It may seem like stronger arms and shoulders are just for display, but they are not. Strengthening these muscles can help you move luggage while traveling, push doors open or pull them shut, or even pick up children or grandchildren. Perhaps you want to protect against bone loss or have an easier time swinging a pickleball racket. Whatever your goals are, strengthening your arms and shoulders can help you out.

For many years, dumbbells have been the go-to weight options for strengthening arms, shoulders, chest, back, and more. People still use dumbbells every day; just go to the gym and you’ll see them in action. Switching to a resistance or elastic band provides a more unique challenge for your muscles. Plus, you can use them whether you have a gym membership or not. 

Using a resistance band can help increase range of motion and resistance throughout the exercises you do. Dumbbells provide constant resistance, meaning the tension doesn’t change at any point during the exercise. Resistance bands offer variable resistance, so the level of difficulty varies depending on where you are in the given exercise. The more you stretch, the more tension your muscles have to overcome. If you are ready to test the waters of resistance and strengthen your arms and shoulders, engage in the following exercises. Just make sure that you do a quick five-minute warm-up before you start the exercises.

Banded Push-Up

Begin in a kneeling position on the floor, gripping both ends of the resistance band. Bring it over your head and behind your back, ensuring it is secure against your upper back. Place your hands flat on the floor in front of you so that they are directly beneath your shoulders. You can engage in kneeling push-ups, or extend your feet back to do regular push-ups. Once you step your feet back and enter a high plank position, you can begin your push-ups. Make sure to keep your elbows close to your body and core tight as you lower down. Engage your chest, shoulders, and triceps to press back up. Complete three sets of 10-12 reps. 

Overhead Tricep Extension

Start in a standing position and open the resistance band into a large loop. Step both feet on the bottom half, so that the band is under the arches of your feet. Grip the upper part of the band, keeping your hands together near your chest and palms facing forward. From here, press the band straight overhead. Slowly lower your hands behind your head until your forearms are parallel to the ground. Engage your triceps to straighten your arms, keeping your elbows close to the side of your head throughout. Complete three sets of 10-12 reps. 

Steeple Press

Start in a standing position just as you did in the previous exercise. Grip the upper half of the band in each hand, facing your palms up. Flip your palms down to roll the band around your hands. The more times you roll your hands around the band, the greater the resistance will be. Bring your hands together in a prayer position in the center of your chest. Keep your palms together as you press your arms overhead until they are fully extended. Pause for a second before returning them to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10-12 reps. 

Bow And Arrow

Begin in a standing position, holding the resistance band in front of your chest at shoulder height. Extend your arms out in front of you and keep your palms facing the floor, holding one end of the resistance band in each hand. Keep your right arm extended as you pull your left elbow straight back, squeezing your trap and lat. Hold and then release back to the starting position. Complete 10-12 reps and then switch sides. Complete a total of three sets, 10-12 reps per side.

Standing Bear Hugs

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab both ends of the resistance band and bring it over your head and behind your back. Secure the band against your upper back just under your shoulder blades. Extend your arms out to the sides and then press your arms forward and around an imaginary tree. Keep your palms facing down and elbows slightly bent throughout the exercise. Return to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10-12 reps.

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Cardiovascular movements are great for keeping the heart healthy and maintaining endurance. As you age, maintaining muscle strength and balance is crucial for preventing injuries, especially from falls. It can be difficult, confusing even, to figure out a great strength training routine. That is because it takes practice to perfect form and avoid injuries. We’ve taken the guesswork out of the equation and are providing five great dumbbell exercises for older adults that will help build strength safely.

The Benefits Of Weightlifting For Older Adults

Adding resistance training to your exercise regimen can improve your strength, energy, and mobility. A 2018 study found that strength and resistance training can help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Additional research from 2019 linked weight lifting to a reduced risk of certain forms of cancer, but more research is necessary on this matter. 

When you regularly engage in strength training, you work to strengthen your bones, muscles, and balance. That means that you reduce your risk of falling and even if you take a little tumble, your chances of breaking something are much less than someone who doesn’t lift weights. When it comes to selecting dumbbells, you should ideally choose a weight that you can comfortably lift 12 to 15 times. Your last couple of reps should be challenging, but not to the point where you give up. 

