fatigue<\/a>. \u201cThe key is speed and intensity, because that\u2019s what activates the fast fibres through the nervous system,\u201d says Isidro.<\/p>\nIncorporate 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 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
You don\u2019t need a gym to get the benefits. Working out with your own body weight can be really effective. \u201cThe important thing is that the exercises are adapted to your fitness level, so that you can repeat and maintain them over time,\u201d Isidro says. \u201cAnd if you can do them in a group or with friends, even better. Socialising motivates, engages, and, as studies show, lengthens life.\u201d<\/p>\n
How to test your muscle function<\/p>\n
Several simple tests can be done at home in order to check your current strength level and to show you where we may need to improve. \u201cThe important thing about these tests is not only to know where we are, but also to measure how we are progressing,\u201d notes Isidro. \u201cSometimes the change is perceived in how we feel, but other times we need objective data, and these are very simple tools that allow us to tangibly see how strength training is helping us improve.\u201d Below, some of those tests:<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Start with the legs If you\u2019re new to working out, it\u2019s best to focus on the legs. They…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":192035,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[46],"tags":[6647,102,56,54,55,7268],"class_list":{"0":"post-192034","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","13":"tag-wellness"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192034","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=192034"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/192034\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/192035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=192034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=192034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=192034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}