Going to the gym is not feasible for everyone. Busy schedules, after school activities, work functions and more can get in the way of gym time. As we’ve said time and time again, you do not need a gym to exercise. There are many at-home movements, many of which don’t require weights, that can help build strength, endurance, and stability. Fitness experts refer to a lot of these exercises as primal movements.

What Are Primal Movement Workouts?

Great for the joints because they encourage blood flow throughout the body, primal movements aim to help the body tackle everyday activities. They are natural patterns that have been a part of human mobility for many years. Primal movements work to improve posture, strength, mobility, balance, and overall fitness. They allow your body to move with less effort and tension. 

Primal movements are not only fundamental, but also natural to the human body. Exercise physiologists suggest that they may reverse the negative effects on the body that happen from modern lives. These movements may help correct poor posture that results from sedentary lifestyle.

Most Common Primal Movements

• Push movements: These revolve around the upper body and involve pushing weight away from your core. Alternatively, you push your core away from a stationary object, such as a bench or the ground. Push movements work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and forearms. 
• Pull movements: Similar to push movements, pull movements revolve around the upper body, only they involve pulling a weight toward your core. You can also support your body weight by pulling your core toward a stationary object, such as a bar. Pull movements work your back, biceps, forearms, and traps. 
• Lunge: Lunge movements require you to take a step forward or backward with one leg, while keeping the other leg stationary. These movements focus on one leg at a time and aim to strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, quads, and calves. 
• Squat: In a squat, you bend your hips, knees, and ankles in order to lower your butt toward the ground. The goal is to keep your back straight and chest up for proper form. Squats work to strengthen your quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, while also improving lower body strength and balance. 
• Rotation/Twist: Rotation or twist movements involve twisting or rotating the body from side to side. These movements activate core muscles, targeting the abs and obliques, in addition to parts of the legs. 
• Hinge: Hinge movements require bending and revolve around the core muscles, especially those in the back. These movements also require you to activate your upper legs, including your glutes and hamstrings. During hinge movements, you maintain a steady upper body as you hinge at the waist to bring your upper body toward the ground. 
• Gait: Gait movements involve pulling, twisting, and lunging in order to make the body run, walk, or jog. A gait movement is classified by putting one foot in front of the other and moving the body backward and forward. 

What Are The Benefits Of Primal Movement Workouts?

As you probably know, there are mental and physical benefits to working out, especially as you get older. Practicing primal movements integrate the entire body, which helps condition your joints and muscle groups to work together. These movements can help enhance overall body integration, which ultimately improves athletic performance and reduces the risk of injury. When your major muscle groups consistently work together, the body can become more synchronized. 

Primal movements are suitable for all fitness levels because you can adapt the movements to accommodate your level of fitness. For example, you can do knee push-ups instead of regular push-ups. These movements do not require equipment, making them a cost-effective option for people who don’t want to pay for a gym membership. Finally, primal movement training can help reduce inflammation throughout the body. Strengthening the muscles around the joints can reduce joint pain and preserve the joint in the long run.

SHARE:

The post Primal Movements That Help Build Strength And Stability appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

There are people who just seem to live in the gym. Perhaps that person is your sister or brother, or a friend you love a lot. Maybe they visit health food stores and cannot stop talking about recovery methods or healing modalities. They usually wear athletic attire and carefully watch what they eat. If that sounds like someone you know, then this holiday gift guide is going to come in handy!

’Tis the season to show that wellness enthusiast just how much you’ve been listening to their excitement for sound baths and stretch therapy. Perhaps your friend or family member is looking to embark on a new wellness journey, improve their inner self, or get more involved in different fitness worlds. Whatever the case, we hope you find inspiration from the following list. 

Dry Brush

We are starting out on the relatively inexpensive side of gifting. A dry brush will likely cost somewhere between $10 and $20, but the benefits are worth it. Dry brushing may help the body eliminate toxins and promote relaxation. The lymphatic system requires stimulation to prevent it from clogging. Dry brushing works to open up the pores and help the body release toxins through sweat, which reduces the amount of toxins that flow through the lymphatic system. 

