Physical Fitness

For as long as I can remember, music has been an essential part of my workout routine. I decided to put my reliance on music to the test and spent a week exercising in complete silence. The results surprised me.

Are anxiety and depression putting a damper on your mood? Think about retooling your exercise routine to give yourself a feel-good boost.

Pilates is a low-impact, core-strengthening workout suitable for everyone. Thinking of signing up? First check out these tips provided by Michigan fitness instructor Julia Collins, who has 21 years of experience in the field.

Exercise bikes are handy in cases of inclement weather, in cold winter months or when you simply want to get a good workout in the comfort of your own home or at your gym, watching television or listening to a podcast. But are exercise bikes effective at building up physical fitness and endurance?

If you are looking for an exciting outdoor activity and exercise to enjoy in the beautiful Michigan winter wonderland, you may want to look into ice climbing. Each winter, ice climbers both local to the Upper Peninsula and those that travel for the ice picking locations in the UP scale frozen surfaces that form in winter.

Are there any benefits to making New Year’s resolutions, or do they set you up for disappointment and failure? Reframe your thinking around resolutions and new habits or lifestyle changes and you’ll likely see better results.

Heading outside for exercise is a great way to improve your mental and physical health during the winter. One fun and healthy way the whole family can get winter exercise is cross-country skiing.

Many winter sports, such as skiing and hockey, are high-impact or contact sports that may not appeal to many athletes. Here are some low-impact winter sports and exercises to include in your cold weather exercise plans.

Whether it’s because of colder weather, schedule changes, travel or holiday celebrations, it can be harder to stay active during the winter. Colder weather especially may leave you wanting to stay curled up and indoors rather than exercising. Here are some creative ideas to still get out and get enough physical exercise during the colder winter months.

Barre is a blend between ballet-inspired movements, Pilates, yoga and weight work. It's a strength training exercise that promotes flexibility and functional strength. And as one Southeast Michigan trainer can attest, it also creates a sense of community.

TikTok is buzzing with a trend called “the winter arc” that encourages you to start your health and fitness goals in the fall to create a healthy winter. Let’s explore the viral winter arc challenge and whether it has potential to improve your self-improvement journey.

Proper nutrition is a must especially when running or exercising, not only to keep a healthy diet, but also to get additional nutrients needed when exercising regularly. Here are some tips on foods to eat and foods to avoid leading up to and following a run.

Bounce is a cardiovascular-based, mini trampoline workout offered at fitness studios across Michigan. You can also do it at home. Before trying it, read what Ypsilanti-based fitness instructor Sarah Kreiner has to say about Bounce as a workout, and what beginners should know before they try it.

Lifetime sports are those you can play for your whole life at any age. Regular exercise is important for people of all ages and has been shown to reduce and prevent many health conditions.

Don't get sidelined by an injury. Here's how to build strength and prevent injuries in the first place.

If you are one of those people that struggle to fit a workout into your busy schedule, you can be efficient and accomplish two things at once by working out on the playground while looking after your kids.

Yoga is known for its health benefits, including increased flexibility, increased strength, improved sleep and the ability to help with chronic pain and inflammation. Many of these benefits apply to kids as well. Learn how to introduce yoga to kids with these tips and yoga poses.

Regular running and exercise are associated with better overall heart health and other health benefits. Americans who follow the American Heart Association guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week have healthier hearts and avoid diseases at higher rates than those who don’t, and those who get 3-5 times that amount of exercise have the best health outcomes.

The recommended amount of daily fiber is between 25 and 38 grams, but most Americans eat only 10-15 grams daily. A diet high in fiber can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases and help you to feel fuller for longer and more energized compared to refined carbohydrates.

I’ve found that college is a great time to create healthy habits through regular practice of physical activity. While every person is different, here are some workouts that work for me as a college student.

Paddlers are welcome to join an epic adventure in September. The Paddle Antrim Festival celebrates the waterways and local communities of Northern Michigan Sept. 13-14. The festival includes community events and a non-competitive two-day paddling event from Ellsworth to Elk Rapids on the Chain of Lakes Water Trail.

If you watched the Paris Olympic or Paralympic Games this summer, you might have gotten swept away seeing your favorite athlete compete. While they seem to perform with such ease, you know there are hours of work put into their physical training. Let the inspiring efforts of these athletes motivate you to achieve your workout goals this year.

