Stopping exercise accelerates aging… Why exercise becomes more crucial as you age [Decision Making]

Stopping exercise accelerates aging… Why exercise becomes more crucial as you age [Decision Making]

 

 

CBS announcer Seo Jeong-am's story

 

 

As we age, our physical strength declines and our bodies become less like they used to be. Even if we're determined to exercise properly, it's often difficult to find the time. Furthermore, the risk of injury is higher when exercising than when we were younger, which adds another reason to hesitate. However, you actually need to exercise more as you get older. When you are young, your muscles grow and are maintained naturally even if you don't exercise much, but as you get older, muscle mass decreases and fat increases due to aging.

CEO Jeong Ju-ho, who runs Start Train (rehabilitation of body and mind), appeared on CBS Nocut Biz's 'Silkut' channel's 'Decision Making' " “As we age, we naturally lose our health as we move towards death,” he said, emphasizing that “in times like these, we need to increase exercise to slow down the process.”

Aging can't be stopped, but it can be slowed.

Representative Jeong emphasized that exercise can slow the aging process. "At around thirty, friends may seem roughly the same age, but by sixty, even friends can look more than 20 years apart," he explained, "This stems from differences in exercise and self-care." Regular exercise helps maintain bodily functions and prevents aging. Indeed, people who exercise regularly tend to look relatively youthful and energetic even as they age. It's important to remember that while exercise can't completely stop aging, it's an effective way to slow it down.

 

When you feel like you're not like before, you should definitely start exercising.

So, is there an age at which you should definitely start exercising? The best way is to start exercising when you feel like your physical strength is 'not what it used to be'. Many people begin to feel a decline in physical strength in their 30s and 40s, so it's advisable to begin exercising in earnest at this point. According to the "2023 InBody Report" by healthcare company InBody, while muscles continue to grow during youth, Korean men's muscle mass begins to decline around their mid-30s. It's crucial to consistently engage in strength training from your mid-30s onward at the latest.

The intensity of the exercise is 'enough to push yourself until you get injured!'

Representative Jeong said, "It's always good to push yourself when exercising." "Pushing yourself" here doesn't mean "to the point of injury," but rather "tough" or "difficult." Just as someone who sits all day suddenly tries to walk, it'll be difficult, and someone who walks every day will suddenly find it tiring to run. It is best to 'safely push yourself' by exercising at a level of physical exertion that is one level higher than your current level.

 

 

The 'three exercises' that are essential must be distributed well.

When exercising, you should always combine three types of exercise: anaerobic exercise, which builds strength and muscle mass; aerobic exercise, which enhances cardiopulmonary endurance; and stretching, which increases flexibility. Regardless of age, it's best to combine these three types of exercise in a 1:1:1 ratio. For example, if you exercise for an hour, you'd do 20 minutes of anaerobic exercise, 20 minutes of aerobic exercise, and 20 minutes of stretching. If you feel you lack strength, increase the anaerobic portion. If you feel you lack flexibility, increase the stretching portion. You can gradually adjust the ratio.

"Daily exercise is good?" Muscles need recovery time, too.

Representative Jeong recommended that seniors, middle-aged and older, exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. Younger individuals should exercise for at least an hour, he emphasized. He also recommended exercising every other day, three to four times a week, rather than every day, as daily exercise can lead to muscle fatigue. If you really want to do it every day, it's a good idea to split it up so you don't use the same muscles, such as doing back exercises one day, leg exercises another day, and chest exercises another day. Because you need to give your muscles time to grow and recover. Finally, CEO Jeong also said, "A good method is to do one day of anaerobic exercise and one day of aerobic exercise. It's okay to do aerobic exercise every day." He said.