5 of the best exercises you can ever do

1. Swimming

Swimming is often said to as the best workout. Water's buoyancy supports your body and relieves pressure on aching joints, allowing you to move more smoothly. "Swimming is helpful for those with arthritis because it is less weight-bearing," says Dr. I-Min Lee, a Harvard Medical School professor of medicine.

Swimming has been shown to improve your mental state and put you in a better mood in studies. Another alternative is water aerobics. These classes can help you lose weight and tone up.

2. Tai chi is a Chinese martial art.

This Chinese martial art, which incorporates both movement and relaxation, is beneficial to both the body and the psyche. It's even been dubbed "meditation in action." Tai chi consists of a series of beautiful movements that flow seamlessly into one another. Tai chi is accessible — and helpful — to people of all ages and physical levels since classes are offered at various levels. "It's especially beneficial for older individuals because balance is a key component of fitness, and balance is something we lose as we age," Dr. Lee explains.

Take a class to learn the appropriate form and get started. Tai chi classes can be found in a YMCA, health club, community center, or senior center near you.

3. Strengthening exercises

Think again if you think strength training is a masculine, brawny sport. Lifting low weights will maintain your muscles strong rather than bulking them up. "If you don't use your muscles, they will weaken over time," explains Dr. Lee.

Muscle also aids in the burning of calories. "The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, so it's easier to stay in shape," Dr. Lee explains. Strength training, like other forms of exercise, may aid in the preservation of brain function as we age.

Before beginning a weight-lifting regimen, make sure you understand good form. Begin with a light weight of one or two pounds. You should be able to easily raise the weights ten times. Increase it by a pound or two after a couple of weeks. Move up to a slightly heavier weight if you can effortlessly lift the weights through the whole range of motion more than 12 times.

4. Go for a walk

Walking is a simple but powerful activity. It can help you maintain a healthy weight, lower your cholesterol, strengthen your bones, control your blood pressure, enhance your mood, and reduce your risk of a variety of ailments (diabetes and heart disease, for example). Walking and other physical activities have been demonstrated in a number of studies to improve cognition and prevent age-related memory loss.

All you need are a pair of shoes that are well-fitting and supportive. Begin by walking for ten to fifteen minutes at a time. You can gradually increase the length and speed of your walks until you're walking for 30 to 60 minutes most days of the week.

5. Kegel exercises

These workouts won't make you look better, but they will strengthen the pelvic floor muscles that support the bladder, which is just as vital. Incontinence can be avoided by strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. While Kegels are most commonly associated with women, they can also be beneficial to men.

To properly perform a Kegel exercise, squeeze the muscles that would normally be used to prevent you from passing pee or gas. Hold for two or three seconds before releasing the contraction. After the contraction, make sure your pelvic floor muscles are completely relaxed. Rep 10 times more. Attempt to complete four to five sets per day.

Many of the activities we engage in for leisure (and for business) are considered exercises. Raking the lawn is a form of exercise. Ballroom dancing and playing with your children or grandchildren have the same effect. You can consider yourself "active" if you practice some sort of cardiovascular activity for at least 30 minutes every day and incorporate two days of strength training per week.