FORGET expensive supplements and ice baths; if you really want to live longer, you simply need to move more.
Swapping the lift for the stairs and getting up from your desk at work every 30 minutes will help – but if you really want a boost, you need to be CSF-ing at least three times a week.
That’s according to personal trainer Monty Simmons, who says “movement is medicine”;;.
He tells Sun Health: “To live a long time, you need to reduce your risk of disease.
“One of the best ways to do that is through exercise, which will also increase your quality of life.”;;
It’s no secret that is beneficial.
We know that it reduces our risk of , as well as , and .
It also promotes good , positive and improved .
But you may not realise quite how powerful it can be, especially as we age.
Research by Griffith University suggests that increasing your physical activity could add as much as 11 years to your lifespan.
Scientists found over-40s who are currently less active than average could get six extra hours of life for each one-hour daily walk.
And those in the most active group (who managed 160 minutes of daily movement) were 73 per cent less likely to die prematurely than their least active counterparts (who managed 49 minutes per day).
A separate study by Harvard University found doing two to four times the recommended daily exercise guidelines (at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, plus strengthening activities on at least two days) could slash your risk of dying prematurely by almost a third.
Simple things like , to the shops and will all make a difference, but if you want to amp things up, try Monty’s CSF approach.
This means incorporating cardiovascular exercises (C), strength training (S) and flexibility workouts (F) into your routine.
You don’t have to do all three every day, but he says you’ll get the most benefits if you complete the sessions at least three times a week.
CARDIOVASCULAR
“TO reduce your risk of disease, improving your cardiovascular health is essential,”;; Monty, from Move With Monty, says.
“There are loads of different methods to achieve this.
“You can do short-burst, higher-intensity training, which is really good for your cardio system.
“It benefits your ability to recover, improves your lung capacity and heart strength, and boosts your overall mental wellbeing.
“But longer forms of cardio, like running, swimming, or cycling, are also great; they keep your heart rate relatively elevated for up to an hour or so.
“You get all those cardiovascular benefits; more efficient heart pumping, lower resting heart rate, better resistance to stress, easier breathing, and lower blood pressure.”;;
Try this sequence of three exercises for 15 minutes, doing as many rounds as possible (AMRAP) in that time...
1. Jumping jacks (20 reps)
Stand with your feet together, straight legs and arms by your sides.
Jump your feet out to wider than your hips while swinging your arms out to either side then above your head.
Then reverse the move, bringing your feet back together and your arms to your sides.
Stay springy on your feet and keep your legs stiff for bounciness.
Maintaining a consistent rhythm is key.
2. Squat jumps (5 reps)
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
With your hands on your hips, squat down to 90-degrees, then jump up.
Land softly on bent knees, stick your bottom out, keep your chest up, and look forward when you land.
3. Mountain climbers (10 reps)
Get into a plank position and, as if running on the spot, bring your knees up to your chest one at a time.
Don’t let your front foot touch the floor.
STRENGTH
BUT cardio alone isn’t enough.
“The other thing that’s really important for quality of life, aside from reducing disease, is how well you can move – and that’s where strength training comes in,”;; Monty (@movewithmonty) says.
“In order to move well as you age, you need to preserve muscle mass, so you’ve got enough tissue to protect yourself against strains, falls, and so on.
“You want the muscle padding so that you’re robust against impacts.
“Keeping strong means you can resist the natural forces in our environment, so when you step down from something high or lift something heavy, your muscles are strong and can handle the strain.
“This helps you avoid pulling muscles and worrying about feeling fragile.”;;
Monty’s top three are push-ups, Bulgarian split squats and sit-ups.
Find a rep count that works for you now, then increase it as you get stronger.
1. Push ups
Hold a plank position (drop to your knees if you prefer).
Have your hands about shoulder-width apart and bend your elbows to lower your chest almost to the floor.
Then push back up while keeping a stable plank.
2. Bulgarian split squats
Use a box, coffee table, sofa or chair for this one.
Standing with your back to the item, step your right foot behind you onto it.
Make sure your stance length feels right. Go shorter or longer if you feel off-balance or cramped.
Now, lower your right knee to the ground and keep a firm foot on the bench or step.
Rise back up, then switch legs.
3. Sit-ups
Lie down on your back with a slight bend in your knees and your hands at your temples. Now sit up then lower back down.
Having your legs out longer in front of you makes this move easier, and shorter legs tucked towards your bum makes it harder.
If you’re struggling, tuck your feet under something or get a friend or family member to stand on them.
If having your hands at your head is too difficult, use your arms to help with momentum by swinging them overhead to your feet.
FLEXIBILITY
SO you’ve mastered cardio and strength, what’s next?
“Mobility and flexibility are essential too, because as we age, we lose them,”;; Monty says.
“If we don’t preserve them, our bodies stiffen – particularly the spine – and that can seriously impact daily life.
“We might not be able to reach for things or look up at the sky when we want to, because our posture is hunched over and stuck.”;;
To avoid these issues and stay nimble, Monty recommends...
1. Back bends
Stand up straight with your hands on your hips.
Slowly press your hips forward, reach your arms overhead, look up to the ceiling and arch backwards.
Only go as far as you feel comfortable.
2. Side bends
Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders, with your left hand on your hip.
Lift your right arm up and over to the left side. Try not to twist as you move down.
Keep your torso going completely sideways and adjust your stance width for comfort.
Keep your pelvis still so the bend comes from your spine. Switch sides.
3. Toe touches
Stand up straight with your feet slightly apart.
Slowly start to bend over, stick your bottom out and reach down to touch your toes to stretch your hamstrings.
Keep a slight bend in your knees, then rise back up.
HOW OFTEN?
ADULTS aged 19 to 64 should do some type of physical activity every day, according to the NHS.
This should include strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least two days a week, as well as at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity (e.g. brisk walking, dancing, pushing a lawn mower or hiking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (e.g. running, swimming, walking up stairs or aerobics) every week.
This can be spread evenly over four to five days, or every day.
Monty agrees, but suggests that to , you need to be exercising at least three times a week.
Small, consistent efforts over time are better than short bursts of high intensity. You can do a bit here and there
Monty SimmonsPersonal trainer
“I recommend doing full-body exercises,”;; he says.
“If you’re training daily, you don’t have to do full-body every single time, but you do need to keep moving.
“If two or three one-hour sessions sounds like too much, start with shorter 15-minute workouts here and there. Just build the habit of exercising every day.
“The more often you do it, the more active you are, the more you reduce your disease risk.
“Frequency and progression are essential here: you want to keep moving forward so you stave off decay.”;;
But he warns about going too hard too quickly or too often.
“You can end up really sore and run-down, which is more for people who get a bit obsessed,”;; Monty adds.
“If that’s you, remember rest days are important.
“For most people, the bigger worry is undertraining rather than overtraining, though.
“Focus on mastering your technique to give you a sense of achievement.
“The more you learn about exercise form, the better your reps will be, and the more in control of your body you’ll feel.
“It’s not necessarily about massively reducing injury risk (unless you’re doing crazy things), but about mastering your movement and feeling empowered.
“Small, consistent efforts over time are better than short bursts of high intensity and then giving up because it’s too hard.
“There’s a middle ground. You can do a bit here and there.
“High intensity can be great, but mix it up across your weeks and months.That way, you stay consistent and keep reaping the benefits.”;;
But it’s not just about the physical benefits.
“Mental wellbeing is important throughout all of this,”;; Monty says.
“Exercise staves off different kinds of cognitive decline.”;;
