Although exercise can’t reverse the effects of ageing, it can help. Being physically fit is one the best things for your mental and physical health.
“Physical fitness can lower the risk of chronic diseases and lower blood pressure, and can reduce symptoms such as anxiety and depression among some people,” states Scott Cheatham PhD, DPT, professor in kinesiology at California State University Dominguez Hills.
Fitness won’t make your birthday cake look any better, but it can make you functionally younger. Michele Olson PhD, senior clinical professor in sport science at Huntingdon College, Montgomery, AL, says that if you are fit, you can achieve the health of someone 10 to 15 years older.
What does the term “fit” actually mean? It turns out that it is a broad term that can be used in many ways. And it does not require you to look like an Olympian.
Cheatham explains that “it is being able have the muscle strength and endurance, power, joint mobility and overall flexibility to complete tasks or physical activities without undue tiredness or extreme effort.”
Do Not Obsess Over Fitness Age Benchmarks
Olson states that following the guidelines can help you stay fit and prevent the common aches and pains of daily life.
A qualified personal trainer can give you fitness tests. There are also options for at-home testing, such as the pushup test and sit-and-reach tests, or the sit-up test. Online articles provide information on the age-related norms for these exercises for women and men. These norms are a comparison of how men and women perform at these tasks. They don’t have to be compared with your own performance.
Your fitness age is also a measure of your cardiorespiratory fitness. While Cheatham states that it is not a reliable indicator of your overall fitness, the online fitness age self test from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology can be fun. Simply answer a few questions.
All of these are subject to caution. Cheatham warns that these benchmarks should not be taken too seriously. They should be tailored to your needs, goals and activities.
Remember that movement is more important than movement itself. Moving more should always be your ultimate goal.
Thompson states, “You are not going to decide one morning to become physically fit. Especially because you still have all the reasons that you used to not be active.” Instead, think about what you enjoy doing and set a goal to do them every single day.
This post was written by Darryl Johnson, Co-Owner of Apex performance. At Apex performance we are a community of highly trained experts looking to provide performance enhancement and a permanent lifestyle change for our clients in a fun and interactive environment. Members can take advantage of youth sports performance training near me, one-on-one training, small group classes and specialized courses for a wide variety of athletics, sports training and body goals!
Archives
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- September 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- April 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- December 202