While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back. As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back. Unfortunately, I'm not able to continue and have to withdraw. I was excited to compete this weekend.
I got a 3D scan that measured my flexibility last August, hoping the predictably subpar results would finally inspire me to stretch more. Then, I did basically nothing. Even knowing my shoulder rotation movement was in the "red" zone - needing serious improvement if I wanted to avoid future pain - it wasn't enough to get me to devote three minutes of light stretching before my cardio and strength workouts as suggested by trainers I had spoken with.
The air is sharp. The stakes are higher. The world is watching. In just 60 seconds, it is you versus the frostbitten glory of the 2026 Winter Olympics. From gravity-defying jumps to blink-and-you-miss-it sprints on ice, these sports demand nerves of steel. But can you name them before the clock runs out, or will you wipe out under pressure? Lace up. It is time to find out.
For runners, the hips can be one of the most confounding and frustrating parts of the physiological puzzle for efficient movement. Every runner knows how crucial hip strength is - and how mobile hips are essential for both fast and pain-free running. Yet healthy, happy hips remain elusive. For many of us, our hips stay stiff no matter how much we massage and stretch them.
When our family moved to Oregon from Southern California in 1974 for my husband's new job, I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest. But there was one problem: There wasn't enough sunshine or swimming pools - both of which I had enjoyed in California. When the community college where I taught offered free memberships at a new gym, I quickly signed up. I expected exercise, but I got so much more.
I used to think they were just genetically blessed or had superhuman willpower. But after years of observation and my own fitness journey, I've realized something crucial: naturally fit people don't force themselves to do healthy things. They've simply developed habits that run on autopilot. Meanwhile, those struggling with fitness are constantly battling themselves, forcing behaviors that feel unnatural and exhausting.
Most people think walking faster and taking longer strides equals better exercise. After all, covering more ground should mean burning more calories and getting fitter, right? But here's what I've learned after interviewing physical therapists and orthopedic specialists over the years: that aggressive, overextended walking style is actually one of the worst things you can do to your knees, especially after 50.
This is an absolute beginners course on the foundations of classical ballet and, a single catastrophic line dance lesson aside, it is also the first dance class I have ever attended. I am in the minority. As we take the barre, it quickly becomes apparent that not being able to tell my left from my right will be a significant deficit over the next 16 weeks. This, however, is a tertiary concern.
It's just what it looks like: I time my planks then file them away, determined to last a little longer tomorrow. And sometimes I do, for several days in a row, then one day I'll collapse nearly a minute short of my personal best. I'll pound the mat like Charlton Heston at the end of Planet of the Apes, then I'll get myself together - you've got to stay cool at Equinox - and move on with my day.
After 10 years of jogging, I officially ran out of steam. As much fun as I had finishing my first marathon in 2024, the training burned me out. In the months that followed, I had no desire to hit the track near my home, let alone sign up for another race. Plus, my go-to running buddies and I all moved, making running a more solitary and, frankly, boring activity. While I could join a new local run club, I resisted.
So the word exercise, you know, comes from the Latin ejercicio. And it meant, you know, to train so we still do math exercises or soldiers do exercises to get fit. But eventually the term has changed it's meaning and it's developed new meetings. So one hand it means to do voluntary physical activity for the sake of health and fitness. That's the kind of sort of the sort of fitness, physical activity kind of exercise.
When life moves fast, carving out time for your health often feels impossible. Most of us have faced the struggle racing through traffic to reach a crowded gym, only to see motivation fade. However, wellness does not have to be another task as it can become part of your home. Imagine a space crafted just for you where there is no commute, no distractions, no waiting.
Functional fitness was never something I was interested in when I was younger. Instead, my 20s were all about vanity workouts. Anything that could get me to sculpted abs? Sign me up. It wasn't until I became old enough to groan while getting out of a chair that I became more concerned with my mobility and how to maintain it.
A quick admission: I absolutely love an elliptical or cross trainer. They don't always get the plaudits they deserve, but these low-impact cardio machines not only put less strain on your joints than a treadmill but also help you get an impressive, full-body workout. Whether you hop on one to warm up before an intense strength-training session or use it to gently burn calories while listening to your favourite podcast, the elliptical or cross trainer can strengthen muscle, reduce fat and improve cardiovascular fitness.
Hitting a daily step count is a popular way of increasing fitness levels in day-to-day life in a low-impact, safe and free way. While the jury's out on the precise number a 2023 study showed that between 7,000 and 8,000 was the sweet spot for lowering the risk of disease and premature death 10k is still burned into common consciousness as the magic number to aim for.
On the list of things my girlfriend likes to do, yoga falls somewhere beneath scrubbing her kitchen floor and somewhere above listening to me explain Game of Thrones. Kate (an alias since my girlfriend agreed to this experiment only if I kept her anonymous) has tried yoga a few times and recognizes the physical benefits although it's not exactly something she gets overly excited about.
The best advice for living a healthy, well-adjusted life eat your vegetables, get a good night's sleep, politely decline when the Jagerbombs appear never really changes. Other nuggets, such as how much protein you should be eating or how to maximise workouts, seem to change every year. But as we wonder whether we should really give sauerkraut another go, science marches on, making tiny strides towards improving our understanding of what's helpful.
There's so much to love about the transition into fall and winter: that first sip of a pumpkin spice latte, the return of cozy sweaters, and the pure joy of crunching through leaves like you did as a kid. But your cold-weather workouts? That's where the romance fades. Dragging yourself to a HIIT class before sunrise or battling icy wind on your way to the gym suddenly feels a lot harder when your brain is suggesting you hibernate until spring.
Like weighted vests, a vibration plate on its own isn't going to miraculously make you lose weight - but this piece of equipment does have some benefits that can be extremely helpful, especially when combined with regular exercise. What is a vibration plate? A vibration plate is a vibrating platform (some have different levels) that you stand on, although some users may do squats or other simple exercises while on one. "Vibration plates make your muscles move quickly, which can help them feel more active,"
