Benefits of Exercise

[AussieBob]

IMO as men get older we need to do 15-30 minutes of exercise a day. Nothing strenuous like running - but just a few exercises at home. 

[rattlesnake]

My philosophy of sports for years has been "soft but regular". I'm in my mid-40s.

I run 30 minutes on the treadmill once per week. And one very important thing for me: crunches and push-ups, to maintain posture and core strength. No need to do a lot, once a week is fine in my experience.

[Khunmark]

A topic that interests me greatly. If exercise was ever found to be detrimental to health, I’d still participate. For some people the idea of physical activity is as foreign as living on Mars. For folks like me, it’s all we’ve ever known. For the former, light exercise is better than nothing all. The latest studies however suggest high intensity short work outs is the most beneficial for reducing risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. That could mean as little as 5-10 minutes per day- great for the time poor, but less than satisfying for those whom view exercise as a lifestyle. 
 

For those transitioning off the couch and into exercise, my advice is to increase your exercise intensity in small increments over long durations. The risk of injury looms large for those who don’t have base conditioning to absorb the increase in loads. And for the newbies, the advent of injury can be dispiriting to the point of quitting. For a life of sustained activity, enjoyment is an imperative.

[AussieBob]

  On 2/28/2025 at 7:44 AM, rattlesnake said:

My philosophy of sports for years has been "soft but regular". I'm in my mid-40s.

I run 30 minutes on the treadmill once per week. And one very important thing for me: crunches and push-ups, to maintain posture and core strength. No need to do a lot, once a week is fine in my experience.

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Keep it going and dont over-consume - alcohol or food.  When you are in your 60s like me, you will thank yourself for doing it. So many blokes get to their 60s and then realise they are obese and then try to reduce their weight with exercise - not a good idea.  I used to play football in a Masters team and one bloke was in his late 60s and still playing (slowly). When asked once how long he was going to keep playing, he said he cannot stop or he will cease up    

[AussieBob]

  On 2/28/2025 at 9:16 AM, Khunmark said:

A topic that interests me greatly. If exercise was ever found to be detrimental to health, I’d still participate. For some people the idea of physical activity is as foreign as living on Mars. For folks like me, it’s all we’ve ever known. For the former, light exercise is better than nothing all. The latest studies however suggest high intensity short work outs is the most beneficial for reducing risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. That could mean as little as 5-10 minutes per day- great for the time poor, but less than satisfying for those whom view exercise as a lifestyle. 
 

For those transitioning off the couch and into exercise, my advice is to increase your exercise intensity in small increments over long durations. The risk of injury looms large for those who don’t have base conditioning to absorb the increase in loads. And for the newbies, the advent of injury can be dispiriting to the point of quitting. For a life of sustained activity, enjoyment is an imperative.

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Good point - short high intensity is best but only when young and fit.  Once in 60s it is not recommended to be too intense (physical damage) - but regular exercise (and stretching) over a long period makes a huge difference.