Reprinted from Central Radio and Television Network

Guiding experts:

Wang Changjiang, Associate Chief physician of Orthopaedics, People's Liberation Army Rocket Force Special Medical Center of the People's Liberation Army of China

Bodybuilding lecturer of Beijing Sport University

Qiu Xuqiang, Associate Professor of Sports medicine Department, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University

60 squats per day to support legs and fight against aging

     Squatting exercise is simple, effective, and scientific, without the need for equipment or space. Whether it's at home or between work, as long as there is a "standing space", it can be performed at any time.

     As the saying goes, "When a person grows old, their legs wither first, and when a tree grows old, its roots wither first." Legs are the pivot of the body, containing 50% of the body's nerves and blood vessels, and flowing 50% of the blood. Therefore, maintaining good legs is a key to health and fitness. Squatting exercise is a great tool for maintaining legs, promoting blood circulation, and strengthening leg muscles. When a person squats down, the muscles in their legs and buttocks are compressed, causing blood in their lower limbs to quickly flow back to the heart. When they get up, the blood quickly returns. This squat together is beneficial for the smooth flow of qi and blood, and can have health preservation and anti-aging effects. In addition, squatting exercise can also strengthen the muscle strength of lower limbs, consolidate the stability of knee joints, reduce blood lipids, prevent cardio cerebral Vascular disease, delay the decline of brain function, and improve sexual function.

      Although squatting is simple, there are also many details to consider. When standing, the legs should be separated by the same width as the shoulders, the toes facing outward, the knee joint perpendicular line should not exceed the front toes, the buttocks should be like sitting on a bench, and the waist should be straightened, the head should be raised, and the abdomen should be tightened throughout the entire process. There should be no movement of holding the chest and knees. Inhale when squatting and exhale when standing.

      According to the extent of squatting, squatting can be roughly divided into half squatting, deep squatting, and full squatting. In addition, there are popular squatting methods such as archery squatting and side squatting. The angle of the thigh above the knee level is considered a half squat, and the angle below the knee level is considered a deep squat. The Quadriceps participated most in deep squatting, and the Gluteus maximus was stimulated most in full squatting. When exercising, the vast majority of people should focus on deep squats, supplemented by half squats and full squats.

      Bob, a bodybuilding lecturer at Beijing Sport University, suggested that when squatting, you should slow down and get up quickly, otherwise your knee joint will be easily damaged. When approaching the lowest position of squatting, it is best to slow down further to better exercise the leg muscles.

    Squatting should be done according to one's ability and gradually. It is recommended to do 4 groups of 15 each day first, and then gradually increase the number. The rhythm standard for squatting is approximately once every 5 seconds, and the amount of exercise should be controlled by oneself. It is recommended to have asthma and pulse beats of 120-140 times per minute after each activity. In addition, the squatting range should also depend on the strength of each human body, and squatting is not suitable for everyone. People suffering from hypertension, diabetes and joint diseases should not do it; Elderly or weak individuals can first use half squats or "1/4" squats. The bending angle of the knee joint depends on personal physical condition and feelings. When squatting, it should be slow and stable. When exercising, you can hold the head of the bed or door frame with your hand, doing 10 squats at a time, no more than 5 times a day, or adjust it appropriately according to your own conditions.

     If muscle pain occurs at the beginning of practice, there is no need to worry. This is caused by the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles. If you persist for a few more days, the pain will disappear. Squatting exercises should follow the principle of continuity, and only by persisting every day can significant results be achieved.

Precautions for exercise for the elderly, middle-aged, and young

      Children and adolescents should avoid surprise training. This age group is an important stage of growth and development, where human bones are not yet formed and muscle strength is weak. Some students usually have heavy homework and lack exercise, so they only rush to train before the physical education entrance exam in order to achieve sports results in the short term, which can actually lead to problems. For example, excessive running can easily lead to Periostitis on the inner side of the lower leg. Some children may feel pain in the front or back of their feet, thinking it is "growth pain", but it is actually inflammation caused by excessive exercise. In addition, children with Flat feet are not suitable for running too much. Some children practice the piano under the supervision of their parents and repeat their hand movements for a long time, which is easy to cause Tenosynovitis. So children and teenagers should pay attention to avoiding excessive activity stimulation, and it is best not to do too many repetitive movements, and to diversify their exercise.

      Young and middle-aged people should not be too violent. Young and middle-aged people have strong bones and strong muscle strength, but they are also vulnerable to injury. They usually enjoy competitive sports such as basketball and football, where physical collisions often occur. Many people also enjoy sports such as tennis that require vigorous swinging. Young and middle-aged people are prone to excessive force during jumping and running, or accidental injuries such as sprains and fractures due to uncoordinated movements during spiking and swinging. Therefore, it is recommended that such people do not exercise too vigorously, do not excessively pursue "win" and "win", and avoid accidental injuries.

