Fitness

Why exercise is as good for your brain as it is for your body

Published

2 years ago

June 11, 2024

A satisfying night’s sleep has long been branded as the cure to all ills, particularly when clearing damaging toxins from the brain.

Neuroscientists have long believed that deep sleep helps the clearance of problematic debris from the brain, flushing away many of the proteins and metabolites thought to be involved in the development of Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

This is hardly reassuring for the insomniacs amongst us. However definitive proof has always been hard to come by, and a new study in the journal Nature Neuroscience has poured cold water on the theory. While sleep is still vital for many aspects of health, Bill Wisden, a professor at the UK Dementia Research Institute who was involved in leading the study, says that being active may actually play a far bigger role in toxin clearance.

“We have shown that brain clearance is highly efficient during the waking state,” he says. “In general, being awake, active, and exercising may more efficiently clean the brain of toxins.”

This is undoubtedly good news for anyone who struggles to get a solid seven hours a night. After all, a brisk half-hour walk is something most of us can manage even after a night of tossing and turning.

Wisden’s suggestion fits in with a growing number of research breakthroughs in recent years that indicate the sheer importance of exercise for all aspects of the brain.

Toxin clearance

Exercise’s role in removing waste from the brain is currently an area of active investigation in research labs across the globe. The working theory relates to certain shape-shifting brain cells known as microglial cells which can take on different personas depending on your state of health.

In some psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia and even Long Covid, the disease process causes microglia to take on a visibly spiky form, generating inflammation and interfering with the brain’s natural workings.

However, researchers suspect that exercise may actively induce microglia to take on a healthier anti-inflammatory guise. This means they would act as helpful scavengers, clearing detritus and ensuring that the synaptic connections between neurons are clean and functioning properly.

“Microglia are there to survey everything,” says Dr Rebecca MacPherson, associate professor at Brock University in Canada where she runs a lab studying how exercise benefits the brain. “We’re exploring this idea that exercise activates them in a way that enhances the way they clear the products of metabolism.”

The brain fertiliser

Research has repeatedly shown that being physically active reduces the risk of all forms of dementia by 28%, and Alzheimer’s disease in particular by 45%.

Over the years scientists have conducted various experiments in which participants have been randomised into two different groups, with one group following an exercise program and the other remaining sedentary. Almost all of them have reported that the exercise program group performed better on cognitive tests, with the same trend found in healthy participants, stroke survivors, and even Alzheimer’s patients.

Much of this is thought to be down to a molecule called brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF. This molecule has gained a reputation among neuroscientists as ‘the brain fertiliser’ for its remarkable ability to stimulate the growth of new neurons and strengthen the connections between them.

“Muscle contractions increase BDNF while your platelets in the blood actually store a lot of BDNF,” says MacPherson. “So with increased blood flow due to exercise, your platelets can release more of it into the circulation.”

Through studies carried out in cells and animals, MacPherson’s lab has even shown that BDNF prevents the accumulation of tiny beta-amyloid protein fragments in the brain by altering the activity of different enzymes, which could explain why exercise helps to diminish the risk of Alzheimer’s.

But BDNF is not the only beneficial molecule released when you exercise. Last year, a study in the journal Neuron showed that exercise causes the production of a hormone called irisin which is capable of clearing amyloid plaques.

Christiane Wrann, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who was involved in the study, has been so fascinated by irisin that she is now looking to develop an artificial form of it as a therapeutic for various neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

“It’s a small hormone which works on neuroinflammation and plaque clearance which makes it very relevant for Alzheimer’s disease,” she says. “I think there’s three or four properties of irisin that make it a really promising drug target.”

How much exercise and which intensity is best?

MacPherson gives a wry smile when this question is broached. “Everyone wants to know exactly what they need to do, and that’s a difficult one to answer,” she says.

The NHS guidelines advise you to do some sort of aerobic exercise, or physical activity which raises your heart rate, for at least 30 minutes per day, five days per week.

