Exercise

Exercise

When our family moved to Oregon from Southern California in 1974 for my husband's new job, I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. But there was one problem: There wasn't enough sunshine or swimming pools - both of which I had enjoyed in California. When the community college where I taught offered free memberships at a new gym, I quickly signed up. I expected exercise, but I got so much more.

Most people think walking faster and taking longer strides equals better exercise. After all, covering more ground should mean burning more calories and getting fitter, right? But here's what I've learned after interviewing physical therapists and orthopedic specialists over the years: that aggressive, overextended walking style is actually one of the worst things you can do to your knees, especially after 50.

This is an absolute beginners course on the foundations of classical ballet and, a single catastrophic line dance lesson aside, it is also the first dance class I have ever attended. I am in the minority. As we take the barre, it quickly becomes apparent that not being able to tell my left from my right will be a significant deficit over the next 16 weeks. This, however, is a tertiary concern.

It's just what it looks like: I time my planks then file them away, determined to last a little longer tomorrow. And sometimes I do, for several days in a row, then one day I'll collapse nearly a minute short of my personal best. I'll pound the mat like Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes, then I'll get myself together - you've got to stay cool at Equinox - and move on with my day.

After 10 years of jogging, I officially ran out of steam. As much fun as I had finishing my first marathon in 2024, the training burned me out. In the months that followed, I had no desire to hit the track near my home, let alone sign up for another race. Plus, my go-to running buddies and I all moved, making running a more solitary and, frankly, boring activity. While I could join a new local run club, I resisted.

So the word exercise, you know, comes from the Latin ejercicio. And it meant, you know, to train so we still do math exercises or soldiers do exercises to get fit. But eventually the term has changed it's meaning and it's developed new meetings. So one hand it means to do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness. That's the kind of sort of the sort of fitness, physical activity kind of exercise.

When life moves fast, carving out time for your health often feels impossible. Most of us have faced the struggle racing through traffic to reach a crowded gym, only to see motivation fade. However, wellness does not have to be another task as it can become part of your home. Imagine a space crafted just for you where there is no commute, no distractions, no waiting.

Functional fitness was never something I was interested in when I was younger. Instead, my 20s were all about vanity workouts. Anything that could get me to sculpted abs? Sign me up. It wasn't until I became old enough to groan while getting out of a chair that I became more concerned with my mobility and how to maintain it.

A quick admission: I absolutely love an elliptical or cross trainer. They don't always get the plaudits they deserve, but these low-impact cardio machines not only put less strain on your joints than a treadmill but also help you get an impressive, full-body workout. Whether you hop on one to warm up before an intense strength-training session or use it to gently burn calories while listening to your favourite podcast, the elliptical or cross trainer can strengthen muscle, reduce fat and improve cardiovascular fitness.

Hitting a daily step count is a popular way of increasing fitness levels in day-to-day life in a low-impact, safe and free way. While the jury's out on the precise number a 2023 study showed that between 7,000 and 8,000 was the sweet spot for lowering the risk of disease and premature death 10k is still burned into common consciousness as the magic number to aim for.

On the list of things my girlfriend likes to do, yoga falls somewhere beneath scrubbing her kitchen floor and somewhere above listening to me explain Game of Thrones. Kate (an alias since my girlfriend agreed to this experiment only if I kept her anonymous) has tried yoga a few times and recognizes the physical benefits although it's not exactly something she gets overly excited about.

The best advice for living a healthy, well-adjusted life eat your vegetables, get a good night's sleep, politely decline when the Jagerbombs appear never really changes. Other nuggets, such as how much protein you should be eating or how to maximise workouts, seem to change every year. But as we wonder whether we should really give sauerkraut another go, science marches on, making tiny strides towards improving our understanding of what's helpful.

Like weighted vests, a vibration plate on its own isn't going to miraculously make you lose weight - but this piece of equipment does have some benefits that can be extremely helpful, especially when combined with regular exercise. What is a vibration plate? A vibration plate is a vibrating platform (some have different levels) that you stand on, although some users may do squats or other simple exercises while on one. "Vibration plates make your muscles move quickly, which can help them feel more active,"

Most mornings, the Blue Boobies arrive in waves at the Albany Beach parking lot. Some days, they start as early as 6 a.m., appearing in the dark, attaching themselves to lit buoys and venturing out, barely visible in the predawn light. Then, another wave around 7 a.m., after the sun's up, and another at 8. This swim group's name is not only a reference to the blue-footed seabird but also the, well, physiological impact of prolonged cold water exposure to female bodies.

Hobby comrades, in my quest to find a hobby, one thing has become abundantly clear: I have grown to love exercise classes.

Everybody strives to live an active lifestyle. It may be a brisk walk or a hot yoga class, but nevertheless exercise is a focus for a large part of society. When media was established, this necessity grew exponentially, creating jobs for the experts in this field, also known as influencers. Fitness gurus have ruled the centuries in the media. From the famous Billy Banks in the 90s to 2020's Blogilates, the workout saga has only been on the rise.

I'd argue our collective relationship to at-home fitness is less frenetic, and certainly less desperate. It's now an option. Something you can turn to when you're short on time, when you need something quick and reliable. (In a recent appearance on 60 Minutes, longevity expert Peter Attia emphasized the importance of even finding 15 minutes, a few times a week, to pencil in a bit of strength training.) You don't need much to that end, but you need something.

The RITFIT GATOR 3-Section Adjustable Weight Bench is designed for those who want more from their workouts and their space without compromising on either front or settling for less. It's a bench that grows with you as your fitness journey progresses, adapts to your changing goals seamlessly across different training phases, and looks as good as it performs in any environment you place it. The modular design makes it work for beginners and serious athletes alike.