      Elderly people should act according to their abilities. Most of the elderly have osteoporosis, weak muscle strength, and are often accompanied by cardiovascular disease, so they are suitable for small amplitude and low intensity exercise. However, even if such exercise is carried out, it must be done within one's capabilities. Some grandmothers like to dance square dances, and sometimes they need to do "toe pads" with one leg to exert force. Once the leg muscles are not strong enough, it is easy to cause Achilles tendon sprains and falls. Many elderly people are yoga enthusiasts, and although this exercise is relatively gentle, there are also many positions that are not suitable for the elderly. Therefore, the most important thing for elderly people to exercise is to make the right choices based on their physical condition and adhere to the principle of "being able to do it".

Do more Push-up and cardiovascular sticks

      A study by Harvard University found that the number of Push-up a middle-aged man can complete is an indicator of his overall heart health. Compared with those who can only do it less than 10 times, men who do it more than 40 times at a time have a 96% lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

      Push-up is a kind of training method that mainly exercises upper limbs, waist and abdominal muscles. It not only has certain benefits for the heart and cardiovascular system, but also can shape a perfect upper body, improve chest condition, and enhance physical strength if practiced consistently.

To do a good Push-up, you need to master four skills:

      Firstly, find the palm pitch that suits you, with your hands naturally shoulder width apart and no more than 35 centimeters between your palms. Teach you a way to find a suitable palm distance: extend your arms horizontally to both sides, place your palms naturally on both sides of your head, and then do a movement of drawing back the Scapula, and clamp your elbows to the body. At this time, the palm distance is the most suitable for Push-up.

      Secondly, always maintain a tight abdomen. Otherwise, the waist will collapse to the ground, and the hips and lower limbs will land first, greatly reducing the effect.

      Third, before Push-up, you need to do a detail of adduction elbow. The purpose is to avoid too much elbow opening and too strong shoulder force in the process of Push-up, which will not only make you feel tired, but also affect the exercise effect.

      Fourth, keep the shoulders retracted. Of course, it is not necessary to lock the elbow joint. When the elbow is properly bent to the highest point, it can well keep the Shoulder joint retracted, so as to better exercise and stimulate the chest muscles.

      Do Push-up for 1 to 2 months will have a more obvious effect, muscle thickening, strength increase, stronger upper limbs. If you want to further exercise, you need to do weight bearing Push-up, and then equipment training. You should ask a professional coach for guidance. For beginners, Push-up should be done in 2 to 4 groups every day, 10 in each group, and rest for 1 to 2 minutes before doing the next group. Gradually increase the dosage after adaptation. But it is important to pay attention to gradual progress and grouping is the most effective method for stimulating muscles. However, many people do Push-up that fail to really exercise their chest. Here are some common problems.

1. Weak core strength, using lower back muscles to compensate for strength can cause lumbar collapse or arch. It should be to tuck in your abdomen, straighten your legs, and relax your waist.

2. Not breathing during exercise. Many people like to hold their breath or even breathe, which is unscientific. It should be inhaling when the body is falling and exhaling when supported by the hands.

3. I like to bow my head and my neck is too tight. It should be a slight retraction of the chin to maintain a normal curvature of the human spine.

4. The position of the Scapula is not fixed, and I like to pinch my shoulder. My arms are too abduction. The correct posture should be to maintain the elbow at a 20-40 degree angle to the torso, while maintaining a stable state of the shoulder straps, and then lift them up.

Six Mistakes of Exercise Accelerating Aging

Error 1: Exercise is too intensive. Although it is admirable to have a well-designed exercise schedule, rest is still necessary. Prolonged, vigorous exercise, and lack of sleep can increase the level of cortisol in the blood, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels. These sugars combine with collagen fibers, leading to decreased skin elasticity, long spots, and premature appearance of wrinkles. No matter how enthusiastic you are about exercising, take at least one day off per week.

Error 2: Poor body posture. Poor posture can damage the spine and make you permanently hunched. To avoid poor posture and incorrect exercise posture, you need to exercise under the guidance of a professional coach who can calibrate the deviation positions of various parts of your body. Yoga, Pilates, or ballet exercises can also correct poor posture.

Error 3: Only do aerobic exercise. Although many people persist in exercising, they only engage in aerobic exercise. In fact, Strength training can help you continue to burn calories when not exercising, and help maintain muscle weight and make people look young.

Error 4: Neglecting pelvic floor muscles. When you exercise, the pelvic floor muscles may not be the first muscle area you think of, but they are very important. Neglect of pelvic floor muscles can lead to abdominal obesity and Urinary incontinence after women enter middle age. To keep the pelvic floor muscles tight, you can do Kegel exercise (anal lifting exercise) three times a day, three groups each time, 10 times each.

Error 5: Neglecting high-intensity interval exercise. High intensity intermittent exercise is very effective in resisting aging. A study in the Journal of Cell Metabolism shows that the mitochondrial performance of the elderly engaged in high-intensity intermittent exercise has increased by 69%, which helps to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of diabetes. Therefore, it is necessary to engage in high-intensity interval exercise three times a week.

Error 6: Never depressurize. Practicing yoga and martial arts can help keep your skin hydrated and shiny, and you can also try using meditation to reduce stress and anxiety.