⭑ Push-ups which build your hip flexor strength ✔ these are worth doing
⭑ These everyday foods improve your brain health ✔ make them a habit
⭑ Unexpectedly, exercising in the evening has best metabolic benefits ✔
⭑ Three push-up variations ✔ these build your lower body as well

All strength to Ukraine 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦

Hello,

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Strength.

Is it just me, or are more articles these days recommending the value of strength training as we get older?

That's a good thing as there is no escaping the fact that we lose 3 to 8 percent of our muscle mass every decade after the age of 30 and more after age 60.

Personally, after joining the local masters athletics club, I have had to be adding more aerobic conditioning to the strength I've built up over the last 25 years. It's paying off. Last week I was awarded a venue record for the 2.5 km distance, and on the weekend I won $150 by coming 2nd in a 5 km event !!

But even for running, overall body strength matters, a lot.

Pushups build your upper body, but by adding some specific variations they can do a lot more for your longevity — see item #1.

Foods with polyphenols make our brain healthy. All we have to do is eat them regularly, and they are all everyday choices— see item #2.

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01 These Push-ups Power Your Hips and Stability

Let's talk about push-ups. If you are like most people, you probably avoid them. It might be time to reconsider how to fit them into your exercise routine.

As you know, maintaining muscle mass and strength as we age is crucial. Our muscles not only keep us upright but also play an essential role in helping prevent diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and osteoporosis.

Push-ups engage your chest, shoulders, triceps, and core, improving upper body strength and stability. Moreover, they require no equipment and can be modified to match your specific fitness level.

That said, they are not the universal cure for retaining muscle strength as we age. For example, standard push-ups have limited direct effects on strengthening hip abductor muscles and improving hip flexor power.

⇒ To boost their value for longevity, we need to add variations that strengthen the hip abductor muscles and improve hip flexor power.

What this means for you: By doing regular sets of push-ups, which include variations for strengthening your hip abductor muscles and improving your hip flexor power, you are adding the stabilisation of the pelvis and lower spine to the benefits of standard push-ups.

This is a compelling advantage because strengthening your hip abductor muscles and improving hip flexor power lowers the chances of you falling.

A recent study found that for every 1 unit increase in hip abductor strength, the risk of falling decreased by 86.3%. Similarly, for every 1 unit increase in hip flexor power, the risk of falling is reduced by 3.6% (in men and women over 65).

A fall resulting in bone fractures typically reduces your life expectancy by 5 years.

In item 4 of today's newsletter, I provide three push-up variations that will build muscle, improve your posture, reduce your lower back pain, strengthen your hip abductor muscles, and reduce the risk of falling.

After you've been doing them for a while you might even grow to love them :)​​​​

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02 The Best Fruits and Vegetables for Your Brain Health

Unfortunately, there are currently no effective treatments to halt or reverse the progression of neurodegeneration as we age, e.g. Alzheimer's disease (which is a major cause of age-related dementia).

​A just-published April 2024 study suggests that the best possible preventative route at the moment is dietary, utilising natural compounds found in real food (as opposed to industrial food).

This is good news as you don’t have to buy new supplements or tablets. The secret is in those foods which contain useful levels of flavonoids.

⇒ Flavonoids have benefits such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects, which can help slow down the advancement of Alzheimer's disease.

For this reason, researchers are increasingly exploring the benefits of flavonoids to slow neurodegeneration.

What does this mean for you? The highest dietary sources of bioavailable flavonoids are tea, coffee, red wine, fruits, berries, and vegetables.

• Tea, coffee, and red wine are the main dietary sources of polyphenols, including flavonoids. Tea (both green and black), coffee, and red wine are specific types that contribute significantly.
• Vegetables, particularly those that are brightly coloured like bell peppers, onions, and leafy greens, contain various flavonoids, including quercetin and kaempferol. These flavonoids are known for their antioxidant properties and potential anti-inflammatory effects.
• Citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and bergamots are rich in flavanones such as hesperidin and naringin. These compounds are noted for their cardiovascular benefits, including improving endothelial function and potentially reducing cardiovascular risk factors.
• Berries, mainly those rich in anthocyanins, are significant sources of flavonoids, especially blackcurrants, blueberries, and bilberries (which also help with night vision).

⇒ There is no validated research on how much of each to eat, so follow the general advice of a diet a "rich in a variety of fruits and vegetables" for good results.

