A health system finds a fun way to boost population health through a local, recreational trail. Winding through 165 miles of picturesque Pennsylvania terrain, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream come true. But two years ago, it was underused. Elissa Garofalo, the Corridor’s executive director, knew that sometimes people…
We all know that exercise can make us fitter and reduce our risk for illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. But just how, from start to finish, a run or a bike ride might translate into a healthier life has remained baffling. Now new research reports that the answer may lie, in part, in…
With the cooler temperatures, fall is a great time to start running. It’s great exercise and can be a huge stress reliever. However, if you don’t start off right, your runs might be the opposite. The best way to start running, even for highly active people, is to start with a run/walk program. Starting off…
Even though the only exercise you feel like doing is a microwave-to-couch roll, the right physical activity could give your energy levels a much-needed boost. 1. Why you’re tired: You’ve been sitting all day. What to try: A short high-intensity interval workout (HIIT — for example, all-out cycling bouts for 30 seconds, followed by 4…
CrossFit Programs for Preschoolers Focus on Fun At the CrossFit gym in Long Island City, Queens, the gym’s owner and coach, Michele Kelber, helped 3-year-old Georgia Costa work out. Credit Michael Appleton for The New York Times On a recent afternoon at the CrossFit gym in Long Island City, Queens, 3-year-old Ella Reznik bounded toward an…
Do a quick Internet search for “proper running form” and you’ll get lost in scientific jargon: swing phase, stance time, loading rate, stretch reflex. But if you’re like me, you don’t need (or want) to know the nitty gritty science behind good form. You just want to know how to do it! Instead of focusing…
You already know your chronological age, but do you know your fitness age? A new study of fitness and lifespan suggests that a person’s so-called fitness age – determined primarily by a measure of cardiovascular endurance – is a better predictor of longevity than chronological age. The good news is that unlike your actual age,…
Walking may not be as sexy a sport as running, but it can certainly be just as effective. That is, if you learn the many ways you can hack your form and regular route for maximum calorie burn. Don’t worry if you don’t: The bloggers behind SuperSkinnyMe.com have rounded-up all the tricks of the walking…
Exercise seems to be good for the human brain, with many recent studies suggesting that regular exercise improves memory and thinking skills. But an interesting new study asks whether the apparent cognitive benefits from exercise are real or just a placebo effect — that is, if we think we will be “smarter” after exercise, do…
Walking economy is a key predictor of morbidity in older adults. In case you were looking for another reason to continue–or take up–running in your golden years, new research published in PLoS ONE found that seniors who run several times a week expend the same amount of energy, or have the same “economy” when walking…