A smartwatch does much more than tell you the time. Using a smartwatch makes it so that you don’t need to always have your phone on you. You can make calls, send texts, and use a GPS from your watch.

It can be easy to ignore your workout goals when on your period, but the physical and mental benefits of exercise can help. Although it feels counterintuitive, avoiding exercise isn’t going to save energy or make you feel better.

It’s easy to ask a friend for a recommendation, but their body, stride and injury-risk are different than yours. Learn how to pick out running and walking shoes that will help you stay healthy and meet your goals.

Running is one of the only sports that can be done nearly anywhere, on any surface. The key is finding a route and a terrain that best suits your physical needs. While running is a great form of exercise, there are advantages and disadvantages to running on different surfaces.

Are you looking for an activity that is good for all aspects of your health like physical, mental, and social? We have just the activity. Originating as a mixed martial art from China, tai chi is an activity that involves a series of gentle and slow movements, a meditative state of mind, and physical postures.

As temperatures increase, people might notice that their blood pressure is increasing as well. High heat causes blood pressure to increase. It is important to focus on your blood pressure during the summertime because Midwest summers present high temperatures and high humidity.

Do you think you have to go “up north” to get an authentic Michigan hiking experience? You will be surprised by the diversity of sites to explore in mid-Michigan. Whether you are looking for a riverfront experience, big rocks or an urban adventure, there is plenty to discover in the middle of the Mitten state.

Before he led BCBSM's social mission and community affairs efforts, Ken Hayward was an incredible college baseball player. He didn't realize it at the time, but his years as a ballplayer shaped his future in a major way.

If you listen to music when you work out, you've got to read this post to design the perfect playlist to pump you up.

When you start a workout plan, it’s easy to do too much too soon. That can leave you sore, tired, and feeling dejected, as well as increase your chance for injury. If you’re not in the habit of a regular strength routine, start small.

Access to beaches and waterfront spaces is improving across Michigan as state parks and city beaches become places that people of all abilities can navigate.

Shin splints are a common and painful overuse injury or condition usually caused by running, tennis, pickleball, dancing, or other standing exercises for extended periods of time. With some preparation, there are self-treatment tips for preventing shin splints or minimizing the pain from shin splints.

Avoiding stress can be a tall task with the demands of life and everything going on around you. There are lifestyle changes or habits that can help to alleviate routine stressors or triggers for stress or panic.

Wild swimming, or open-water swimming, refers to swimming in natural waters, open water, or generally swimming outside and in natural waters. Wild swimming and open-water swimming has become more popular in recent years, especially with Americans looking for a mental health boost, since it ties together exercise and connection with nature.

Exercise is extremely important for building and maintaining a good level of personal fitness and physical health. Regular physical activity – including a mix of aerobic exercise, strength training and balance training – can help seniors live independently longer and with a better quality of life. It can also help in managing chronic diseases. 

An awe walk is a hike or walk focused on enjoying and taking part in the natural world around you. To take part in awe walking, all that is needed is to focus on the world around you and awe-inspiring aspects of nature while you walk.

National Walk at Lunch Day is the perfect excuse to get outside after lunch and rack up some steps. Do it every day and the health benefits will rack up, too.

Karaoke fits the bill when it comes to many of the preferences Gen Z has for exercise. Karaoke can be a great group workout or exercise, it is a social and communal activity, and it can easily be done at home, at work or in social settings.

Exercise snacks are short periods of intense workouts, usually only two to minutes. The idea behind energy snacking is to have a few of these brief, intense workouts interspersed throughout your day.

The use and overuse of alcohol limits and inhibits your overall level of health and fitness. Alcohol suppresses many of your body’s main functions to different extents and can affect your ability to recover from illness and injury.

For a long time, there has been sentiment among runners and doctors that long-distance running, especially long-term and regular running, would predispose runners to arthritis or joint issues as they age. However, there's evidencethat challenges this long-held belief.

Make the most of the wonderful weather by getting your body up and moving. Springtime outdoor workouts can reinvigorate you after a long cold winter. Make sure you are staying healthy and moving this spring.

Simple tweaks to your running or walking form can help you go farther while preserving the condition of your back, joints and other body parts.

Johnny Agar, who competes in triathlons with his dad, is the author of the bestseller, "The Impossible Mile: The Power in Living Life One Step at a Time."

