Think of the highly successful people you know. They didn’t get there by sitting around. Most likely, they possess daily habits, which reflect discipline and awareness that if you want to achieve great things you need to be at the top of your game physically and mentally.
This is why so many executives get out of bed early, exercise daily and practice meditation.
Here’s what experts have found regarding the importance of exercise.
- Not exercising is worse for you than smoking.
This is according to the researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, who studied the mortality rates of 122,007 adults who performed exercise stress tests on a treadmill at their facility between 1991 and 2014. They determined that the people with the highest level of cardiorespitory fitness had the lowest risk of dying. Put another way, unfit individuals with the lowest levels of aerobic ability have a mortality risk greater than people who smoke or have coronary artery disease or diabetes.
- Exercise doesn’t have to be formal.
What’s more important is finding ways to be active throughout the day. Steven Handel, in his book Small Habits, Big Changes: How the Tiniest Steps Lead to a Happier, Healthier You, calls itan “everything counts mindset.” It’s an attitude wherein you understand that doing even a little bit of exercise is better than non at all. Don’t have time for a half-hour walk or jog? Can you spare 5 minutes instead? Handel suggests finding activities you actually enjoy but get you moving, such as going to a batting cage, throwing a ball around or doing a set of pushups or sit-ups between activities or whenever you walk into your bedroom.
- Strength training is important, too.
I don’t agree with the “too” qualifier at all. As I’ll explain at the end of the post, strength training is of utmost importance.
Let’s get back to what we were saying.
According to research conducted at the University of Michigan, people with low muscle strength (I would prefer muscle mass), are 50 percent more likely to die prematurely, compared to “strong” individuals. You don’t necessarily have to go to the gym for this, bodyweight exercises such as pushups, sit-ups, or body squats can be done anywhere and necessitate no equipment.
According to Harvard Medical School, it only takes 20 minutes of training a day and you should start seeing noticeable results in as little as 4 weeks.
- My comments.
As I briefly touched upon above, resistance training is very important. What should be underlined is that it is the most efficient way to increase your muscle volume and strength, and maximize your cardio vascular fitness.
If you are not a “gym rat”, you can accomplish much by exercising 15 minutes, once a week. Two times a week, when you start.
Please read the following posts:
“Super Slow”, February 16, 2015, and
“Super-Super Slow”, June 17, 2015.
To get the details and reasoning behind Super Slow Training, I suggest you read the below book.
That’s it for now; see you all the next time.