Dumbbell Deadlift

This is a great exercise that can help strengthen your hamstrings, lower back, core, glutes, and lats. It also teaches you how to properly bend down to pick things up, which can help you avoid injuries. To begin, stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Brace your core as you push your hips back and soften your knees to lower the dumbbells toward the center of your shins. Make sure that you hinge at the hips and don’t round your back. To return to the starting position, push your feet into the floor, engage your glutes and hamstrings, and imagine pushing the floor away from you. Complete a total of three sets of10 reps.

Goblet Squat

The squat is a staple of everyday life. Whether you have to get up from a chair or sit down on the toilet, you need quad and glute strength. This exercise targets your major lower body muscles and helps to improve overall stability. Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Hold a dumbbell by one end at chest height, holding your elbows close to your body. Keep your back straight and core tight as you squat down, sinking into a squat to the point where your things are parallel to the ground. Engage your glutes and drive through your heels to stand back up. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Dumbbell Row

Driving a car or typing on a computer can ruin your posture. Even scrolling on your phone can destroy your neck and shoulders! That can cause lower and upper back pain over time. Strengthening these muscles in your back can help you improve posture and spinal alignment. To begin, stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and hold a dumbbell in each hand in front of your thighs. Push your hips back and hinge at the hips to lean forward at a 45-degree angle. Bend your knees slightly and extend your arms toward the ground. Engage your lats and draw your elbows back and up so that they are close to your sides. Pause and then return the weights down with control. Complete three sets of 10 reps. 

Dumbbell Scaption

It is very common to lose shoulder strength and mobility as you age. To counter that, it is beneficial to engage in the dumbbell scaption, which doesn’t aggravate sensitive joints. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and arms at your sides with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your core strong and lift the dumbbells out in front of you at a 45-degree angle. Raise the weights until they are slightly above shoulder height and then lower the weights back down with control, completing three sets of 10 reps. 

Dumbbell Bench Press

Similar to the squat, the bench press is a compound exercise that works multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously. The dumbbell bench press works to strengthen the chest, shoulders, and triceps, and using dumbbells helps work both sides separately, while stabilizing chest and shoulders. To begin, lie flat on your back on a bench or similar flat surface, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Make sure that you hold the weights above your chest, maintaining straight arms. Plant your feet firmly on the floor and engage your lower abdomen. Imagine pulling your shoulders toward your feet and then bend your elbows to lower the weights until they are in line with your chest. Make sure that your forearms are vertical at all times. Engage your pectoral and shoulder muscles to press the weights back up to the starting position. Complete three sets of 10 reps.

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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!

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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!

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Yoga is a relaxing exercise that helps form a better connection between the mind and body. Although a lot of people categorize yoga as a restorative practice, which it can most certainly be, many of the poses require a significant amount of strength and balance. Do you ever notice that experienced yogis can hold inverted poses and then transition to push-ups with ease? Until you take your first yoga class, you don’t realize how much strength the practice actually requires. 

Yoga helps to enhance strength in the form of bodyweight training. Studies have shown that bodyweight training can be just as effective as weight training for gaining muscle mass. Developing more strength in your yoga practices will depend on the level of class you take. For this reason, be mindful of your strength training goals when choosing your classes. That said, if you truly want to develop bulky muscles, consider weight lifting to achieve that goal. Regardless of your goals, yoga is a beneficial exercise to incorporate into your routine because it helps hone your balance, improve flexibility, and meditation efforts. 

Introducing your body to a variety of movements and tasks is how to keep it limber and ready for anything. As always with yoga, do what makes your body happy and don’t push it to the point of pain. Consider the following yoga poses to help build strength. 

Chair Pose

This pose doesn’t seem that difficult at first, but you start to feel the burn in your quads the longer you hold it. The stronger you get, the longer you’ll be able to hold it. Begin by standing upright with your feet together and arms by your sides. Balance your weight onto the heels as you sink your butt back as if you were about to sit in a chair. As you do this, keep your back straight and extend your arms overhead so that they are in line with your back. Keep the hips even and breathe deeply for four long breaths before returning to the starting position. 

Warrior II

As a great foundational pose, warrior II can help strengthen your lower body. It’s not as difficult as the high lunge, but it can help deepen your high lunge and increase strength the longer you practice it. Begin in a wide stance with your feet past your hips facing forward. Make sure that you feel balanced in this position before you turn your left toes inward and right toes outward toward the front of your mat. Hold in your lower abdomen and lengthen your spine. Bring your arms up so that they are parallel with the floor and in line with your body. Bend your right knee slowly, but make sure your knee doesn’t extend past your toes. Hold this pose for five deep breaths before you switch sides. 