MacPherson says that BDNF production correlates with exercise intensity, so your body will produce more when doing higher-intensity forms of activity such as interval training. However, she says it is important for people to do what they feel capable of, and any form of exercise, no matter how mild, will still hold some benefit for the body and the brain.

“I think as an individual, you need to think, how much time do I have and what do I enjoy?” she says. “Even if you’re only able to do moderate intensity exercise, you still get an increase in BDNF, and there’s also the increased blood flow which delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain which will also enhance brain cell growth.”

The scientific reason exercise boosts your mood

Exercise has also been known to have the capacity to provide relief to people struggling with symptoms of depression, such as low mood or anhedonia, which refers to a loss of pleasure in previously rewarding activities.

At University College London, cognitive neuroscientist Professor Jonathan Roiser is currently leading a Wellcome-funded clinical trial to try and understand more about why exercise is so beneficial for mental health.

“I’ve long been interested in the information processing aspects which go wrong in depression and how they contribute to symptoms,” he says. “There are other symptoms that tend to cluster together with anhedonia such as fatigue and difficulty with decision-making, and there are some hints that exercise is specifically targeting these kinds of symptoms.”

Roiser’s trial will examine the greater benefits of aerobic exercise, where participants get out of breath and break sweat, compared to mild stretching and relaxation, in people with depression.

The aim is to get further proof for some of the major theories behind how exercise benefits mental health, such as stimulating the production of dopamine, which is involved in motivation, as well as dampening down inflammation.

“A lot of depressed people experience what we call chronic inflammation which prevents dopamine neurons from firing and perhaps contributes to their symptoms,” he says. “So the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise are a core part of how we think it’s working.”

As we discover more and more about how exercise protects the body, it could even lead to a new class of drugs, known as exercise mimetics which could provide some of the benefits of physical activity to the disabled and frail.

But for the rest of us, researchers have one simple message – whether it’s the gym or playing sports, making time to stay active will keep your mind healthier for longer.

“Whether it’s improving mood or cognitive function, exercise is one of the best things you can do for your brain,” says Wrann.

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Fitness

The HFA Show 2026 Demonstrates the Power of Community With Strong Turnout and Programming – Health & Fitness Association

Published

5 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

The HFA Show 2026 Demonstrates the Power of Community With Strong Turnout and Programming – Health & Fitness Association

From the HFA Hall of Fame to Innovation Alley to the launch of new products from more than 60 companies, The HFA Show 2026 delivers a standout week.

The 2026 HFA Hall of Fame inductees pose together (left to right): Cirulli, Eschbach, Landers, Mills, Runyon, and Elaine LaLanne. Missing are Dave Mortensen, who could not attend, and Jack LaLanne, who received the award posthumously. In the second photo, Keith Morrison, a correspondent for Dateline NBC, presents Elaine LaLanne as an inductee.

The HFA Show 2026 recorded 10,300 registrants, 380 exhibitors, 52 sponsors, and 150 speakers for the March 16-18 event in San Diego, according to the Health & Fitness Association (HFA). It was also the launching pad for new products and services from more than 60 companies.

“What an incredible week full of high energy, dynamic networking, insightful learning, and new product discoveries,” said HFA President and CEO Liz Clark. “It was gratifying to support such an extraordinary group of industry leaders and innovators from around the world with this year’s show. Our team has poured more than a year of work into this event, and we’re already energized to make next year’s gathering in Las Vegas on March 10–12, 2027, even more spectacular.”

Clark went on to thank additional groups beyond HFA team members.

“We’d like to thank all our sponsors, exhibitors, speakers, and board members for making this year’s event such a strong and inspiring showcase for the industry,” Clark said. “Your commitment and partnership helped create a world-class experience that truly moved our industry forward.”

