The mighty four!
Dr. Nick Pappas, a board-certified hand surgeon in the New Orleans area, is sharing the exercise he believes will help you live longer—squats.
“If there’s one exercise you should try to do consistently, I’d do it in squats,” Pappas wrote on a TikTok on Wednesday. “Don’t skip leg days, and you just might live longer … or at least be healthier.”
Pappas noted that after age 35, people tend to lose 1% to 2% of muscle mass per year, a phenomenon known as sarcopenia.
This is why maintaining muscle mass is essential as we age. Squats, Pappas argues, primarily work three of the largest muscle groups in the lower body—the gluteus maximus, quadriceps, and hamstrings.
The Cleveland Clinic reports that squats can strengthen the core, burn calories, improve posture, and increase stability and balance.
Megan Roup, celebrity trainer and founder of the Sculpt Society, demonstrated proper squatting form at Well+Good:
- Make your legs beautiful and wide
- Keep your chest proud as you return to the weight of your heels
- Turn your knuckles on and squeeze back up
Common squatting mistakes include arching the back and overextending the hips.
“Squats can be done with or without resistance (bodyweight is fine if you have hip, back or knee problems),” explained Pappas. “However, resistance is better for building and maintaining muscle.”
If you have knee pain, the New York Times recently gave some suggestions for squat modifications, including not squatting so low, turning your toes out about 30 degrees, and taking a wide stance.
@doctor.nick1 Friends don’t let friends miss leg day! Research suggests that increasing lean muscle mass can promote longevity and improve your overall health, especially in older individuals. After age 35, on average we lose about 1 percent or more of muscle mass per year. Therefore, maintaining muscle mass is something we should all work on, especially as we age. What is the single best exercise you can do to improve lean muscle mass and strength… and potentially live longer? Squats! Why? It works 3 of the largest muscle groups (gluteus maximus, quadriceps, hamstrings) in our body. Squats can be done with or without resistance (body weight is fine if you have hip, back or knee problems). However, resistance is better for building and maintaining muscle. So if there is one exercise you should try to do consistently, I would do it in squats. Don’t skip leg days, and you just might live longer… or at least be healthier. If you can’t do squats, walking on a treadmill with an incline of 6 degrees or more is also a great leg workout. Finally, do you know which movie this quote is from? Leave your answer in the comments. #fitness #muscles #aging #longevity #legday #squats #gym
♬ original sound – Nick Pappas MD
And if squats aren’t an option, Pappas suggests walking on a treadmill that’s at an incline of 6 degrees or more.
“Friends don’t let friends skip leg day!” he emphasized.
#Squats #exercises #live #longer #doctor
Image Source : nypost.com