Goddess Squat

Sometimes referred to as horse pose, goddess squat is a great pose to develop better glute muscles and open up your hips. The deeper you squat, the more it works your inner thighs! Begin by standing straight up with your feet hip-distance apart. Widen your stance and face your toes outward as you tuck your pelvis and sink into a squat. The goal of this pose is to squat until your thighs are parallel to the ground. Don’t roll your knees in and keep your back straight. You can rest your hands on your thighs for support, or extend them up overhead while keeping your shoulders dropped. Hold this pose for five deep breaths, aiming to sink deeper with each exhale. 

Boat Pose

This pose challenges your core in the best way possible! Practicing this pose will help you hold other poses for longer periods with a lot less effort. Begin in a seated position with your legs extended out in front of you. Bend one knee at a time and keep your feet flat on the floor. Lean back slowly and lift your feet off the ground; you should start to feel your core engage. Raise your feet so that your shins are parallel to the ground and extend your arms toward your feet to help balance. Remain here for 10-20 seconds, increasing the time as you get stronger. 

Superman Pose

If you suffer from poor posture and want to correct it or reduce upper back pain, this is a great pose to practice. Begin by lying face down on the ground and extend your arms out in front of you. Take a deep breath in and, as you exhale, engage your back muscles, glutes, and upper back to lift as much of your body off the ground as possible. You basically want to balance on your upper thighs and abdominals. Stretch from your fingertips to your toes, being conscious to drop your shoulders away from your ears. Hold this pose for three to five breaths and then return to the starting position. 

Forearm Plank

This takes the regular plank up a notch, but many people find this plank variation easier because it takes more pressure off your wrists. That said, this pose forces you to engage your core more than regular plank because you are closer to the ground. Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Lower yourself down to your forearms and then step your feet back one at a time. Engage your core and lift through your belly button to maintain a flat back. Hold for 20-30 seconds to start and increase the time as you get stronger. 

Chaturanga

This pose proves difficult because it requires you to hover your entire body just above the ground. Your arms may shake more than usual when you first start, but that will fade as you get stronger. Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees. Come into a high plank position by stepping your feet back. Hug your elbows close to your sides as you lower down so that your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Hover a few inches above the ground and engage your chest and core. Hold for three to five deep breaths and then release. 

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If you follow a lot of gym, fitness, or workout influencers, you have probably come across mobility exercises. More and more people realize that strength training and cardio is not everything, which is a great thing. Various mobility exercises work to strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and enhance overall range of motion within the body, most notably within joints. 

Mobility is a necessity for the body’s daily movements. If you want to live pain-free and reduce your risk of injury, then you have to enhance your mobility. With better mobility, you can squat deeper, run faster, train harder, pick up children with ease, and do so many other daily movements. Additional benefits of mobility include:

• Increased strength via muscle activation
• Better posture
• Reduced physical pain and tightness
• Decreased risk of physical injury via strengthening the joints and enhancing body awareness
• Better understanding of your body
• Less tension built-up within the body

Why Is Mobility Important?

Think of mobility like the foundation for physical health and the key to unlocking easier movements. If your mobility is limited, then your joint cannot move through its full range of motion during activation. Not only can that lead to uneven distribution of pressure, but also wear and tear on other areas compensating to carry out the movement. Additionally, poor mobility can lead to general joint pain and knots in the muscles that surround the joints. 

You probably know that most people are very sedentary. Sitting behind a desk for eight hours a day, five days a week, can shorten and tighten connective tissues, or fascia. Think of fascia like plastic wrap for the internal body. It is thin, reactive, and mostly made up of collagen, encasing muscles and organs. Insufficient fascia mobility can trigger pain, leave a person feeling stiff, or even interfere with proper organ function. 

Mobility vs. Flexibility

It is not uncommon for people (and professionals) to regularly interchange mobility and flexibility. They are not synonymous, so that can be a little misleading. Flexibility is the ability to lengthen muscles, for example, melting into a stretch with ease. Mobility is the ability of a joint to actively move through its full range of motion. You need some flexibility in order to have great mobility, but mobility also requires strength and balance. Passive stretching focuses on flexibility, whereas dynamic stretching helps to improve mobility. 