The unofficial launch of the event occurred on the evening of March 15, with 240 people gathering for the HFA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, sponsored by The Bay Club Company, to honor the organization’s second class of inductees: Gainesville Health & Fitness CEO Joe Cirulli, Exhale and ResetOne Founder Annbeth Eschbach, Fitness Formula Founder Gale Landers, Les Mills Founder and Managing Director Phillip Mills, Purpose Brands Co-founders Dave Mortensen and Chuck Runyon, and fitness icons Jack and Elaine LaLanne. Ticket sales and sponsorships for the HFA Hall of Fame ceremony raised more than $200,000 for the HFA Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity that works to support health through exercise.

The evening also included a celebration recognizing Elaine LaLanne’s 100th birthday, which was March 19. Keith Morrison, a Dateline NBC correspondent and friend of Elaine, presented Elaine and her husband Jack, who passed away in 2011, for induction. Celebrities such as Billy Crystal, Mark Wahlberg, and Tony Danza sent videos congratulating her on her 100th birthday.

HFA handed out three other awards at the event. The Jim Worthington Advocate of the Year Award went to Chris Craytor, CEO of ACAC Fitness & Wellness Centers, for his service to the fitness industry and HFA. The John Holsinger Global Leader Award was given to LifeFit Group CEO Martin Seibold. Bodytech Colombia Co-founder and Executive Vice President Gigliola Aycardi received the Woman Leader Award in Honor of Julie Main.

This year’s keynoters (left to right): Dhawan, Itzler, and Ohno.

The HFA Show included annual President’s Address by Clark as well as three keynote addresses:

March 16 – Clark recapped the highlights of the past year for HFA and urged even further engagement by industry leaders as global influence and expectations grow for the industry.
March 16 – Author and teamwork expert Erica Dhawan shared strategies for building trust, fostering agility, and strengthening collaboration in the age of AI. Her keynote was sponsored by Zenoti.
March 17 – Author and entrepreneur Jesse Itzler shared lessons about creating opportunity, cultivating resilience, and building a life that achieves big goals without sacrificing what matters most. His keynote was sponsored by Matrix.
March 18 – Olympic speed-skating champion Apolo Ohno shared lessons on reinvention, adaptability, and performance in a rapidly changing environment in his keynote, sponsored by ROR.

Other highlights of the conference program were:

The 29th Annual Financial Panel, which was renamed the Rick Caro Financial Panel in honor of Rick Caro, president of Management Vision, who created the panel 28 years ago and had moderated it each year until his death in August 2025. This year’s panel was sponsored by AltaDX.
The Women’s Leadership Summit and Reception, sponsored by Daxko.
The Brazilian Forum and the Latin American Forum, both sponsored by ABC Fitness.
The Canadian Forum, EMEA Forum, and APAC Forum

Highlights of the trade show floor were:

Innovation Alley (sponsored by Sweatworks) featurinh the following companies: Alchemy Innovations LLC, AI Advertising by Mixo Ads, BELLIX, Bolt Recovery, Buzz Bomb Caffeine Company, DetecFit, Fit – M.O., Fit-X, HipDoc, InSquare, MatFresher, Milton AI, Nervō Labs, ObliQ Fitness, OmniFit, OnSight, Silient, Superset App, and xplate.
Innovation Alley Pitchfest, which featured many of the Innovation Alley companies offering a three-minute pitch of their product. The winners of the Pitchfest will be announced soon. They will receive a complimentary booth at The HFA Show 2027 and will be recognized in a future issue of Health & Fitness Business.
The New Product Zone featuring nine companies: Body Energy Technology, Buzz Bomb Caffeine, Core Champion, Echelon Fit, Escape Fitness, Linear Bar, Martoni Bikes, The Abs Company, and WeGym
The Pickleball Experience
The Demonstration Stage
The Recovery Lounge (outside the trade show floor) with products from Am-Finn Sauna Company, CryoBuilt, Silent, WellFit, and WellnessSpace Brands.

“What stood out this year wasn’t just the scale of the event, but the strength of the conversations happening across every part of the show,” Clark said. “From the keynote stage and education sessions to the trade show floor, industry leaders came together to share ideas, explore innovation, and build the relationships that will help shape the future of health and fitness.”

