Exercise & Fitness Archive

Today's high-tech stationary bikes are ridden at top speed, with instructors telling cyclists when to coast, sprint, and climb.

 Image: JackF/Thinkstock

One of the hottest trends among the workout set springs from your old stationary bicycle. The new use for old wheels is a supercharged cardio workout called indoor cycling or Spinning (its trademarked name). First popular in the 1990s, the activity is still going strong and is now popular among older adults. "Many classes are specifically for seniors, with instructors who are familiar with modifications for your age group," says Jacob Girlinghouse, a physical therapist with Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital.

The workout and benefits

Making it work

It appears that adopting a regular routine of moderate physical activity, such as walking, helps older adults remain mobile longer and may also help them to recover faster from physical disabilities. 

A large international study of people around the world suggests that extreme physical exertion or emotional upset may be triggers for a heart attack. 

What to consider when choosing a workout venue.

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If getting in shape tops your list of New Year's resolutions, you're in good company. During the first few months of the year, sign-ups at fitness centers and health clubs tend to trend upward. While these memberships can be costly, you may be able to find more affordable options or take advantage of discounts. But no matter what you pay, shelling out a monthly fee may encourage you to use the gym regularly to get your money's worth. If you do, your heart will likely reap the rewards: regular exercise is one of the best ways to boost cardiovascular health.

"The main advantage to joining a gym is to have access to a wide variety of exercise equipment," says Alex Petruska, a senior physical therapist at the Sports Medicine Center of Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. That includes machines for a cardiovascular workout, such as treadmills, elliptical trainers, stationary bikes, and stair steppers, as well as a variety of weight machines.

Wristwatch-style fitness monitors use a sensor that detects blood flow through the skin to estimate a person’s heart rate. Some brands are more accurate that others, but none are as accurate as chest-strap monitors. 

Anger or emotional upset may double the risk of having a heart attack. Heavy physical exertion appears to have the same effect. And people who do intense exercise while they’re upset or mad may face three times the risk of heart attack. 

Weight training improved mental performance in a study of 100 men and women ages 55 through 86 who had mild cognitive impairment.

Stopping exercise for 10 days can reduce brain blood flow by 20% to 30% in eight brain regions, including the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory and is one of the first brain regions to shrink in Alzheimer’s disease.

Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten demonstrates how to use the medicine ball to add a little challenge to the plank position.

You should have some strength training under your belt before trying this workout. While you can modify the moves, it is still an advanced routine that combines both strength and power in many of the moves. This makes it a time-efficient workout, but also a more intense one. You may notice that your heart rate goes up more than during other strength workouts.

Harvard Fitness Expert Michele Stanten explains the difference between strength and power, and how to work out each of these attributes in many of the same exercises.

The Basic Workout is good for everyone. If you're new to strength training—or haven't been exercising for a month or more—this dumbbell and bodyweight routine is a great starting point. But even if you lift weights regularly, this workout can help by targeting muscles in new ways.