These 2 Exercises Are Enough To Stay Fit Forever

If you want to live a long and healthy life, make sure you get enough exercise. Because that keeps your brain healthy. Researchers have found that older people who exercise have significantly younger muscles and bones.

Any exercise is good for you, whether you swim, jog, or just walk to the grocery store instead of driving.If you want to stay strong as your body ages, then two exercises are essential, says physician and researcher Michael Joyner. He is one of the world's leading experts on fitness and human performance. The exercises are burpees and jump rope.

Why These Two Exercises?

Your body begins to lose strength as you age. Most people reach their physical peak at 25, although some research shows that marathon runners are fastest at 28. Of course, timeframes vary from person to person — if you started strength training after 25, your peak would come later. To truly stay fit, you need to build strength to combat your body's natural loss of muscle mass. This is perhaps what keeps you young the longest. As Joyner wrote for Outside Magazine, "Many studies show that simple tests of physical capacity are very accurate predictors of mortality." You can build strength using two different methods — weightlifting and cardio workouts. But burpees and hop ropes build endurance and strength at the same time. Burpees are the best exercise to train your entire body — that's why trainers often recommend them. Instagram fitness trainer Kayla Itsines recently said that if she "had to choose one" for a full-body workout, a burpee with a push-up was her go-to exercise. "On tough days, I sometimes alternate between one-minute burpees and sets on a weighted jump rope," Joyner told Business Insider.

This Is How  These Exercises Work 

You can do burpees or jump rope all year round as the exercises can be done outside or in a gym. It pays to start slowly with burpees to make sure you get the form right. From a standing position, squat down until you can place your hands on the floor. Then you jump back to the flat position, do a push-up. Then you jump up. A video from XHIT Daily on YouTube is helpful as it shows burpees performed with a wider stance that can be more stable for someone not used to the exercise. And if you're looking for a crazy challenge, you can try Bobby Maximu's Prison Burpee workout, which he uses to challenge Special Forces soldiers. Jumping rope is an easier exercise, but Joyner recommends a jump rope with added weights. If you're feeling very fit, you can try switching to burpees like Joyner does. There are a variety of recommended workouts, but depending on what you choose, you'll want to do a series of sets, perhaps alternating with another exercise.

Also Read: Sophia Thiel explains: These 2 mistakes prevent you from getting a six-pack Remember: these workouts are going to be tough. It's great to push yourself. But it takes time to build up these types of exercises (and practice doing them properly). If you're worried about getting injured, talk to a doctor or trainer first. If you want to train so intensively, you also have to rest. Most trainers recommend alternating harder and easier days. "Make your hard days hard and your easy days easy," Joyner said. "Control your pace or it will control you."