The exercise to do daily to stay in shape, according to Harvard University

If a person wants to feel satisfied, have more energy and even add years to his life, one of the main aspects to consider is regular physical activity, say specialists.

Information from the Mayo Clinic Research Institute indicates that all people benefit from exercise, regardless of age, gender or physical ability.

For example, physical activity can help prevent weight gain or maintain a healthy weight, which does not require going to the gym. Any amount of activity is better than none, and only daily life tasks help.

Likewise, exercise can improve muscle strength and increase endurance. “Exercise provides tissues with oxygen and nutrients and helps the cardiovascular system to work more efficiently. When heart and lung health improves, a person has more energy to carry out daily tasks,” say Mayo Clinic experts.

Regular physical activity helps improve moodIt fights physical conditions and diseases, improves sleep quality, and even makes contributions to social life.

Given the importance of this practice, Harvard University conducted research which then recommended an ideal exercise to maintain flexibility and help joints achieve a healthy range of motion, thereby also reducing the chances of stress on joints and muscles.

It is about stretching, which although many people do not consider exercise as such, it provides a series of benefits to the body and can be practiced at any stage of life. It’s common to think, for example, that stretching is something that only runners or gymnasts do. However, stretching is a key for everyone to protect their mobility and independence.

“Many people don’t understand that stretching has to be done regularly. “You should be daily,” said David Nolan, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

The main reason that stretching is key and should be done on a daily basis is that, according to researchers, it keeps muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and people need that flexibility to maintain range of motion in their joints, because without it muscles are in danger of shortening and narrowing. If stretching is not done, then when the muscle is required for activity, it is weak and unable to fully stretch.

Tests determine that if you don’t stretch, you put your body at risk of starting to suffer from joint pain, fatigue, and even potential muscle damage. Healthy muscles also help a person with balance problems avoid falls.

“The areas sensitive to movement are in the lower extremities: the calf muscles, the hamstrings, the hip flexors in the pelvis, and the quadriceps in the front of the thigh,” Nolan said, and recommended stretching at least three times. In the week. On the other hand, specify that it is important to maintain consistency in these activities to see long-term benefits.

other options

Other research from the same university recommended exercises that help keep you fit and are as follows:

Lifting arms and legsWith hands and knees on the floor, raise and extend one leg and one arm at the same time. The most recommended for stability is, for example, raising the left leg and right arm or vice versa. The ideal is to repeat ten times according to an article published in the newspaper secrecyFrom Spain.

– the bridgeThe exercise begins with the person lying on his back. The legs are bent, arms extended, parallel to the body, with the palms of the hands resting on the floor. Starting from this position, the spine is raised by pressing on the buttocks and the exercise is performed ten times.

– Iron: This exercise begins by lying on your stomach. With elbows on the floor and feet together, raise your torso at least ten times. An alternative for people who find it difficult to lift their body in this position is to bend their knees and support them on the floor.