Hiking Shoes

Now, a pair of hiking shoes can be on the pricier side, but think of them as an investment. Maybe save this gift for someone you really love and care about! All jokes aside, a great pair of hiking shoes or boots can save people from ankle injuries, knee pain, and general foot soreness. Shoes that have Vibram soles are excellent!

A Gym Bag

A good gym bag is something that any athletic enthusiast will enjoy. Consider a compact gym bag with lots of pockets, or a larger one if the person you know carries lots of equipment and clothes. Ideally, choose one that has a shoulder strap and one that can easily fit in a locker. 

Crystal Ear Seed Kit

Some people love acupuncture and want to get treatment, but they don’t always have the time for it. A crystal ear seed kit can give people similar benefits to acupuncture from the comfort of their own home. The ear seeds stimulate pressure points in the ear, which is a form of acupressure and auriculotherapy. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) reports that energy travels along meridian lines, many of which run through the ears. 

Massage Gift Card

Who doesn’t love a free massage? That is especially true if the person you purchase the massage for is pushing it in the gym eight days a week. Treat that special someone to a lovely full-body massage. If possible, make it so they can choose between Swedish, deep tissue, relaxing, sports, or other types of massage if they are all the same price. Alternatively, gift someone a facial or other skin care treatment service, such as a body wrap, peel, or body scrub. 

Massage Gun

Everyone can benefit from owning a massage gun. It used to be that they cost upwards of $300, but now there are so many at various price points. There are standard massage guns, mini massage guns (which are great for travel), and percussive massage balls. All of these massage devices can help loosen up fascia, which reduces stiffness and may help improve range of motion. 

Essential Oil Diffuser

This is a classic gift for wellness and non-wellness enthusiasts alike. There are so many diffusers available, so you do not need to spend all your money on a specific one you saw on Instagram. They all pretty much do the same thing: diffuser essential oil aroma into a space. You want to pay attention to the essential oils you purchase, though, as many are not 100% pure. Pure essential oils are the best!

Singing Bowl

This gift is for anyone who has expressed interest in sound baths or meditation. A singing bowl is perfect for at-home meditation because the tones can aid with anxiety and stress reduction. Different bowls have different tones when you hit them, and you can search which frequencies benefit what. 

Unique Fitness Experience

Be it bungee aerobics, Pilates, spin class, Zumba, or rage therapy, a unique fitness experience is a great gift for wellness enthusiasts. It gives them the opportunity to try something out without having to purchase a membership. If they like the class they try, they can always purchase more classes or get a membership to the facility!

SHARE:

The post The Best Wellness Gift Guide For 2024 appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Bigg Jah and Onyika are up against their toughest challenge yet as they tackle a steep hill on their fitness journey! With Onyika just returning from a family reunion, the big question is: did she stick to her goals or fall off the wagon? Watch them face their biggest struggle yet, see how they handle the pressure, and find out if the reunion helped or hurt Onyika’s progress.

FULL BODY CLEANSE: LOSE 10-30 LBS IN 20 DAYS!

Chapters:
00:00 – Where is Onyika?
00:18 – Intro
00:34 – Bigg Jah Comes Back from His First Trip Outside the House
02:19 – Bigg Jah Weigh Week 6
04:27 – Onyika Comes Back
05:35 – Onyika’s Weigh-In
08:50 – Bigg Jah & Onyika Face the Hill
13:55 – Outro

SHARE:

The post Bigg Jah & Onyika Face Their Toughest Challenge appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

In case you are not up to date on TikTok trends, “office chair butt” is a real thing. That term has sparked discussion amongst content creators, who speculate whether sitting at work can negatively affect the strength and appearance of a person’s buttocks, or glute muscles. A few videos talking about “office chair butt” have gained millions of views. This is just on TikTok, but do these content creators have a legitimate fear?

Can Sitting Too Long Damage Your Glutes?

