A lack of exercise can cause significant health problems, from heart disease to joint and muscular pain. If you aren’t enthusiastic about exercise and haven’t ever really given the idea of taking up regular exercise much thought, then it’s time to change that. The importance of exercise was realised during the COVID-19 pandemic when people who were fit and in good shape were announced as being significantly less likely to die from the virus or at least succumb to serious disease.
This post will explain why regular exercise can improve your health:
One of the great things about exercise is that there are lots of different forms of exercise that you can take up. If an exercise doesn’t appeal to you or you get bored of it, then you can find something else. Many exercises don’t even require equipment, and some require very little. One form of exercise that’s extremely good for you and is practised by celebrities like Mick Jagger and Jerry Hall is Pilates. The required Pilates equipment for 2022 doesn’t differ that much from the equipment needed in other years, except the equipment available this year is more functional, effective, and cost-efficient. Whatever exercise you choose to take up, remember to research equipment beforehand so that you can be sure that you have everything you need.
Regular exercise helps to build up your body’s muscles and make them stronger. A lot of people think that bodybuilding is the only way of building up one’s muscles, but this isn’t the case. If you want to have a large chest and biceps but don’t want to go to a gym and lift weights, then you do have other options. One of the best options is callisthenics, which is a form of exercise that involves using one’s own weight to exercise. A popular callisthenic exercise that can build up your chest and arms is the simple push-up. Building muscles strengthens your bodily organs, muscles, and joints, significantly improving your health.
In addition to building strength, exercise also helps you to be more flexible. When the term ‘flexible’ is mentioned in relation to exercise, a lot of people think the only advantage of being more flexible is having the ability to do the splits or lift one’s leg over one’s head. This couldn’t be any more wrong. Being more flexible can help you to move around more freely, reduce joint pain, and significantly reduce your chances of developing restrictive mobility issues as you grow older. Pilates, which has already been mentioned, is an extremely effective way of improving your body’s flexibility.
You don’t just build physical strength when you exercise, you also build mental strength. The world’s experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis, partly due to the lockdowns that people experienced during the pandemic’s early days. If you are suffering from anxiety, depression, or a stress disorder, then regular exercise will help you to overcome your issues and fight back against them. Not only does exercise give you a method of eliminating stress, but it also helps you to regulate your body’s hormones. When you function better mentally, you will feel better physically. Better functioning mental health means that you are more likely to feel happy, content and fulfilled with your life.
You don’t just feel happier when you exercise, you also feel more confident. Feeling more confident can help you to feel better about your life. Confidence can also make it easier for you to make changes in your life. For example, if you are unhappy with your job or want to remove somebody from your friendship circle, confidence will help you to make these decisions. Confidence will also make you more attractive to potential romantic interests (as will a stronger body and better functioning mind). If you are interested in meeting new people and finding a romantic partner, then exercise is an effective way of making this a possibility.
Lastly, the more you exercise, the longer you are likely to live. Extensive research has gone into this, and scientists have been able to conclusively show that people who exercise more have longer lifespans. In addition to living longer, people that exercise often in their youth are significantly more likely to be in good shape as they enter their old age. This means that not only will you get more years on the planet, but you will be fit and able to move around freely in them.
Exercise can improve your health physically and mentally. If you don’t exercise much, then now’s the time to. As this article has already stated, there are lots of different exercises for you to try out. The best way to learn about them is to read a book, hire a personal trainer, or watch instructional videos on the internet.