Fitness

Push-ups are one of the oldest exercises in the books, but there’s a reason they have so much staying power. When performed correctly, they are one of the most effective and simplest exercises to build a strong upper body and midsection.

Plus, you can easily tweak your push-up technique to turn it into a powerful core-building workout by doing a push-up in reverse…

It is highly likely you have experienced the muscle soreness that sometimes follows a new or vigorous workout, which is called DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

Most people have a routine for managing this discomfort, whether it’s stretching or attending a yoga class, or just soaking in a hot bath. If you ignore it, yes, it will go away on its own — but who wants to suffer in waiting?…

Over 50 percent of American men, and 60 percent of American women, never engage in any vigorous physical activity lasting more than 10 minutes per week.1 This despite a growing body of research clearly showing that “exercise deficiency” threatens your overall health and mental well-being, and shortens your lifespan.

That said, even if you fall into the other half of the population that exercises or are even a highly competitive and fit athlete…

Strength training is an integral part of any well-rounded exercise program, regardless of your age or gender.

Unfortunately, many ignore strength training when designing their exercise plan, thinking it’s only for those who want to “bulk up.” However, nothing could be farther from the truth!

Put to rest any worries that weight training is going to make you look like Arnold Schwarzenegger, because your muscle growth is controlled mostly by…

One of the biggest hurdles people face in maintaining an exercise program is finding the time to do it. Fortunately, modern exercise research shows that you can significantly reduce your workout time while reaping better health benefits, compared to a traditional cardio program.

The key is Peak Fitness or high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which also goes by other terms such as anaerobic, or burst training, which I’ve discussed on numerous occasions over the past couple of years…

Your gastrointestinal tract houses some 100 trillion bacteria—about two to three pounds worth. In all, the bacteria outnumber your body’s cells by about 10 to 1.

Your intestinal bacteria are part of your immune system, and researchers are discovering that microbes of all kinds play instrumental roles in countless areas of your health. For example, beneficial bacteria, also known as probiotics, have been shown to:..

A recent study looked at the heart function of 40 elite long-term endurance athletes after four endurance races of varying lengths.

By measuring cardiac enzymes and taking ultrasounds, the researchers were able to measure the acute effects of extreme exercise on the heart…

I recently learned of Dr. Eric Goodman’s work through his TED presentation and was excited about the simplicity and elegance of his approach to exercise — an innovative method called Foundation Training, which he developed while in school to become a chiropractor to treat his own chronic low back pain.

He now teaches classes and seminars on this method — co-created with Peter Park, a world-class professional athlete trainer. Foundation Training exercises are designed to help your body be the strongest…

Testosterone is an androgenic sex hormone produced by the testicles (and in smaller amounts in women’s ovaries) that is typically associated with “manhood.” Beginning around age 30, a man’s testosterone levels begin to decline, and continue to do so as the years go on.

A wide range of chemical exposures, including prescription drugs like statins, can also have an adverse effect on your testosterone production…

Not long ago, researchers studied the heart health of a group of very fit older athletes — men who had been part of a national or Olympic team in distance running or rowing, and runners who had completed at least a hundred marathons. The results were unsettling — half of these lifelong athletes showed evidence of heart muscle scarring…