Although “office chair butt” may be a common phrase, it does not have a real medical meaning or definition. Sitting for prolonged periods, however, can negatively affect your butt. Sitting in a chair for hours, days, weeks, months, and years, like most people do, can decondition your glutes and cause muscle loss. 

When the body is sedentary, muscles are not engaging or working. That is true for all muscles and not only the glutes. Over time, not working these muscles can cause them to weaken, and weakened muscles can be infiltrated by fatty tissue, which makes them less resilient. Excessive sitting can also alter the appearance of the muscles. That results in the classic “flat butt” appearance because the muscle is replaced with adipose tissue (fat). Basically, the body molds to the shape of the chair, and excessive sitting may even cause hip and back pain because of tightened muscles. 

Does Sitting Injure The Glutes?

Although sitting for extended periods may weaken muscles and alter the appearance of the butt, it doesn’t harm the glutes directly. Weak gluteal muscles, though, can increase the risk of muscle strain, especially on the muscles in the back and thighs. If someone sits in the same position for a very long time, it is possible that their butt bones can put too much pressure on the gluteal muscles. That is quite rare, though. 

If you experience pain from sitting for long periods of time, you may have “dead butt syndrome,” not office chair butt. Pain in the glutes can stem from sciatica or tendinopathy, a tendon injury in one of the gluteal muscles. “Dead butt” can also refer to gluteal amnesia or issues with your muscles’ ability to contract after long periods of sitting. 

Activating your muscles is easier the more you activate them. If you sit down all day, the muscles are not being activated, so you feel the effects of sitting a lot more. When you do end up using those muscles, they may not be as reliable as they once were. The “dead butt” weakness usually comes with tingling, numbness, or pain. If you experience these symptoms, consult your healthcare provider or consider physical therapy and training to start activating and using these muscles. 

How Do You Prevent Office Chair Butt?

If you have a sedentary job or you tend to sit for long periods, you are at risk of developing office chair butt. Women may be more likely to develop office chair butt, as a higher percentage of women have jobs that require them to sit for long periods of time. The same goes for older and middle-aged people, who have collectively spent more hours sitting at work. 

Like many chronic health conditions, office chair butt can be avoided. The best way to prevent it is to stay active and activate the glutes throughout the day. If you don’t have a standing desk, you can get up every hour and engage in 20 squats. You can also activate your muscles while you are sitting. You can do some glutei squeezes or calf raises every 15 minutes or so. Outside of the office, you can do clamshells, glute bridges, squats, and step-ups to increase glute strength. Just make sure that you execute the exercises with proper form, as improper form can increase the risk of injury.

Practicing a few healthy behaviors can help you avoid office chair butt. However, all butts are not the same and we celebrate the different shapes and sizes of every butt. The goal is just to promote glutei health and overall health. Engaging in exercise or small movements throughout the day can not only help promote healthy glutes, but also improve self-esteem and overall fitness.

SHARE:

The post Do You Have “Office Chair Butt”? How Sitting Can Affect Your Glutes appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

Mobility and recovery are two integral components of functional fitness. Nowadays, you see so many fitness influencers promoting mobility training. This is great because people neglected these movements for so long. Too often do people focus on specific muscle groups, engaging in constricted movements. Mobility training is about using the entire body in ways that it moves naturally, which helps improve your flexibility and range of motion, all while reducing your risk of injury.

When you get up from a deep slumber, you are usually stiff, which makes the morning the best time to engage in a mobility routine. The different movements in this routine work to loosen stiff joints, improve range of motion, and reduce the risk of injury. Think of this like an active recovery workout, which you should incorporate one to two times per week to maintain healthy muscles and joints. For this mobility routine, you will need a foam roller, so be sure to have that at the ready. 