Without strength, flexibility may do more harm than good. It is not the gold standard, despite what popular yoga influencers say on the Gram. Over-stretching without incorporating strength training can actually stretch ligaments and joints without preparing tissue fibers. Fascia and connective tissues may not recoil and regenerate properly if they are constantly in stretch. If you constantly pull a rubber band, it becomes loose and can snap. You don’t want that!

Mobility Is Necessary For Injury Prevention

Without full mobility in certain joints, you may not activate the right muscles or muscle groups during a specific movement. That can overwork other muscles, increasing the risk of injury and pain. Although accidents happen, you can avoid serious injury when you learn to tap into bodily cues. Mobility training can reduce the risk of injuries by conditioning your joints. That helps you keep the body supple and makes it easier to understand the body’s movements.

How To Train For Better Mobility

The great thing about mobility training is that you don’t need a gym to engage in various movements. Remember that you need not overexert yourself because the whole point of mobility training is to reduce the risk of injury. There are many online resources offering full-body mobility plans and targeted mobility workouts. A lot of people hold tightness in the hips, which can increase low back pain. Start with hip-opening mobility movements, which you can learn more about by clicking here. 

You have the ability to perform optimally, but you have to engage in the proper mobility training to do so. As you progress through your mobility workouts, you may notice that you feel stronger, experience less pain, and have greater range of motion. Mobility movements may unlock pain-free movement for you!

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The big day of feasting will be here before you know it. You can go into Thanksgiving guns blazing, or you can take a more prepared, methodical approach. Although the former is more common, the latter may help you feel less bloated and better about yourself. Should you find yourself slipping into a food coma after gorging 3,000+ calories, you will need the tips in this article to get you back on track.

When you finally peel yourself out of bed after a reckless night of feasting, there are a few ways you can tackle the day. The first option is to lounge about and continue to pick at leftovers. The second option is to rise before dawn and race to take advantage of in-store Black Friday deals. Now, the third option is truly what this article is all about: getting yourself out of bed, donning your athletic clothes, and readying yourself for a workout. Continue reading for a step-by-step guide to working out the morning after Thanksgiving.

Start Slow

Whether you are a routine gym rat or someone who walks on occasion, there is no need to go hard straight out of the gate. That is especially true after you put your body through a night of excessive caloric intake. You won’t have a lot of energy and the body will have spent most of the night digesting all of that food and drink. Ease into your workout, starting with a gentle walk around the block a few times. There is no need to hit the neighborhood block in a full sprint. Once you engage in some mild cardio, you can decide how you proceed from there. 

Get In Your LISS

Low-impact steady state (LISS) aerobics can help warm up your body and elevate your heart right. When you get your blood pumping, you get your digestive system rolling. Consider pedaling on an exercise bike, or head out on a bike ride around the neighborhood. Jogging or running will cause your stomach to bounce, which isn’t something you want after a night of heavy eating. Begin your LISS at a leisurely pace for about five minutes. You’ll start to feel better at that point, and then you can increase your speed and resistance. Ideally, your aerobic workout should last 15-20 minutes. 

Time To Train

Once you finish your 15 minutes of aerobics, get ready to hit the weights for some strength training. You probably won’t have the energy for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or even a full-body workout that leaves your muscles tired. Ideally, you want a moderate-intensity circuit that helps to target all your major muscle groups, while also working the cardiovascular system. Try the following circuit in the order as the exercises are listed. Complete the following three groups twice and your body will feel way better than it did after the big meal. 

First group:

• Bench press 3 sets of 10 reps (3×10)
• Standing rows 3×10
• Bodyweight lunges 3×10 per leg

Second group:

• Military press 3×10
• Barbell bicep curls 3×10
• Bodyweight squats 3×10

Third group:

• Tricep extensions 3×10
• Cable lat pull-downs 3×10
• Leg press 3×10

Time To Digest

Your tummy may or may not feel iffy the morning after Thanksgiving. That is why you must hydrate with water from the moment you wake up. Try your best to avoid dehydrating beverages, such as alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and soda. Replenishing the body with water will help you detox all of that alcohol, turkey, pie, and stuffing from the night before. Consider a green smoothie for breakfast, or some chia pudding or oatmeal. In addition to water, your digestive tract is begging for fresh ingredients and fiber!

