{"id":183467,"date":"2025-10-07T15:08:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/183467\/"},"modified":"2025-10-07T15:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T15:08:09","slug":"the-exercise-that-takes-off-20-years-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/183467\/","title":{"rendered":"The Exercise That Takes Off 20 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

After all, what you don\u2019t use, you lose. That goes for muscle \u2013 but also for bones, the respiratory system<\/a> and the pelvic floor. Regular exercise also improves the non-REM phase (deep sleep in which the eyes do not move), which also decreases with age. Having longer non-REM phases is related to gradual and healthy ageing. \u201cStrength training is an investment in health for the future,\u201d Isidro says. \u201cIt reduces anxiety and it makes us feel better at all levels. In reality, a healthy body is a perfect body.\u201d<\/p>\n

The right amount of strength training<\/p>\n

While water<\/a> is essential for our hydration, too much of it can be dangerous. Strength training is similar: the proper dosage is key. It\u2019s not about doing it in excess \u2013 it\u2019s about doing it right. The right dose, says Isidro, means few repetitions, lots of recovery time, and, above all, not gunning for fatigue. \u201cMany people think that, if they don\u2019t get tired, they haven\u2019t trained properly. It\u2019s actually just the opposite. In strength, we\u2019re not looking to exhaust ourselves \u2013 we\u2019re looking for quality.\u201d To that end, here are seven points to keep in mind in order to strength train properly, no matter your age or fitness level.<\/p>\n

Increase the frequency slowly<\/p>\n

The minimum for adaptation is two days a week, although the ideal scenario would be to progress to three or four with breaks in between \u2013 one day on, one day off. You should also do strength before endurance. If you do both on the same day, it\u2019s best to finish with cardio.<\/p>\n

Start with the legs<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new to working out, it\u2019s best to focus on the legs<\/a>. They are the largest reservoir of muscle mass in the body and also the quickest to deteriorate. In addition, the legs contain a lot of fast-twitch fibres, so training them is vital.<\/p>\n

Prioritise intensity over reps<\/p>\n

Do reps at a high intensity (quickly) to work the fast-twitch fibres. It is recommended to do a few repetitions, half or less of the maximum you can do, to avoid fatigue. \u201cThe key is speed and intensity, because that\u2019s what activates the fast fibres through the nervous system,\u201d says Isidro.<\/p>\n

Incorporate rest<\/p>\n

Give yourself plenty of time to rest between sets. At a minimum, rest time should be one minute, but two or three minutes between exercises is even better. \u201cYou\u2019re fully recovered when you can speak and sing, not just grunt monosyllables,\u201d says Isidro.<\/p>\n

Avoid fatigue<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is essential that the exercise be non-exhausting or fatiguing. When you fatigue, you\u2019re working the slow-twitch fibre and continuing to lose fast-twitch fibres,\u201d says Isidro. \u201cIt\u2019s better to do a few exercises well and repeat them a couple of times. Stop before fatigue sets in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Start small<\/p>\n

Start with short workout sessions that last five to 15 minutes. Do them in circuit format, alternating exercises with breaks. \u201cWe all have 10 minutes a day if we prioritise. Forget your previous experience \u2013 many of us think that exercise should be tiring and painful [in order] to work. If we do less, we enjoy it more and see the benefits, creating a positive ripple effect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Breathe right<\/p>\n

Working the respiratory muscles is also essential, because it improves recovery and endurance. Take long, full breaths, breathing into the diaphragm.<\/p>\n

When, where and how<\/p>\n

According to Isidro, the best time to exercise is in the morning. \u201cThis stimulates the sympathetic system early, which makes it easier for the parasympathetic system<\/a> to be stimulated in the evening, improving sleep.\u201d If possible, exercise outdoors, because contact with nature and socialisation have a direct and positive effect on health.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"After all, what you don\u2019t use, you lose. That goes for muscle \u2013 but also for bones, the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":183468,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[712,6647,102,56,54,55,7268],"class_list":{"0":"post-183467","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-fitness","8":"tag-beauty","9":"tag-fitness","10":"tag-health","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom","13":"tag-unitedkingdom","14":"tag-wellness"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183467","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=183467"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183467\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/183468"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}