Upper Back Foam Roll

A lot of people carry stress in their shoulders and upper back. This move is a great way to massage away the knots, kinks, and tightness in those areas. Sit on the floor with the foam roller placed behind you perpendicular to your body. It should rest across your upper back when you lean back. Bend your knees, cross your arms across your chest, and lean back on the foam roller. Engage your glutes to lift off the floor, contract your abs, and push away from your feet so that the roller goes down your back toward your buttocks. Roll back until the foam roller is resting around your shoulders. Continue rolling back and forth, maintaining a strong core, for 20 to 30 seconds. 

Quadricep Foam Roll

Don’t neglect your quads and hip flexors because those areas can hold a lot of tension. You will likely spend the most time on these areas, slowly massaging the tension away. To begin, lie face down with your right leg on top of the foam roller. It should be perpendicular to your upper thigh. Bend your left leg and keep it out to the side away from the foam roller, but you’ll use this leg to push forward and backward. Shift as much weight onto the foam roller as you can tolerate. Roll along the quad and hip flexor, resting on any areas of tightness. Repeat on the other leg after about a minute or so. 

Couch Stretch

This stretch specifically targets the hip flexors, which are the muscles along the front of your hips. You’ll also help lengthen your quad muscles during this stretch. Bend down in front of a wall, foam roller, or couch and drop your right knee to the ground. Place your shin right up against the bottom of the couch, resting your right foot on top of the couch cushion. You can also rest your shin and top of your foot against the wall behind you. Keep your right thigh in line with your body and stack your shoulders over your hips. Square the hips and face forward, maintaining a long spine for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat on the other side. 

Neck And Trap Stretch

This stretch targets all of the muscles in the neck that support the head and upper spine. This is great for people who sit at desks or hunch over their phones a lot. You can do this stretch in a kneeling or standing position. Place your right hand on the top left part of your head and pull it gently toward your right shoulder. That will open up the left side of the neck. You can hold here for 30 seconds, or increase the stretch by wrapping your left arm behind you and reaching toward your mid-back. Repeat on the other side. 

Half Kneeling Hip Openers

For the final move in this mobility sequence, you are going to address the hips, glutes, inner thighs, shoulders, and chest. Begin in a kneeling position with both knees on the ground. Stack your shoulders over your hips and knees and then step your right foot forward to enter a half-kneeling position. Guide your right leg toward the right side of your body (about a 45-degree angle or 90-degree if possible) so that your right hip is in line with your right knee. Reach your right hand down your right leg toward your ankle, palm facing out. Extend your left hand up overhead and hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

SHARE:

The post A Simple 10-Minute Routine To Improve Mobility appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

There are so many ways to obtain information about fitness these days. From fitness Instagram accounts to in-depth YouTube videos, there is no shortage of fitness-related content. You can read entire books about how to exercise to achieve your ideal body. The problem is that not every popular training style may bring you closer to your goals. 

Various exercise physiologists concur that certain exercises do not yield desired outcomes for certain clients. That is especially true if people do not do the exercises with the proper form. Although certain exercises may work multiple muscle groups, doing them improperly can increase the risk of injury, or work the wrong muscles groups. To learn about exercises that get in the way of your fitness goals, continue reading.

Bench Dips

If you cannot do full dips, you may consider bench dips as the stepping stone. In theory bench dips tone your triceps, but there is a drawback to this exercise. Many people who do them allow their shoulders to round forward during the exercise. Not only does that increase the risk of shoulder injury, but it also diminishes the effectiveness of the exercise. Get more bang for your buck by mastering push-ups first. Push-ups target your triceps and engage other upper-body muscles. 

Lunges With Bicep Curls

What this exercise entails is stepping into a lunge, doing a bicep curl, and then returning back to a standing position. This is a compound move that would be more effective if you simply separated the exercises. Adding bicep curls to your lunges can get your upper body involved, but they can limit your gains. Biceps are smaller muscles, so you can only curl a light weight while lunging. A better approach is to separate the exercises, performing lunges with heavier dumbbells and then curling with a heavier barbell or dumbbells.

