The Workout Routine to Keep You Young and Healthy
Many people think that exercising is expensive, time-consuming and even a burden. However, this simple workout routine requires just 40-60 minutes of your day and minimal equipment.
Cardio:
Running is a time-tested cardio exercise but if you’re not into that, there are plenty of other options. Actress Halle Berry swears by boxing as a major calorie-burner that is meant to give you a blood-pumping full body workout. She also mentions how it improves hand-eye coordination, which is a cognitive ability that tends to weaken as we age. It goes without saying that Halle Berry, who is now 52, doesn’t look a day over 35. If a boxing gym or a coach is not accessible to you, you can opt for a boxer’s workout with a skipping rope. Skipping burns more calories than running and Shape Magazine states that it is also a great total body workout. Your legs are being given good exercise, but you’re also working your core and arms at the same time. You can dedicate anywhere between 5—30 minutes for a cardio session before moving on to the next phase.
Strengthening:
Now that you’ve raised your heart rate, it’s time to keep your muscles tight by following this simple routine for the next 20 minutes or so.
Squats: 8-10 reps
With your feet hip-width apart, bend your knees while trying to sit your hips to the back. Making sure that your knees are not going way beyond your ankles, lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor and then stand up.
Front Lunges: 8-10 reps each leg
Place your hands on your hips. Put your right foot forward and bend your legs. Your right thigh is parallel to the ground and your right knee is just above your ankle. Step back to the starting position and repeat on the left leg.
Planks: 30-60 seconds
Start with your hands and knees on the floor. Keeping your hands directly underneath your shoulders, extend your feet towards the back. Push the floor away from you and make sure that your hips are not sticking up nor sagging down.
Push-up: 8-10 reps
Start in a plank position. You can keep your knees down or up. You can keep your hands a little wider for an easier modification. Look forward and slowly bend your elbows until they are at a 90-degree angle. Then push against the floor to come back to the starting position.
Bridge Up: 12-15 reps
From a supine position, put your feet on the floor near your hips so that you can touch the back of your heels. Press your palms down and slowly lift your hips up toward the ceiling. Squeeze as you reach the top and come back down.
Do 3-5 rounds of this routine depending on your level.
Cool-down:
Finish with a stretching routine which involves yoga poses. Professional tennis player Maria Sharapova’s go-to workout is yoga which involves a lot of mobility work. A cool-down that involves yoga stretching is important to reduce muscle soreness and injury. In an article by Coral on some of the most successful tennis players in the world, they discuss how it’s easy to forget that Sharapova is still just 31 years old, having made her first Grand Slam appearance at the age of 15 in 2003. As such, her athleticism and workout routines have helped keep her looking young and radiant. Even if you’re not a professional athlete, yoga is still an effective way to feel young in your own body as you will minimize the aches and pains that come with age.
If you want to delay aging, exercise should be one of your priorities. I On The Scene noted how physical activity has anti-aging benefits, particularly in keeping your heart healthy. A sweat session can give you glowing skin, improve posture and flexibility, reduce fat and boost your mood— all of which are directed at helping you look young and feel young from the inside.