HFA would like to acknowledge Alloy Personal Training Solutions, LLC for authorizing the use of its registered trademark “Stronger Together” as the theme for The HFA Show 2026. The HFA Show 2027 will take place March 10-12, 2027, at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Fitness

I Tried Jennifer Aniston’s 10-Minute Arm Workout. These Exercises Had My Upper Body on Fire

Published

17 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

I Tried Jennifer Aniston’s 10-Minute Arm Workout. These Exercises Had My Upper Body on Fire

I like a challenge when I work out and over the years I’ve enjoyed trying different types of exercise. It doesn’t matter how long the routine is (ideally under an hour), as long as someone tells me what to do and I feel the burn.

So when I got the opportunity to work out with Jennifer Aniston’s trainer, Pvolve VP of Training Dani Coleman, and do the actor’s 10-minute arm workout, I jumped on it. I’m fairly active and do about 3-4 workout classes a week, including HIIT, circuit training and Pilates. However, I do feel like I have room for improvement when it comes to my upper-body strength.

“The Morning Show” star uses just one simple fitness tool to get her enviably toned arms. What I didn’t expect was how mine would feel like noodles instantly — and for days after!

The Basics: Cost and Equipment

Pvolve can be practiced at home through a membership that starts at $24.99 a month or $224.91 a year.

For this specific routine, we used the P.band, a resistance banded glove that helps strengthen the arms, back and shoulders. It costs $44 and comes with a 14-day free membership.

“This is one of (Aniston’s) favorite pieces to take with her when she’s on set or on the go. It’s a fun travel piece,” Coleman tells TODAY.com.

While I tried a specific 10-minute workout, members can get access to Jen’s Express Series: Arms & Abs — a collection of the actor’s six new on-demand workouts led by Coleman that are all under 15 minutes.

Additionally, Jen’s Arms & Abs Bundle (priced at $204) includes the P.band, P.ball, P.3 Trainer, plus one month of streaming with access to over 1,700 workouts.

Jennifer Aniston’s 10-Minute Arm Workout

For those who don’t have the P.band, Coleman suggests substituting any type of resistance band. The workout consists of performing 10-12 reps for most movements, with 5-8 reps for combo sets.

Movement 1: Band Pull-Apart at Hip Level

Keeping your elbows glued to your sides, bend the elbow at a 90-degree angle so that your forearms are reaching straight out in front of you. Making sure there is resistance on the band. Keeping your elbows tight to your sides, open both arms out to the side, hold and come in nice and slow. Repeat.
End with arms wide with 1-inch pulses reaching back.

Movement 2: Band Pull-Apart at Chest Level

Start with both arms straight out in front of your chest, making sure there is resistance on the band. Open both arms wide to the sides, hold and bring it in nice and slow. Repeat.

Movement 3: Up and Down Flutters

Start with both arms out straight in front of your chest, making sure there is resistance on the band. Begin pulling the band in pulses as you move your arms up four counts to the hairline, and bring it back down for four counts. Repeat about 5-6 times.

Movement 4: Right-Left, Combo

Hold both arms straight above your head. Pull the right arm down toward your hip, keeping your left hand still. Lift back up.
Pull the left arm down toward your hip, keeping the right hand still. Lift back up.
Pull both arms down toward your hips. Lift back up.

Movement 5: Tricep Kickbacks With Pulses

Stand with feet hip-width apart and hinge at the hips until your torso is at a 45-degree angle with the floor. Bend your left arm up toward your chest and hold here, with your elbow glued to your side. Start with the right elbow bent and your bicep glued to your side. Straighten the arm straight back moving only at the elbow. Hold for a beat and return to start.
End with a round of pulses with right arm back, bending just an inch or two.

Movement 6: Punch Up

Hold both arms at shoulder height, with some slack in the band. Your right arm should be bent at a 90-degree angle and your left arm will stay straight.Keeping the bend in your right arm, punch up toward the ceiling. At the same time, move the left arm down toward the floor. Bring both arms back to center and repeat.