Burpees

This is the exercise that everyone loves to hate. Burpees engage multiple muscle groups, but people do not usually execute them properly. Very few people actually do burpees with proper form, and doing them incorrectly can lead to injuries or general muscle pain. If you want to boost your cardiovascular and strength training, consider doing sets of well-executed squats and push-ups with no breaks in between. Or, you can engage in fully separate cardio sessions on days when you don’t weight train.

Weighted Side Bends

Trying to sculpt those obliques? Your obliques are primarily used to either aid or resist rotation. That makes the lateral movement of side bends less effective for strengthening them. If you want a more effective core workout that targets your oblique, consider a Pallof press, which can promote a stronger core. You can also engage in hip dips, side planks, Russian twists, and bicycles. 

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

How did HIIT make this list? This type of training is popular because it saves you time, effectively elevates your heart rate, and combines cardiovascular and strength training. If you cram everything into a single, short workout, though, you may limit the benefits of building total muscular strength. HIIT is not always suitable for beginners because it can lead to overuse injuries, or even cellular damage. 

When you combine strength and cardio exercises into one workout, there is a trade-off between the two. Cardio moves have different energy requirements that strength training moves. Strength training is anaerobic and demands short bursts of high-intensity effort, while cardio is aerobic and requires sustained, lower-intensity effort. Combining these two types of exercises can compromise their quality and effectiveness. That’s why it is better to focus solely on strength in a single session if you want to improve muscle growth.

SHARE:

The post 5 Exercises That Get In The Way Of Your Fitness Goals appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

The body was made to move! In this day and age, though, being sedentary is all too common. Not only does a sedentary lifestyle reduce mobility and increase stiffness, but it also raises the risk of many chronic health conditions, including heart disease. Staying active is one of the best and easiest ways to boost heart health, as it has direct and indirect effects. 

Heart disease is a type of cardiovascular disease that includes various conditions that affect the heart’s muscle, blood vessels, valves, or function. There are many factors that contribute to its development, with physical inactivity topping the charts next to an unhealthy diet. If you are not physically active, you cannot strengthen the heart’s muscle, which pumps blood throughout the body. Being active does more than improve heart function, as is detailed in the list below:

• Reduced inflammation
• Balanced cholesterol levels
• Improved circulation
• Weight management
• Vascular strengthening
• Blood sugar regulation
• Lowered blood pressure

Do you want to reduce your risk of heart disease or improve overall heart health? If yes, this guide can help you learn more about exercising for a healthy heart. 

Which Exercises Benefit The Heart?

Is it a cliché to say all of them? Movement is better than no movement, but the best exercises for your heart depend on your level of health and fitness. It’s always a good idea to start slow and increase the intensity as you assess your fitness level. Regular moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercises target cardio-respiratory performance the most. 

Most moderate- and vigorous-intensity exercises are aerobic, increasing your heart rate and activating the body’s largest muscles. These are the muscles in your legs and arms. Regarding the intensity, moderately intense workouts should be at a five or six on a scale of 10. You will notice that your heart rate elevates and your breathing is heavier, but these exercises still allow you to communicate without feeling out of breath. Great examples of moderately intense exercises include:

• Water aerobics
• Slow jogging
• Brisk walking 
• Hiking on easier trails
• Recreational bicycling

Vigorously-intense exercises are more challenging and you may be out of breath after engaging in them. You may only be able to utter one or two words before you have to catch your breath. Vigorous exercises are at about a seven or eight on the scale to 10, and great examples include:

• Hockey
• Basketball
• Jumping rope
• Running or sprinting
• Swimming laps
• Tennis

How Much Exercise Does Your Heart Require Each Week?

The American Heart Association recommends adults to get the amounts of physical activity: 

• 150 minutes of moderately-intense aerobic activity per week, or
• 75 minutes of vigorously-intense aerobic activity per week, or
• A combination of both every week

Ideally, you combine these recommendations with strength training at least twice per week. The overall goal for physical activity per week should be 300 minutes. Regular movement throughout the day is great for children under five. Kids between six and 17 years of age should get an hour of moderate to vigorous intensity activity per day. Bone and strength training activities are also beneficial for children. Your healthcare professional can go over these guidelines with you and provide recommendations based on your age, fitness level, and overall health. An exercise program for someone recovering from a cardiac event will look different than a program for a healthy individual who exercises regularly. 

