We all know exercise is important for your health, well-being, and even longevity. But does this mean you need to log hours and hours of sweaty activity to see your efforts pay off? In a word (or two), probably not.
First, If you’re a beginner, just 30 minutes of moderate activity five days a week could be all it takes for you to reap the many benefits of exercise, according to the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).
To be exact, adults can get most of the payoffs of exercise by doing a minimum of 150 minutes of aerobic activity at a moderate pace each week. If that sounds like a huge commitment, look at it this way: 150 minutes is the equivalent of two hours and 30 minutes, which further breaks down to a half hour of exercise five days a week.
Research suggests that really is plenty, and may even be more than enough. Keep in mind that these are aerobic activities. To round out your weekly workouts, the ODPHP advises doing strength-training exercise twice a week, working all the major muscle groups. Stretching for flexibility is important too, but it won’t count toward your weekly time tally. It will, however, help you stay flexible and lower your risk of injury.
So, as a general goal, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day. If you want to lose weight, maintain weight loss or meet specific fitness goals, you may need to exercise more. Reducing sitting time is important, too. The more hours you sit each day, the higher your risk of metabolic problems.
Then, of course, training like an elite athlete is no (relatively) easy. But here’s the thing: Nowadays, professional athletes are competing better, and for far longer, than ever before. It’s not just because nutrition has gotten better, either—it’s because athletes—and their coaches—are starting to understand how the body needs to train to stay nimble, agile, and flexible even as the natural aging process starts to take hold.
Building and leading a high-performance team is the ultimate end goal for any aspiring athlete. Actually understanding exactly what it takes and means to build a high-performance team, is what seems to be the greatest challenge of all.
What is their secret to success? The first step in understanding how these teams craft their high-performance energy, is to understand that all of the things actually only play a minor part in the greater whole. From the minute that you step on the field, the court, or the rink, you’re encompassed by the atmosphere and mood set by the team. Professional athletics are more than just a game to be watched. They are classrooms for learning and instilling positive attributes. Loyalty, character, discipline, teamwork, and leadership values are the main principles in a team’s success. Whether it be building a high-performance basketball team, or a high-performance workplace team, the same fundamental principles apply and that are our values at Sportnatic.