9 of the best fitness stories – expert advice to inspire your week

This information can be powerful for your health and fitness if you’re open to experimenting with different intensity levels during exercise – and if you understand the limits of the data.

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Five exercises to beat burnout and stress

Here are the top movement techniques to calm the mind – and none of them are running.

Pounding the pavements, despite what we’ve been led to believe, might not in fact be the best way to run off a bad mood. Academics at Ohio State University compared “arousal-increasing” activities such as hitting a bag, jogging, cycling and swimming with “arousal-decreasing” activities; deep breathing, mindfulness, meditation and yoga. The latter were most effective at calming anger, while (arousal-increasing) jogging was the most likely activity to increase anger.

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The benefits of a daily walk, according to the experts

Walking is great for your physical and mental health – and even the most casual stroll can give you a boost.

“Ten thousand steps a day.” It has become almost a religious mantra for anyone embarking on walking as an exercise routine. But you don’t need to adhere to this to feel the benefits of getting outside and stretching your legs.

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This weight-lifting workout in your 60s can preserve strength for years

It’s never too late to start lifting weights – and now there are more signs it can provide enduring health benefits for older people.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found that regularly lifting weights for a year in your mid-60s can preserve the strength of your leg muscles for years to come.

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Why cycling to work could be the fitness boost you need

With more endorphins and no train cancellations, one way to make your commute more bearable is to get on two wheels.

During a lifetime, workers will spend thousands of hours commuting to and from work. Although the Covid-19 pandemic allowed many of us to work from home, a 2022 United Kingdom government survey suggests that the average person in England travels over 1610km every year while commuting. One way to make these journeys more enjoyable – and improve your fitness in the process – is to get on two wheels.

Cyclists are likely to be fitter, leaner, less stressed and mentally more positive than road or rail commuters. They don’t pollute, they cause very little congestion, and their commuting costs are far, far less than those of drivers or public transport users. What’s more, they know exactly how long it takes to get to work.

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Eight fitness myths that drive experts crazy

Running is bad for your knees. The heavier the weight the better. Ice baths. And more.

When done right, exercise can be a veritable miracle drug. But follow the wrong advice and you can easily set yourself up for injury. Take the sit-up: Once considered the gold standard of core exercises, we now know that it can make low-back pain worse.

Fitness culture is rife with such misconceptions, because of constantly evolving science and fitness influencers who share tips based on “anecdote and gym lore”, said Brad Schoenfeld, a professor of exercise science at Lehman College in New York. “Once those opinions are disseminated to the public and take hold, they are hard to change.”

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Auckland’s best gyms, fitness and wellbeing spots

Auckland is full of fantastic fitness and wellbeing hotspots that could be your new go-to for exercise, recovery and wellbeing and to help create positive lifestyle habits.

It’s all about finding the right thing for you and making sure you love it enough to keep coming back. Try an intro-offer pack before committing and chat to the staff about your needs and preferences. You’re guaranteed to find friendly coaches or even other members who are happy to help along the way.

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Hit an exercise plateau? This is the fastest way to boost your fitness

One reason many adults avoid sprinting is that the thought of past injuries (or possible future ones) can be frightening. Another, of course, is that sprinting is hard, often leaving us doubled over gasping for air.

But hard is the idea. Sprinting puts an enormous amount of stress on our physical systems, which — when done safely — makes us stronger, more resilient and more fit.

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From smartwatches to VR headsets, the best technology to help boost your fitness

When it comes to mixing fitness and wellbeing with technology things are becoming increasingly complex. An endless list of companies now promise to increase your health exponentially with the help of their latest (and more often than not, expensive) gadget, and it pays to do the research before you invest.

Likewise, taking the time to consider your personal lifestyle and approach to health is a helpful tool worth employing to avoid clever marketing designed to suck you in. There’s no point investing in the latest at-home workout solution if you’ve never tried its modality before, nor is the world’s most expensive fitness tracker necessary if you’re new to exercise overall.

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