Hitting A Target Heart Rate

If you have ever been on a treadmill or exercise bike at the gym, you know that it asks you to put your hands on the handles to obtain your heart rate. Most exercises that we listed in the moderate and vigorous intensity exercise lists can easily meet targeted heart rates, depending on how much you push yourself. 

Calculating your target heart rate can help you track the intensity of your workouts. This can help you meet your exercise goals and inform you if you need to increase the difficulty or intensity of the workout, especially if your fitness level improves. The target heart rate is a percentage of your maximum heart rate, which you can estimate by subtracting your age from 220. The number you get is your maximum beats per minute. 

• Moderate intensity exercise: Your target heart rate is somewhere between 50% and 70% of your maximum heart rate.
• Vigorous intensity exercise: Your target heart rate is between 70% and 85% of your maximum heart rate. 

During exercise, make sure not to exceed your maximum heart rate because that can put unnecessary strain on the heart. It can also damage blood vessels, and even have adverse cardiac effects. Keep these tips in mind as you exercise for a healthier heart, and do further research so that you can find an exercise program that best fits your needs.

SHARE:

The post Exercising For Heart Health: A Beginner’s Guide appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

According to a study from 2019 that examined close to 15,000 people, burning calories reduces the risk of death. The results indicated that burning an extra calorie per kilogram of bodyweight per day reduced the risk of death by 24%. If you weigh 200 pounds, you can reduce your risk of death by nearly a quarter if you simply burn 90 more calories per day. All you have to do is walk just over half a mile to do that!

There are two essential components to thriving with age: maintain lower-body functional strength and lower-body functional power. “Functional” means moving in different patterns and under different stressors. Stepping up and down things in different directions or lifting weights in various positions and directions are great examples of functional training. Engaging in regular physical activity that helps build strength in the legs, then, is ideal if you want better quality of life as you age. 

You can do functional movements in the gym, at home, or on a court or field playing sports. In the older population, there are great cognitive and social benefits that accompany the physical benefits of sport. Avoiding isolation as you age can help slow mental and physical decline. It can be intimidating to learn a new sport, especially if you don’t classify yourself as an athlete. Fortunately, the following sports typically have very welcoming communities, so you can experiment with one or more of them to see which you like. 

Dancing

Whether you want to take salsa lessons or learn to line dance, dancing is an exciting exercise that offers all the benefits of walking, and then some. Not only do you get to learn moves and have fun, but you also get to burn some calories. Dancing requires you to move laterally, taking crossover steps, in addition to moving forward and backward. That makes dance an agility-type activity, which helps perfect balance to protect you from falls. Dancing also forces you to remember the steps and patterns, which keeps you sharp between the ears. 

Tai Chi

If you have ever passed a park in somewhat warmer weather, you have probably seen a group of older people practicing Tai Chi. This form of gentle exercise involves specific, controlled movements, which you shouldn’t sleep on. Tai Chi is a low-impact exercise, making it very accessible for all levels of activity. A lot of the movements help to improve mobility and over 500 studies have found that Tai Chi can improve balance. Plus, studies also indicate that it benefits people with mental health challenges, such as depression.

Pickleball

You knew that this sport was going to be on the list, right? Although pickleball is not a new sport, it surged to popularity within the last five years. The Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s annual report found pickleball to be the easiest racket sport to learn. That same report found that it has grown 158.6% within the last three years. Not only is pickleball fun and a great form of cardiovascular exercise, but it also improves agility, mobility, wrist dexterity, and upper body strength. 

Croquet And Bocce

You may not qualify lawn games as sports, but these backyard social activities offer some sneaky health benefits. Tossing a ball, bending over to pick up the ball, or swinging a mallet require shoulder and hip mobility, core strength, and stability. Bending over to pick up the balls can prove problematic for some older people, which is why practicing proper form is essential. Do not round the back; rather, hinge at the hips and bend your knees. Regularly bending down to pick up the balls is a very functional movement that you can incorporate into everyday life.

