult for many people to find the time. Most experts agree that you need 30–60 minutes of physical activity per day, but the good news is that you can split those minutes up
throughout your day. For example, you can take a brisk 20-minute walk in the morning before work, followed by another one at lunch and one more after dinner. Those 60 minutes also don’t have to be strenuous; they just need to happen.
Regular walking can help maintain good cholesterol
However, the more time you invest in walking, the more you will get out of it. If you slowly increase your distance and speed, you’ll
and blood pressure levels and keep your bones strong and healthy. One study showed that 40 minutes of walking every day
end up burning more calories and strengthening your legs over time.
helped people reduce blood pressure from hypertension to prehypertension, and then eventually to normal over several months. Walking can even keep many different kinds
The great thing about walking is that it’s not particularly taxing on the knees, and you can move at your own pace. It doesn’t get any better than that! To get the most out of walking,
of diseases at bay, such as diabetes and heart disease. In addition to these physical benefits, walking daily can improve your mood and overall mental health.
schedule your walks for after mealtimes, especially the ones that come later in the day, like lunch and dinner. It’s a great way to aid digestion and burn calories — which can’t hurt your waistline!
f o r Y o u r
e s t o P r e For a lot of people, summer means getting out on the water, and there are many fun water activities that can take a lot out of you. This is why it’s so important to prepare for these types of physically demanding activities, such as engaging in upper body strength training and core strengthening exercises. We like to remind our patients to check in with us before heading out on the water or trying a new summer activity such as paddleboarding. If you’ve never paddleboarded before, you want to make sure your body is ready. On top of paddling and maintaining balance, you need to be able to transport your paddleboard or similar self-propelled watercraft. This can mean lifting it in and out of the car or truck or attaching it to a roof rack. Solid paddleboards can be unwieldy! Inflatable paddleboards don’t have this problem, but when deciding on what type of board to rent or buy, you should get what works best for you.
full body up so your weight is on your elbows and the tips of your toes. If you’re doing a full plank, the entire length of your body should be raised. Your plank will vary depending on your strength level and ability. You can also use the plank position to do leg lifts.
Leg Lunges Just as leg lifts can strengthen your legs, so can reverse lunges.
When you lunge, your upper body should remain straight as you step forward with one leg, and lower your hips until both knees are bent. The forward knee should be at 90 degrees (straight with your ankle), while the back knee is between 90 and 100 degrees and should not touch the floor. Drop your body straight down, using your legs as springs. Do this movement 10 times, switch legs, and repeat. If you have questions about how you can get summer ready, give us a call! We’ll make sure you’re ready to hit the water or take part in any of your favorite summer activities, no matter what they may be!
To help get your body watercraft-ready, here are two great exercises you can do.
The Plank This helps work the abdominal muscles, which are crucial for maintaining balance while paddling even in the calmest waters! Typically, the plank is started by lying flat on your stomach. Push up and bring your
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