Featured Article
Conditioning Strategies for Peak Athletic Performance
"Whatever your sport, conditioning will make you better at it," says Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D., fitness research director of the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, MA, and coauthor of Strength and Power for Young Athletes.
"Every athletic pursuit is a power event, whether it's hitting a ball or riding a bike up a hill," says Dr. Westcott. "In addition to working on the specific skills of the sport, you also want to build up the power you need to get the job done faster, harder and better."
10 Reasons to Keep Fit as You Age
"Physical activity has been engineered out of our daily lives," laments an expert on preventing disease. "We used to rake leaves by hand and walk to the market. Now we have leaf blowers and take the car everywhere." So here is a list of 10 reasons why you should make physical activity a part of your everyday life.
Activity
Increasing the amount of activity in our daily lives can go a long way toward improving our health and even increasing longevity. Being physically active every day is good for you.
Aerobic Exercise for a Healthy Heart
Exercise is a lot more than an energy booster and a stress reliever. It also strengthens your heart muscle, lowers your blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and burns calories.
Exercise Rules for Seniors
Experts recommend that, as an older adult, you:
Contact your physician first before starting an exercise program.
Always wear appropriate safety gear. If you bike, for instance, use a bike helmet.
Wear appropriate shoes for each sport.
Warm up before exercise.
Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.
Exercise with a buddy.
Never increase your activity (distance walked or weight lifted) by more than 10 percent a week.
Avoid the same routine two days in a row to work different muscles. Walk, swim, play tennis or lift weights. Different activities work different muscles.
Stop exercising if you experience severe pain or swelling, and contact your physician.