Repeat Movement 5 and 6 for Left Arm

Movement 7: Plank Finisher

Start in a plank position with your feet wide. Open up to the right side, pulling the right elbow toward the sky. Lower back down. Open up to the left side back down, pulling the left elbow toward the sky. Lower back down. Continue alternating. To modify, come down onto the knees.
Finish with at least a 1-minute plank hold to get to the 10-minute mark for the workout.

My Experience Trying Jennifer Aniston’s Arm Workout

I’m not going to lie, I underestimated the workout. I would consider my arms to be a weak point, but I was not expecting to feel the burn right away. I would say the P.band is a medium resistance and it’s important to keep tension in it throughout the workout.

As I was completing the pulse portion in the first movement, I could already see myself using my breath to make it through the hard parts.

Coleman was great at reminding me to keep my shoulders down and stand up straight. As someone who sits for a lot of their work day, pulling my arms apart at chest level and the flutters were where I started to fatigue — and I was only 2:30 minutes in.

I could already feel it in my shoulders and back, noticing how my arms would struggle to pull apart the band. My breath really kept me steady when I needed an extra push.

I noticed my arms getting weaker when we did the right-left, combo movement. At this point, Coleman mentioned how this exercise helps target the back muscles that “typically, most of us are a little weaker in” because we’re on our phone, computer or driving.

Giving them “extra love,” I persisted through the fire that was now consistently burning — even though we were only 4 minutes in.

When it came to the tricep kickbacks, Coleman gave me a modification of gripping the arm in front toward me instead of having it straight out with knuckles facing away.

“Nice and relaxed,” she reminded me, though I was anything but that.

I continued to power through, there were no big rests in between movements — and this, in my opinion, helped to keep things moving forward.

During the plank portion, Coleman said to perform the move in 1-minute increments, or as long as you can hold each one, to complete reach the 10-minute workout total. The fatigue was really setting in. I had to put a knee down to hold myself up. Determined to complete the workout, I quickly pushed myself back up and completed them as best as I could — but I was wiped out!

Overall, the movements were simple enough (despite me feeling weak) and her guidance helped me keep my form in check.

My arms instantly felt sore, and that same feeling continued throughout the day and into the next. I could tell that I had worked different muscles that I did not regularly use when using weights.

Fitness

Tip of the day: Do this exercise every week to improve your memory

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

Tip of the day: Do this exercise every week to improve your memory

Exercise is revered time and again as one of the best ways to keep your body fit and agile. It helps prevent many lifestyle diseases. It is recommended to stay active and do some basic exercises regularly to maintain your fitness.

ALSO READ: Pain in knees when you walk? Cult Fit founder shares 5 exercises to strengthen joints

Find out which exercise helps to improve your brain health. (Picture credit: Freepik)

But beyond physical health, your brain also reaps rewards. Skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, reasoning, and especially memory are strengthened from staying active.

When talking about exercise, the intensity also matters. There are different levels, from light activities to moderate and vigorous workouts. Each of them has its own advantageous but some offer slightly greater benefits than others.

For today’s tips, let’s see which exercise can help improve your memory.

Tip of the day: Do HIIT exercise

Exercise offers protective benefits for your brain health, improving cognitive functions. According to a study published in Ageing and Disease, researchers identified a particular type of exercise that helps strengthen memory and learning, especially in older adults. Higher-intensity training (HIIT) was found to be the most beneficial.

In the study, the researchers followed participants aged 65-85, divided into three groups based on exercise intensity: low-intensity training, medium-intensity training, and high-intensity training. The participants performed these exercises for six months. The results showed that those who did HIIT experienced improvements in hippocampal function.

How often should you do HIIT exercise?

HIIT is a form of intense exercise performed in short bursts, including sprints, skipping rope, jump squats, and mountain climbers. It works by helping brain cells grow and develop connections. In fact, the benefits can last up to five years. The researchers also recommended that just three HIIT sessions per week for six months could improve your brain health.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.