Golf

Is it a cliche to suggest golf to an older crowd? When you consider the benefits of golf that extend beyond walking, then it isn’t. Golf is 100% outdoors, and moving outside has been associated with both mental and physical health benefits. An actual golf course requires you to walk over various contours of surface, terrain, and you may have to step over things or walk up and down hills. Swinging the club can also improve trunk mobility and upper body strength.

Swimming

As previously mentioned, any exercise that you can do outdoors comes with an added mental health boost. Research indicates that the external stimulus of being outside forces the brain to adapt and overcome; plus, there are environmental challenges to deal with. Swimming is not necessarily an outdoor sport, but it can be if you live in a warm enough place to swim in a lake or ocean. Swimming is also beneficial because the body is weightless in the water, which means that you don’t put unnecessary stress on the joints.

SHARE:

The post The Best Sports For Older Adults appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

A significant number of women belong to the status of menopause and beyond. For this reason, a lot of research goes into developing the best comprehensive health program for them, including exercise, lifestyle modifications, and dietary recommendations. Exercise is integral to staying healthy during menopause, as it can help maintain muscle and bone mass.

The best exercise program for menopausal women includes aerobic activity, strength training, and balance exercise. Aim for at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderately-intense physical activity per week. Other exercises, such as deep breathing, yoga, and stretching, can help menopausal women manage stress, which can help mitigate the symptoms of menopause. Exercise just happens to be one of the most powerful mitigators. 

Before we detail the best tips for exercising during menopause, keep in mind that everyone is different. One exercise program may work for some, but not others. Find a routine that feels good for your body as you jump-start a more active menopausal lifestyle. 

Start Slow

It is never too late and it is never a bad idea to start an exercise program. A 20-minute walk around the neighborhood is a great place to start. The key to exercising is to start slow and gradually increase both the time and intensity of your workouts. Again, start with 10- or 20-minute workouts twice a week and build from there. Building the exercise habit and enjoying the activity is more important than you realize. 

Train Balance And Stability

According to a review from 2023, balance is just as important as strength training if you want to reduce your risk of falls. Taking a tumble can be more serious in your later years, with around 20% of falls in older adults having serious effects, such as fracture or head injury. Such an injury in your older years can decrease your ability to live independently. That is why fitness experts encourage balance training, such as standing on one foot while brushing your teeth. Yoga and Pilates can go a long way in strengthening your core and improving flexibility and balance.

Focus On Building Muscle

Strengthening your muscles is just as important as enhancing balance, stability, and flexibility. After menopause, you may be at an increased risk for fractures and osteoporosis, primarily because o f bone loss and weight gain in the belly area. The goal should be to both build and preserve lean muscles mass and maintain bone health. The primary exercises that aid everyday habits include squats, hinge movements (glute bridges or deadlifts), lunges, pushes (push-ups or overhead presses), carries (farmer’s walk), and pulls (rows or pull-ups). If you are unfamiliar with strength training, it can be beneficial to get a personal trainer for a few sessions to learn how to correctly do the exercises. Then you can engage in various workouts on your own.

Prioritize Recovery

The work you do after your workouts is equally as important as the workouts themselves. Proper recovery is necessary for your body to function at its best, no matter where you are at in life. After an exhausting workout, you may find that you require more time to recover than you did 10 years prior. Recovery is different for many people. One person may require one or two days off between workouts, while another person may just need some stretching to get a good night’s rest. 

Your diet also plays a role in your ability to recover after exercising. Consuming sufficient protein is necessary if you work out regularly because it helps maintain muscle mass. Giving the body amino acids can help repair and rebuild your muscles. Aim to consume about five to six-and-a-half ounces of protein per day from various sources to give your muscles essential amino acids and other nutrients necessary for growth. Scatter your protein sources throughout the day for best results. 

