Tech executive Bryan Johnson is spending $2 Million per year to stop his body’s natural aging process by exercising for 45-60 minutes every day, seven days a week.
Endurance exercises like walking, hiking, jogging, swimming and cycling help strengthen your heart, improve blood circulation and can actually reverse some aspects of cellular aging while maintaining bone density.
1. Strength Training
Strength training doesn’t just benefit bodybuilders and marathon runners; its age reversing benefits are available to anyone, no matter your fitness level or experience level. Studies show that lifting weights regularly slows down the natural aging process in humans while building muscle mass, protecting bone density and speeding metabolism can all play an integral part of burning fat efficiently.
Exercise helps combat disease-related declines in muscle strength, improve balance and coordination, and enhance physical function. You can choose from an assortment of resistance exercises like chest and leg presses, triceps extensions, lat pull-downs, seated rows and standing calf raises to keep you challenged throughout your session. As soon as your fitness level has been assessed, start off slowly increasing weights, reps and sets until reaching optimal performance levels.
Strive for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardiovascular activity each week and two days of muscle strengthening exercises a week, working out in consultation with your personal trainer in order to find an ideal workout for you and your fitness level and health goals. If this is your first experience in strength training, start off slowly; use short and simple programs targeting all major muscle groups on non-consecutive days of the week while selecting weights which challenge but don’t overwhelm – each set should feel achievable without sacrificing form.
HIIT, or high-intensity interval training, is another effective method for building strength. According to researchers at Mayo Clinic, these exercises enhance mitochondrial cell function – something which may slow the aging process. Begin your session with 5-minute warm-up of light cardio and perform each workout one by one with brief rest between each. After six or more weeks of consistent strength training it may be safe to increase weights, reps or sets as desired without experiencing pain or discomfort.
2. Aerobics
Aerobics is an aerobic fitness regime that works quickly to pump your heart up, oxygen rushing through, burning fat and increasing energy. Furthermore, aerobics may even reverse signs of aging by increasing levels of cyclin D1 protein which transforms dormant stem cells into new healthy ones – and in so doing has the power to reverse aging processes in your body.
Finding an aerobics class tailored to your fitness level and needs can be challenging, with classes ranging from those which focus on gentle floor-based movements and stretches to high repetition moves to shape and tone muscle groups. High intensity interval training (HIIT) has recently made waves; this form of workout alternating short bursts of intense exercise with quick recovery periods for increased metabolism and fat loss; however it should probably only be undertaken by those already possessing adequate physical fitness as its intensity can be high.
Endurance exercises such as walking, swimming and cycling can also provide anti-ageing benefits by helping reduce metabolic changes associated with aging. But more intensive forms of aerobic exercise offer greater anti-ageing advantages.
They do so by stimulating the heart and lungs to adapt to an increased demand for oxygen, helping muscles increase their ability to use it effectively and thus leading to more effective regulation of blood sugar, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, improved flexibility and reduced dementia risk.
3. Yoga
No matter your age or stage of life, practicing yoga can benefit both teens and approaching retirement alike by strengthening balance, strength and flexibility; increasing sleep quality; decreasing stress and depression levels; as well as helping reverse osteoporotic fractures that come with ageing.
Many assume that in order to reap the health and longevity benefits of exercise, one needs to be an elite bodybuilder or marathon runner. But in reality, you just need to find something enjoyable that makes sense to your schedule, then commit yourself.
Yoga is an effective exercise regimen to counter the effects of aging because it combines resistance training and balance exercises into one low-to-medium intensity workout that can easily be modified for different fitness levels and injuries. Yoga helps prevent age-related bone loss while strengthening muscles and joints and decreasing pain from arthritis or back issues.
Yoga combines ancient Eastern philosophy with Western fitness and wellness practices. It focuses on postures, breathing, mindfulness and meditation. A practitioner often greets other practitioners by saying “namaste,” which translates to “to you.” Yoga provides excellent exercises for both the mind and body – keeping both young and healthy!
Before undertaking any new exercise program, it is wise to always seek medical advice first. If you suffer from an underlying medical condition like osteoporosis, for instance, yoga poses and stretches should be tailored accordingly – for instance avoiding poses that strain or twist the spine should be avoided in particular. A physical therapist may provide recommendations as to how best adapt your yoga regimen for better results.
4. Pilates
Pilates is a low-impact form of exercise designed to strengthen strength, stability, flexibility and body awareness. Pilates has gained increasing attention within fitness circles as an injury preventative and rehabilitation method.
Pilates exercises require precise body positioning to build core muscle strength* and maintain proper spinal alignment, helping reduce and prevent back pain as well as injuries in knees, shoulders, wrists and hips. Furthermore, this practice improves posture and balance enabling more easeful and fluid movements during daily activities, and even brightening your mood!
Plyometric exercise can also help increase bone density* by challenging both your muscles and bones against gravity. Plyometric movements include jumping and forceful stepping – two activities which strengthen muscles while placing more strain on bones. A good starting point would be standing on an edge of a Pilates box with feet about shoulder-width apart, then jumping up-up-down-down as part of an easy plyometric workout session.
Like yoga and tai chi, Pilates is an exercise which entails mind-body concentration to understand how your muscles work together and focus on breathing – both can help ease anxiety and depression, and increase cognitive function. Research has confirmed this effect of Pilates practice on cognitive performance.
5. Stretching
Stretching is a form of physical exercise that involves moving or holding parts of the body with the intent of lengthening muscles, either by moving them around the body, holding positions for prolonged periods, or both. Stretching can help relax, prepare for activity or build strength – and can be performed anywhere with appropriate equipment. Stretching can serve a number of different purposes depending on its purpose; pain should not be part of any stretching session – if this occurs it should stop immediately and reassess to determine whether you are pushing too hard if this occurs stop and assess whether this stretch session needs further modification or reconsider reassessment should occur.
One common error people make when stretching is trying to do too much or too quickly. To maximize its benefits, stretching should last between 20-45 seconds each time, repeated three or four times for any muscle group that requires loosening up. You should avoid bouncing as you stretch, which could injure muscles further and tighten them even more quickly.
Static or passive stretching can cause injuries when done incorrectly and has even been shown to reduce muscular strength in some studies. Dynamic stretching on the other hand, however, can increase mobility and flexibility; dynamic stretches should preferably be performed before working out or playing sport to warm up muscles and increase range of motion.
Aerobic exercises such as running, walking and cycling have been proven to combat some of the effects of aging by increasing bone density and encouraging cell division. High intensity interval training (HIIT), another great form of aerobic exercise that reverses some effects of aging is also an excellent way to enhance health and reduce some effects associated with growing older. HIIT alternates short bursts of intense exercise with quick recovery periods in between; studies have proven its ability to boost metabolism and burn fat.
