<\/p>\n All you need to do is roll out one of the best yoga mats<\/a> and read on.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Why exercise matters for longevity<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Shutterstock)<\/p>\n As the host of the Living Longevity Retreat, Dr. Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist, wellness coach and bestselling author of Immune to Age<\/a>, explains that longevity isn\u2019t just about the number of years we live.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about the quality of those years,\u201d she explains. \u201cMy goal is to help people develop daily habits that preserve health, strength, cognitive function and resilience, so later years are lived with wellbeing and vitality.\u201d In other words, it\u2019s not just about avoiding illness, but thriving in later life, maintaining vitality, independence and a sense of purpose.<\/p>\n \u201cBy making movement a daily priority, you can significantly enhance your longevity, ensuring you remain active and independent well into your later years,\u201d says Macciochi. Exercise helps maintain muscle mass, cardiovascular health and brain function as we age, and research<\/a> consistently links regular physical activity with a longer lifespan.\u201d<\/p>\n One pooled analysis<\/a> of 11 studies found that even modest amounts of leisure-time exercise can increase life expectancy by up to 4.2 years. Another study<\/a> showed that middle-aged people in high-activity groups lived as much as eight years longer than those who were sedentary.<\/p>\n The benefits don\u2019t stop there. \u201cMovement supports immune function by reducing chronic inflammation and improving lymphatic circulation,\u201d says Macciochi. \u201cIt can boost mood, improve sleep and help you stay strong, agile and mentally sharp.\u201d<\/p>\n What are the exercises for longevity?<\/p>\n Dr. Macciochi recommends animal-inspired movements, which are multi-directional, full-body exercises that boost natural mobility, coordination and strength. Paired with yoga, balance work and breath training, they form a simple but powerful toolkit for lifelong health.<\/p>\n \u201cMoving more like an animal reconnects us with our natural selves,\u201d she says. \u201cIt blends cardio and resistance training while improving joint mobility, balance and brain\u2013body connection.\u201d She believes these types of movements help us reconnect to the dynamic and playful way humans were designed to move.<\/p>\n Here are six moves she recommends trying.<\/p>\n 1. Beast hold<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Future)Begin on all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips.Brace your core, then lift your knees an inch off the floor. Keep your back flat and abs pulled in as if zipping up from your spine.Hold for 30 seconds, keeping as many muscles switched on as possible.<\/p>\n This fires up the deep core muscles, stabilizes the spine and lays the groundwork for more complex moves.<\/p>\n 2. Bear crawl<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Future)From the beast hold, move forward on all fours with knees hovering.Step your right hand and left foot together, then your left hand and right foot, alternating as you crawl forwards or backwards.Continue for 30 seconds.<\/p>\n Keep your hips low, back flat and knees close to the ground. This builds coordination, core strength and shoulder stability while keeping the body in constant motion.<\/p>\n 3. Deep squat to overhead rotation<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Future)Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and drop into a deep squat, with your hips below your knees.Place one hand on the floor, rotate your torso and reach your opposite hand to the ceiling, eyes following your fingertips.Hold briefly, then switch sides.Alternate for 30 seconds.<\/p>\n This opens the hips, mobilizes the spine and boosts rotational strength for better everyday movement.<\/p>\n 4. Forward traveling crab<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Future)Sit on the floor facing upward, hands behind you with fingers pointing in.Lift your hips so your body forms a tabletop.Step forward with your left foot and right hand, then your right foot and left hand, moving forward or backward.Continue for 30 seconds.<\/p>\n Push evenly through hands and feet to keep hips high. This strengthens the glutes, triceps and shoulders, while challenging coordination and stability.<\/p>\n 5. Walking inchworms<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Future)Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.Hinge at the hips to touch the floor, keeping your legs straight.Engage your coreWalk your hands forward into a plank, keeping your body in a straight lineWalk your feet towards your hands, then roll up to standRepeat for 30 seconds, moving forward.<\/p>\n Inchworms stretch the hamstrings, activate the shoulders and core, and encourage fluid, full-body movement.<\/p>\n 6. Lizard crawl<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Future)From a push-up position, step your right foot outside of your right hand as you bend your elbows.Sweep your left arm forward and place it on the floor.Switch sides, stepping your left foot forward with your right arm.Continue for 30 seconds.<\/p>\n Stay as low as possible to work your core, shoulders and hips harder. This builds mobility in the hips and shoulders while developing total-body strength.<\/p>\n How to add animal flow to your routine<\/p>\n Here are some top tips for adding animal flow to your longevity routine:<\/p>\n Move every day: Even short breaks from sitting support circulation and keep you limber.Start slow: Try 30 seconds per move, rest, then repeat the full set three times.Progress gradually\u00a0by increasing reps, deepening your range, linking moves into sequences, or adding resistance in the form of a weighted vest or ankle weights.Give it time: \u201cThese movements may feel awkward at first,\u201d says Macciochi. \u201cBut after a few weeks, they\u2019ll feel more natural and more fun.\u201d<\/p>\n If your goal is to stay healthy and mobile for years to come, these exercises are a smart addition. They\u2019re low-impact, tick multiple fitness boxes and combine strength with mobility with the flow-style of yoga. Think better immune function, stronger muscles and bones, sharper mental focus and a lower risk of chronic disease.<\/p>\n “There\u2019s also something joyful and even nostalgic about moving like an animal,\u201d says Macciochi. \u201cMany of us remember crawling, climbing and leaping as children, and we can tap back into that.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News<\/a> to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.<\/p>\n More from Tom’s Guide<\/p>\n Today’s best Apple Watch 5, Apple Watch SE 44mm and Garmin Venu deals<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If you spend any time in the wellness space, you\u2019ve probably heard the word \u201clongevity.\u201d Living a long,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":109994,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-109993","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-fitness","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-uk","11":"tag-united-kingdom","12":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109993\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/109994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"older](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/enqqRp4Epfst6br85uX9c8.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/CJ22ucdAv9ePqTRLmSCgjd.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/vy5dtTnBfrw6jecqC47Q7Y.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/mtRHjgrFtjQstspcVjG4m5.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/iTNTe85Mh3aCjSS4b9iqxJ.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Qp8UYnZS2oazUknkRg7Wtb.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n![\"Lucy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/t2rxtfvqABSP5DwcUo6D95.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n