Related: Vitamin K Keeps Our Brain 11 Years Younger - Study​​​​​​

@Medium - Follow me on Medium ↗, covering ⭑food, ⭑brain, ⭑body, ⭑life

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03 Exercising In The Evening Has Best Health Benefits !

Exciting news for evening exercisers. It certainly caught my attention.

Recent research from the University of Sydney suggests that exercising in the evening may provide the best heart and health benefits, especially for people over 50 living with obesity or diabetes.

The study, including 30,000 people conducted over nearly eight years, found that evening exercisers had the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease and mortality compared to those who exercised in the morning or afternoon.

This finding that evening exercisers had the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular disease and mortality was surprising because it contradicted some previous studies that suggested different times of the day for exercise might be more beneficial.

⇒ Additionally, the results went against the common belief that morning exercise might have unique benefits.

The findings were were based on data from the UK Biobank research project. While the study was observational and further research is needed to establish a causal link, it provides an option to try for those with obesity or type 2 diabetes.

What this means for you: Exercising in the evening typically refers to engaging in physical activity after 6 p.m.

However, the specific characteristics of evening exercise depend on your personal schedules and preferences. You may prefer to exercise closer to bedtime, while others might choose to work out earlier in the evening to allow for wind-down time before sleep.

Some people find that exercising too close to bedtime can interfere with their ability to fall asleep, while others benefit from the relaxation and stress-reducing effects of evening workouts before bedtime.

⇒ Experiment with different timings and pay attention to how exercise impacts your relaxation and sleep patterns, and how you refreshed you feel the next morning.

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04 Three Push-up Variations to Strengthen Your Hip Flexors

Our exercise of the week is... three push-up variations.

These variations enhance your upper body strength, which is crucial for daily activities and maintaining independence, and significantly engage your hip flexors and core. This added engagement promotes improved mobility, balance, and stability — key factors in reducing fall risk and improving quality of life as we age.

The dynamic movements involved in these exercises also increase cardiovascular fitness and calorie burn, making them an efficient, full-body workout.

⇒ Incorporating push-up variations like Spiderman Push-Ups, Mountain Climber Push-Ups, and Grasshopper Push-Ups into your exercise routine offers a fantastic way to boost your overall fitness.

What this means for you: Try these three variations of push-ups that incorporate hip movements that strengthen your hip flexor muscles:

1. Spiderman Push-Ups:
   • Description: Begin in a standard push-up position. As you lower yourself towards the ground, simultaneously bring one knee towards the elbow on the same side. Return your leg to the starting position as you push yourself back up. Alternate sides with each rep.
   • Hip Flexor Benefit: This variation dynamically engages the hip flexors as the knee is driven forward, increasing hip flexor strength and mobility.
2. Mountain Climber Push-Ups:
   • Description: Start in a plank position. Perform a standard push-up, and as you come up, quickly draw one knee towards your chest without lifting your hips too high. Return the leg back and repeat the push-up, then alternate the knee drive with the other leg.
   • Hip Flexor Benefit: The rapid knee movements in this push-up variation actively engage the hip flexors, enhancing their power and endurance.
3. Grasshopper Push-Ups:
   • Description: Begin in a traditional push-up position. As you lower your body, slide one leg under your body towards the opposite arm, keeping it off the ground. Push back up and return your leg to the starting position. Alternate sides with each rep.
   • Hip Flexor Benefit: This exercise not only demands strength from the upper body but also requires substantial engagement of the hip flexors and core to rotate and lift the leg across the body.

You can do one type for one week, and then change to another. Or, do the three in a sequence, a new one each time you exercise. Try doing them 3 times a week, and do 3 sets of 6 to 12 each time, with a 30 to 90-second break between sets.

See these videos - spiderman pushup, mountain climber pushup, grasshopper pushup.

Be consistent. You'll be amazed at how much stronger you feel after about 2 months.

Good luck.​​​​

Thanks for reading!

P.S. If you are not yet subscribed to my free exercise app, try now ↓↓↓ Free forever. Opt-out any time. Opt-in by CLICKING HERE PLEASE SEND ME THE EXERCISES. NOTE: YOU ONLY NEED TO SUBSCRIBE ONE TIME.

>> My Latest Blog Post: Energise Your Golden Years: Boosting Your Desire to Exercise with Gut-Healthy Foods​

About the newsletter: Do you think it can be improved? Have a story idea? Want to share about the time you met Chris Hemsworth, or your questions about how to live longer better? Send those thoughts and more to me at walter@bodyagebuster.com

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