Take Your Cardio Up A Notch

According to research, people who have higher estrogen levels have a lower risk of developing heart disease than those who have lower levels. Estrogen levels decline during menopause, meaning your protection against heart disease does as well. Women who exit menopause have a higher risk of developing heart attacks, coronary artery disease, and heart failure than their younger counterparts. Studies suggest that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) are your best bets during menopause. During these workouts, you increase your rate to its upper levels and then recover during rest periods. That increases your ability to work and recover at healthier levels. It also helps to enhance your endurance!

SHARE:

The post The Best Tips For Exercising During Menopause appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.

A Zumba class resembles the club on a Saturday night, right? That all depends on which club you go to, but the important thing to remember is to dance like nobody’s watching. The great thing about Zumba is that you don’t have the grunts, yells, or, “Let’s go, bro,” that you hear on the gym floor. Quite the contrary, actually. A Zumba class offers catchy dance music, hand clapping, and the occasional “Woo” or gasps for air. 

Although it is not a new form of exercise, Zumba is very popular, especially with middle-aged and older adults. It features movements inspired by various styles of dance, from Latin American to Bollywood. Can Zumba help you burn calories, sculpt muscles, and tone your arms? Continue reading to learn about the surprising health benefits of this workout. 

You’ll Burn Calories

According to a small study from 2012, a 39-minute Zumba class burned an average of 9.5 calories per minute. That adds up to 369 calories throughout the class. Since the American Council on Exercise encourages people to burn 300 calories per workout to maintain a healthy weight, Zumba is a viable workout to hit that goal. Additional evidence shows that a 12-week Zumba program can significantly improve aerobic fitness. 

You’ll Build Endurance

The music that plays during a Zumba class is usually fast-paced, so it takes a little extra pep in your step to move to the beat. Doing Zumba workouts regularly helps build endurance, even after a few workouts. One study found that after a 12-week Zumba program, participants showed a decrease in systolic blood pressure and heart rate. Those results coincided with an increase in endurance. 

You’ll Improve Cardiovascular Fitness

If people want to improve cardiovascular fitness, a study in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine notes the accepted guidelines: 

• 64 and 94 percent of their HRmax, a measure of an athlete’s maximum heart rate
• 40 to 85 percent of VO2 max, a measure of maximum volume of oxygen an athlete can use

The same study found that participants in a Zumba session fell within these HRmax and VO2 max guidelines. In fact, participants exercised at an average of 79% of HRmax and 66% of VO2 max. That means that Zumba is an effective workout for increasing endurance and aerobic capacity, which is a measure of cardiovascular fitness. 

It Is A Social Workout

Zumba is a group workout, so you’ll likely be welcomed into any class you choose. It is also one of the more social group workouts in existence. The American College of Sports Medicine encourages group workout classes because of the following benefits:

• A safe workout that is designed for you to follow along with and burn calories 
• Exposure to a fun and social environment
• An accountability factor, which can help you succeed with your fitness goals

You May Improve Blood Pressure

A 2016 study observed a group of overweight women who engaged in a 12-week Zumba fitness program. By the end of the study period, study observers noticed that participants experienced significant improvement in body weight and a reduction in blood pressure. A separate, smaller study found that blood pressure levels decreased in participants after 17 Zumba classes. 

You Can Improve Your Quality Of Life

A great Zumba workout provides a lot of physical and social health benefits. You get to work out and meet new people who motivate you to keep going. Not to mention, Zumba is a great workout for any fitness level! Many people find that Zumba classes improve their overall quality of life. Are you ready to dance, or what?

It Is A Full-Body Workout

Zumba is an aerobic workout, but it also incorporates a few bodyweight strength training movements throughout the class. As long as you continue to move your body to the beat, though, you are participating in the class. Zumba requires you to move your entire body, from your arms and shoulders to your butt and feet. You’ll get a full-body workout that doesn’t even feel like work!

SHARE:

The post 7 Surprising Health Benefits Of Zumba appeared first on Dherbs - The Best All Natural Herbal Remedies & Products.