Increase the length and quality of your life with these five exercises

Increasing the length and quality of your life doesn't have to be complicated. Use these five simple tests to increase the length and quality of your life today.

1. Grip strength

This article shows that increased grip strength is linked to lower all-cause mortality rates. In other words, the stronger your grip strength, the less likely you'll die from anything but old age.

The research article states:

“Evidence is also provided for a predictive link between grip strength and all-cause and disease-specific mortality, future function, bone mineral density, fractures, cognition and depression, and problems associated with hospitalization. Consequently, the routine use of grip strength can be recommended as a stand-alone measurement or as a component of a small battery of measurements for identifying older adults at risk of poor health status.”

How do you test grip strength?

You use a dynamometer. This is a fairly inexpensive piece of equipment that you can use regularly to test your current capacity and use it to adjust the intensity of your workouts. If your grip strength is higher than normal you might increase the intensity of your workout. If your grip strength is less than normal you might decrease the intensity of your workout.

How do you improve grip strength?

You improve grip strength by adding exercises or daily activities that require more grip strength (duh).

Gardening, vacuuming, mopping, and window washing are some chores that improve grip strength.

Carries, presses, and pulls are the main exercises that increase grip strength.

2. Push-up capacity

This study from our good friends at Harvard tested 1,104 firefighters during the first decade of the 2000s (2000-2010). The firefighters had a median age of 40 and a BMI of 28.7 (slightly overweight).

What they found was quite interesting. Men who could do more than 40 pushups had a 96% reduced risk of all cardiovascular-related diseases (CVD).

How do you test your push-up capacity?

Testing your push-up capacity is quite simple. Get down on the floor with your hands on the ground and under your shoulders. Straighten your legs so you’re in a plank position. Do as many reps as possible.

How do you improve your push-up capacity?

Doing pushups more frequently is the easiest way to increase your push-up capacity. If you can’t do a push-up then perform eccentrics. This is the lowering portion of the movement where your chest moves toward the ground. Perform as many reps as possible with as long of an eccentric as possible. Over time you will be able to do more and more push-ups.

3. The ability to perform a lunge

I don’t have specific research to support this, but I have found in my personal experience that the ability to perform a lunge greatly increases the quality of life.

Being able to support your Bodyweight on one leg just makes life a lot easier.

Getting up from the floor requires performing a lunge.

Getting up and down stairs is a series of small lunges.

Catching yourself when you trip requires performing a lunge.

etc.,

How do you test lunge ability?

If you’re not sure, you can perform a lunge, stand next to a beam, or a rail that you can use for support. Balance your weight on one leg, and step back about two feet.

Bring your back knee down until it taps the ground while your toes push into the ground for balance. Use your front leg to push yourself back to a standing position.

How do you improve lunges?

Gradually increasing the range of motion is a great place to start. For example, if you can only step onto an 8” box without pain then the next progression would be to step onto a 10” box. Over time you’d increase the height at which you perform a lunge. Or if you step back (reverse lunge), you can increase the distance between the ground and your back knee.

4. Upright heel sit

Again, I don’t have specific research proving the ability to sit on your heels leads to reduced health risks. But in my personal experience, I’ve found that individuals who can perform this movement without pain have an increased quality of life compared to those who can’t perform this test.

How do you test the upright heel sit?

Simply kneel as if you’re preparing to pray. The laces of your shoes should be facing the ground. Lower your bottom until it touches your heels. Relax. If you can sit there comfortably for at least twenty seconds pain-free, you have healthy knees and ankles.

How do you improve your upright heel sit capacity?

The best place to start is to place an ankle strap around your ankle and then attach a band to the strap. Pull the band over your shoulder and gently pull your heel towards your bottom. Over time you’ll be able to increase the proximity of your heel to your bottom.

5. one-minute breath hold

This study found that individuals who can hold their breath longer have increased stem cell activity. Stem cells are your body’s natural healers!

How do you test your breath hold?

If you can't figure this out, I don't know how to help you.

How do you increase your breath hold?

To increase your breath-hold capacity, you need to improve your lung capacity. Exercising regularly, particularly in zone 2 heart rate helps immensely!

Zone 2 of your heart rate is roughly 60-70% of your max heart rate. So if your max heart (220-age) is 200 (20 y/o), then zone 2 would be 120-140 beats per minute (bpm).

Simply practicing breath holds is a great way to improve your lung capacity.

I hope you find this information useful in improving the quality of your life!

If you're unsure how to use exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle habits to improve your health, submit an application to work with me by clicking here! Once you complete the application I'll reach out within a few hours, and we'll go from there :)

I'd love to learn more about you, your goals and help you achieve your desired life!