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Now, more than ever, there is a huge obsession with strength training. It is a great way to increase muscle strength, but that doesn’t mean you should obsess over strength and strength alone. Cardiovascular training and stretching are two other integral pillars of exercise, but one that is not typically discussed is mental training. You see, the brain is just like any other muscle, and training it will help it perform optimally.

You’ve heard of aerobics, but what about “neurobics?” Essentially aerobics for your neurons, neurobics is a method of brain training to increase brain capacity and improve memory. One author, Jim Kiwk, explains that if you don’t use your brain, you’ll lose it. Kiwk also states that there are easy ways to challenge your brain, and they don’t take too much time. Accelerate your learning capacity and enhance your brain with the following exercises. 

Use Your Opposite Hand

Although some people are ambidextrous, most people tend to stick with their dominant hand for everyday tasks. Try to use your non-dominant hand to do simple tasks, such as brushing your teeth or eating, to activate a different part of the brain. You don’t have to think when you use your dominant hand because most things are muscle memory. If you switch things up to use your non-dominant hand, you have to use more brain power. Additionally, using your non-dominant hand forces you to be present. You direct your full focus on the activity or task at hand, so you know you are not distracted by anything else. 

Turn Off Your GPS

There is no doubt that technology makes many things convenient, so much so that you don’t have to think about some things. Therein lies the problem! You want to flex your mental muscles from time to time, so Kiwk encourages you to refrain from looking up your destination on your device. Rely on your memory to get you where you need to go, provided you have a few extra minutes to recall mental directions and the destination is familiar. People lack confidence because they lack mental competence. You are capable of so much and probably know your way around better than you realize you do. Make the effort and use your brain, even if that means that your route ends up being a little longer. 

Make Passive Activities Active

You have the ability to make any activity more mindful, even something as simple as watching TV. How often do you sit down to watch a show or movie and end up scrolling through social media or playing Candy Crush 10 minutes into your show/movie? You don’t have to mindlessly watch the movie just because you put your phone down, though. Envision yourself as a certain character from what you are watching. What would you do if you were in their situation and what can you learn from the character’s arc or journey? You can also practice this skill with other forms of entertainment. It may actually help you improve empathy and your ability to switch positions or characters in a narrative. 

The takeaway from all this is that exercising your brain is much easier than you think it is. All you have to do is make small changes in everyday activities to make a positive impact on your cognition and memory. Practice some neurobics and you’ll feel stronger every time you do them!

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Functional fitness training is a type of strength training that gets the body ready for daily activities. These exercises aim to equip the body for the types of moves it does in regular, everyday life. Motions like bending, twisting, lifting, loading, pulling, squatting, hauling, and pushing can be uncomfortable, or even cause injury, if the body isn’t ready for them. 

Most functional exercises focus on multi-joint movement patterns that involve the knees, hips, spine, elbows, wrists, and shoulders. Not only do functional exercises help you build strength in these areas, but they also help improve range of motion and mobility. Although these moves help the body in many ways, fitness experts recommend engaging in your regular workouts to complement the functional moves. The following exercises aim to strengthen your core and improve strength, stability, and mobility in the hips, pelvis, stomach, and lower back. 

Kneeling Windmill

Start in a half-kneeling position with your left knee on the ground and your right foot on the floor. Make sure that your right knee doesn’t go beyond your right toes. You can either hold a weight in your right hand or do this movement without weight at first. In a fluid motion, grab the weight with your right hand and extend it up overhead, opening your body just a little to the right as you lift. Keep your eyes on the weight and then return it to the floor in a controlled manner. Complete 10 reps on your right side and then switch to your left. Make sure you do two to three sets per side. 

Wood Chop

Stand up straight with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and toes turned out slightly. Grab a dumbbell with both hands and hold it on the outside of your left thigh. Lift the dumbbell up and across your body in a diagonal motion to the right, twisting your torso and pivoting your left foot. At the apex of the movement, the dumbbell should be slightly higher than your right shoulder and your left heel should be a little off the ground. Bring the weight back down to the left and continue until you complete 10 reps. Switch sides and then complete two more sets of 10 reps per side. 

