Exercise & Fitness Archive

The sit-and-rise test helps assess your physical function.

Try this without touching your hands or knees to the floor: from a standing position, sit on the floor with your legs crossed or straight out. Now stand up again. (This is not an easy movement for many people, so for safety do it with someone next to you.)

How did you do? Did you struggle? Did you need to put your hand or a knee on the ground? Could you not get up?

The right kind of inflammation is essential to your body's healing system. But chronic inflammation can be a problem.

The saying "too much of a good thing" applies to much of life, but especially to inflammation.

"People think inflammation needs to be stomped out at all times, but it plays an essential role in healing and injury repair to keep your body safe and healthy," says Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, medical editor of Understanding Inflammation from Harvard Health Publishing and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Some inflammation is good. Too much is often bad. The goal is to recognize when inflammation is simply doing its job, and when it can potentially cause problems."

Stretching before one gets out of bed has many benefits. It can release the body’s "feel good" chemicals, lubricate the joints, and help people maintain their range of motion. Before stretching, one should move the muscles a little by flexing the joints. This will help get blood flowing to the muscles and make them more amenable to stretching. Any stretch done in bed should be hold for 30 to 60 seconds if possible, without bouncing.

Get stronger and more fit with just a few props and simple moves.

As the world grapples with the effects of COVID-19, social distancing has become the new normal – at least for now. With gyms, beaches, and parks temporarily closed and people being encouraged to stay at home, it's easy to let your exercise routine fall by the wayside. And working from home or lacking a daily routine can make it hard to keep up with any physical activity at all.  

But you can get a good workout in the comfort of your own home, even if you don't have a dedicated workout space or fancy machines. In fact, you don't actually need any props, although a few small dumbbells can come in handy.

A study comparing the hearts of apes with four different groups of men demonstrates how the heart adapts over a person’s lifetime depending on what exercise a person does (or doesn’t do). The most revealing part of the findings pertained to men who are generally not active.

Harvard fitness expert Michele Stanten takes you through a simple exercise to tighten your abs, strengthen your back, and improve your balance.

Harvard fitness expert Michele Stanten takes you through a simple exercise to tighten your abs, strengthen your back, and improve your balance.

Harvard fitness expert Michele Stanten takes you through a simple exercise to tighten your abs, strengthen your back, and improve your balance.

An analysis of research suggests those who run regularly –– regardless of pace, distance, or amount of time –– are more likely to live longer and have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease or cancer.

Try these simple tips to spice up your workout and keep moving.

Exercise is crucial to good health, but sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to maintain an exercise regimen. Finding the time is one problem. Another is boredom. "Most activity becomes tedious psychologically, even though you know it will benefit you physically," says Michael Bento, a personal trainer at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

The solution is finding ways to bust that boredom and stay engaged — or at least distracted.