Feeling a little tired or run-down after your last workout? Here’s what you should be eating afterward to speed your recovery.

Working out with friends has its benefits. Added motivation is usually one of them. That was the experience for Maria Cassel, who details her health journey in this first-person writing.

Gracefully Greying health correspondent Lila Lazarus explores the health benefits of golf for both the body and the mind.

Contributor and summer intern Olivia Durkee shares how hiking has helped her mental health and become an outlet for her stress.

Summer intern Jenna Natwick shares how becoming a gym regular has helped her with her anxiety.

Ready to use biohacking to improve your mental and physical health? Here are some of the best biohacks to improve your health.

Licensed therapist, NASM master trainer and integrative health expert Angela T. Moore shares signs you're carrying too much weight — mentally and physically.

Getting appropriate and timely preventive care is an important part of a well-rounded, overall health strategy for men.

For two hours every Monday afternoon at the Lasky Recreation Center in northeast Detroit, time doesn’t matter – only basketball.

Find the best squat exercises to build muscle and burn calories.

Sipping an electrolyte drink can be a trendy thing to do, but when does your body actually need one?

Gracefully Greying health correspondent Lila Lazarus dives into the pickleball craze — and finds it can be good for your health.

Load up those knobby tires and try out these cool trails near you.

There are big health benefits to getting 10,000 daily steps. Here are some great places to do that with a view.

Do you ever ask yourself, “Is it the weekend yet?” If you do, it might be time for you to start trying to find joy in the present.

Grab a pair of sunglasses and your best workout shoes. It’s time to move your next exercise session outdoors.

This 5K training regimen is for beginners, experienced runners and everyone in between. Training starts two months before race day.

Burning calories. Proper weight lifting. Squeezing workouts into busy schedules. These are among the most commonly asked fitness questions.

Contributor Mia Gallucci writes about her experience trying a tactical self-defense class — and what she learned along the way.

Exercise is one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself at any age, but as you get older, regular exercise becomes more important than ever.

Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to protect the body against external factors. This valuable vitamin is found in these foods and supplements.

Are you drinking enough water? Find out why staying hydrated goes far in keeping you healthy.

Focusing on your target heart rate and switching up your workouts can help unlock an exercise routine that works for you. Here are more keys:

Ready to put away the beer and wine? Ditch the liquor? Here’s how to make a Dry January work for you.

Have you heard of “SMART” goal setting? It’s a goal-setting approach that can help you set goals that are attainable and realistic.

Meditation, mindfulness and mental clarity may be just what the doctor ordered as we head into this busy holiday season.

Read this list of five skin infections commonly caught at the gym and what you can do to prevent catching them.

A large network connecting tissues and fluid under your skin? Meet the interstitium.

Angela T. Moore, certified therapist and fitness coach, offers tips for finding ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle even when you are busy.

It’s time for more than just spring cleaning. Learn how to refresh your life to celebrate spring.

Daily exercise doesn’t mean spending an hour lifting weights. Moving your body for 30 minutes a day in moderate ways can improve your mental and physical health

Statewide COVID-19 cases are on the rise, so if you’re returning to the gym, you should take every precaution possible to keep yourself and others safe.

Many have relied on outdoor walks to break up the monotony of working from home. Here’s how to replace that activity level during the winter.

The most important thing you can do when striving to live a healthy lifestyle is to create environments that support healthy actions.

You don’t have to be an Olympic star to see that your mental health can affect your sport. Here are some tips for your inner athlete.

In this edition of Fitness Over 40, host Ann Marie Wakula takes you to a cardio boxing workout. It's a high-energy and fun way to boost your heart rate.

In this episode of Fitness Over 40, Ira Goldberg shares how proper diet and exercise took from nearly 400 pounds to running marathons.

Angela T. Moore, certified therapist and fitness coach, explains how to find your 'why' for living a healthy life. The answers will fuel your motivation.

More daylight means more chances to move your exercise routine outside. This shift comes with perks you can’t always get with an indoor workout.

What you do after a run can be as important for your overall health as the miles you just ran. Here's how to avoid the most common post-workout mistakes.

As people get older, it can become difficult for some to keep the lifestyle they want. But there are ways for seniors to preserve much of their independence.

Cold weather arrives with its own lineup of health challenges. With a little planning, you can be proactive in staying healthy when the temperatures drop.