Cross-Body Mountain Climbers

Begin in a high plank position, stacking your shoulders above your wrists and extending your feet back. Engage your glutes and chest muscles, aiming to make a straight line from your head to your heels. Keep your hips level and don’t let your back sag. Bring your right knee toward your left elbow, engaging your abs as you do so. Return your right foot to the starting position and then immediately repeat with your left leg. Continue switching sides for a total of 30 seconds and then stop and rest for one minute. Complete two more sets, resting for a minute between each set. 

Dead Bug Crunch

Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and both arms behind your head. Lift your feet off the ground and bend your knees, keeping your shins parallel to the ground. Make sure to keep your lower back on the floor throughout the duration of this exercise. With control, extend your right arm and right leg away from each other, engaging your abdominal muscles. Don’t let your limbs touch the ground and then bring them back to center by tightening your abs. Repeat the same movement on the other side and then return to center again. Continue alternating sides for 45 seconds and then rest for a minute. Complete a total of three sets. 

Side Plank Reach-Through

Begin by lying on your right side, propped up on your right elbow. Your elbow should be directly under your right shoulder to avoid excess pressure on the shoulder. Stack your left leg on top of your right and then press up, engaging your core to maintain a straight line with your body. Raise your left arm up toward the sky and direct your gaze to your left fingertips. Drop your left hand down and twist slightly to reach under towards the right side of your body, as though you are threading the needle. Keep your hips stacked and your body balanced as you rotate back and extend your left arm up again. Complete eight to 10 reps and then switch sides, completing a total of three sets.

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A lot of people wear the same pair of shoes for every workout, and they are either comfortable or not. Some workout shoes feel as if you are walking on clouds, providing excellent support that cushions not only your feet, but also your knee joints. Are you wearing the right shoes for your workout needs? Are you in need of a new pair of workout shoes? This article aims to detail three signs that you need to replace your workout shoes. 

The key is to pay close attention to the support of your shoes. Even if your shoes look new, the support can be worn out. When your support is minimal, the risk of injury is much higher. In fact, most podiatrists recommend that you replace your shoes every six months, especially if you wear them a lot. Broken down cushioning in your shoes is a major sign that you need a new pair. Keep an eye out for the other signs below. 

You Experience Aches And Pains

The more you wear your shoes, the more you notice discomfort in different parts of the body. For example, you may feel more pain in your knees after wearing the shoes for six months. You buy insoles that support your feet and reduce knee pain, but these don’t last long. Shoes can easily lose their shock absorption, and you can feel aches in your joints as a result. Pay attention to the following areas of discomfort, and get a new pair if you experience one or more of them frequently:

• Ankles
• Hips
• Knees
• Joints at the base of the toes (most commonly in the big toes)
• Frequent blisters

You’ve Worn Them For 300-500 Miles

The vice president of the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine stated that the average lifespan of a walking or running shoe is between 300-500 miles. For gym or sport sneakers (basketball shoes, pickleball shoes, or tennis shoes), the gauge is different. The general rule of thumb for those shoes is that you should replace them after 40-60 hours of playing the sport in those shoes. That means that you should replace your shoes around every nine to 12 months if you play a sport in them a couple times a month. If you only wear athletic shoes to the gym and engage in strength training, they may last longer. For runners, consider looking for a new running shoe at the 250-mile mark. Statistically, that is when shoes start to break down and lose support. You don’t want shoes to reach their limit before and then decide that you need a new pair.

Cosmetic Wear And Tear Have Taken Over

You may obsess over a great pair of workout shoes. The comfort, look, and more are all cause for obsession for several weeks, even if they start to look tired. Look at the tread on your shoes as they start to age because the last thing you want is for the tread to flatten. Your shoes are like tires: you don’t want them to bald and then get new ones. If your tread is getting flat, you need to go get a new pair of shoes. The midsole of the shoe tends to wear out first, and you can check it by squeezing the shoe to see if there are small cracks or indents along the midsole. You’ll see a lot of those lines if the shoe is worn, but you shouldn’t let your shoes get to that point. Depending on how you walk, you may also see wear on your inner or outer heel. 

General wear and tear is fine, but wearing the shoes that are compromised can increase the risk of injuries. This is especially true for runners or people who are highly active in those shoes. 

If you want to lengthen the life of your shoes, rotate through a few different pairs at once. It is very tempting to pick one comfortable shoe and stick to that. It’s actually better to lean into different styles for different workouts or sports. Just keep these things in mind when choosing your next pairs of shoes.

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