On National Fitness Day, let's cherish these effective fitness methods! Why not join me and participate in physical exercise together!

Stanford University recently published a study in the journal Nature, analyzing 717,525 men and women from 111 countries and regions using data from smartphone accelerometer sensors. The results showed that Chinese people are the best at walking.

In this global "step ranking", Hong Kong people walk at an astonishing speed, with an average of 6,880 steps per day, becoming the highest number of walkers. In addition, residents of mainland China walk an average of 6,189 steps per day, far exceeding the global average of 4,961 steps per day.

Walking is the best form of exercise

According to the World Health Organization, the best doctor is yourself, the most effective medicine is time, and the best way to exercise is through "walking".

After 3 million years of evolution, humans have evolved from apes to humans, and their overall body structure can be seen as evolving from crawling to walking. Humans are the only creatures in nature that walk on two legs, and modern human anatomy and physiology make it the most suitable creature for walking, so walking has become the most natural form of exercise for humans. Therefore, people widely use walking as a fitness method in their daily lives. Chinese health experts have proposed the idea of "walking is better than practicing a hundred exercises", and multiple studies have also clearly pointed out the significant effects of walking in preventing diseases, fighting cancer, and prolonging life.

1. Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease

According to data from the World Health Organization, elderly people over 65 who walk for more than 4 hours per week have a 69% lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and a 73% lower mortality rate compared to those who walk less than 1 hour per week.

2. Help regulate blood sugar levels

Experts have revealed that walking can be one of the "five horses" in the treatment of diabetes, described as a "walking pill" that lowers blood sugar. In the case of elevated blood sugar, insulin is essential, and exercise can improve insulin sensitivity, improve skeletal muscle function, improve mental state, and prevent and treat complications of diabetes.

3. Help strengthen bones and supplement calcium

Research has found that compared to non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming, heavy load exercises such as walking and running can increase the deposition rate of calcium in the bones. If calcium is not replenished in a timely manner after long-term exercise, bone density will decrease significantly. In addition to increasing milk intake, we should also develop good exercise habits to maintain physical health. Regular participation in light-intensity exercises and jogging in daily activities can not only increase bone density but also improve immune function and prevent osteoporosis. Compared to calcium supplements in bottles, walking is an economical and convenient way to maintain calcium.

4. Prevent dementia

Walking is not only a physical exercise but also an effective way to exercise the brain. Due to the increased oxygen demand during walking, our cardiovascular system is fully mobilized, blood circulation is improved, and brain activity is stimulated, which improves clarity and flexibility of the brain.

Each walking method has its unique effects

1. Regulate and prevent constipation - twist walking

Zhang Zhongjing, a famous doctor in the Han Dynasty, once said, "If you want to prolong your life, you should keep your stomach clear." Many people have experienced the difficulty of defecation in their daily lives. However, instead of blindly buying some health products to achieve "clearing the bowels", it is better to walk more.

Walking 500 meters in a "straight-line step" every day can significantly reduce the risk of constipation, especially by stimulating intestinal peristalsis, promoting nutrient absorption and waste excretion, which has a significant effect in preventing and treating constipation.

During walking, twisting the waist and hips in a regular manner promotes bowel movements, prevents constipation, and reduces the incidence of rectal cancer.

2. Relieve muscle soreness - alternate walking

It is recommended to use alternate walking as a fitness method to adapt to people of different age groups. In daily life, people often walk in a sitting, supine, or prone position because different parts of the body are interconnected, not isolated. Alternating walking includes walking forward, walking backward, fast walking, and slow walking, accompanied by nasal inhalation and oral exhalation. On the contrary, walking backward strengthens the ligaments of the knee joint to enhance muscle strength and prevent injuries. Under normal circumstances, walking forward exerts a long-term traction effect on the joints and muscles, leading to muscle fatigue and joint aging. Walking backward is a mechanism of reverse damage, which helps reduce wear and tear, relieve muscle pain, and promote self-healing of the body.

3. Prostate conditioning - tip-toe walking

Persistent tip-toe walking can effectively nourish the kidneys and enhance male vitality. If the heels are unstable, they will hang in the air and cause fatigue or injury. When we walk on tiptoe, the force applied by the forefoot is actually a support structure composed of the big toe and the inner side of the forefoot. These three meridians are closely related to the kidneys, liver, and spleen in the body, and the vigorous kidney qi promotes the circulation of the three meridians and the function of storing essence. There are three meridians on the inside of the foot, namely the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, Foot Jueyin Liver Meridian, and Foot Taiyin Spleen Meridian, which play an important role in the body. The effect would be better if this method is used to treat some diseases. Therefore, tip-toe walking can promote the massage of the three yin meridians on the foot, guide the breath to flow upward, and warm and invigorate the kidney yang through the Foot Shaoyin Kidney Meridian, thereby improving sexual ability. This method has significant benefits for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and chronic prostatitis.

4. Reduce waist and abdomen - tapping while walking

Obesity is a disease, and abdominal obesity is deadly. An excessively large waist can easily lead to obesity, and the thickening of the abdominal wall muscles can increase abdominal pressure, leading to frequent abdominal diseases. If a woman's waist circumference exceeds 80 centimeters, and a man's waist circumference exceeds 85 centimeters, they may be at risk of excessive visceral fat. So, what exactly is waist circumference? Therefore, it is advocated to "maintain physical health and reduce waist circumference" and carry out some movements (such as massaging the belt meridian) while walking to effectively help reduce the waist. This acupoint can stimulate the nerves and blood vessels in the abdomen and has a massage effect. Finding the location of the belt meridian is not a cumbersome task because it is like a gorgeous belt encircling the waist. This acupoint allows the abdominal muscles to relax. On both sides of the waist, there is a belt meridian point (draw a horizontal line with the navel as the center and a vertical line starting from the armpit, and the intersection of the two lines is the point). If your abdomen is weak and you are wearing a "lifebuoy," it is recommended to lightly tap the waist on both sides while walking for half an hour every day to ensure rapid reduction of waist circumference.

5. Foot pain and heel pain - bouncing walking

Currently, more and more people walk by swinging their legs, leading to weak foot strength, which is also a cause of foot fractures. Therefore, when walking, one must pay attention to using the foot and calf to support the body. If you master the technique of bouncing walking and adhere to this method of walking every day, the dozens of muscles under your feet that are vital to life will maintain healthy vitality, and every step will bring endless benefits. In addition, the friction between the feet and the ground when the feet touch the ground increases the heat and oxygen required during the body's metabolism. For those who have foot pads, as long as they adhere to walking in an elastic manner for three months, their foot pads will gradually lighten or disappear, and the risk of ankle fractures will also be greatly reduced.

6. Reduce "three highs" - clapping while walking

In the next 20 years, the incidence of cardiovascular disease in China will increase by more than 50%. Smoking, unhealthy eating habits, and lack of exercise are among the high-risk factors for cardiovascular disease, but people generally lack awareness of this. According to observational study results, long or long-distance walking can effectively reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, so experts recommend walking 10,000 steps per day to achieve the goal of "walking out" health. So, what exactly is "walking"? Walking, as the most basic and only sustainable exercise method for humans, is also the safest exercise method.

Clapping walking: Clap while walking, which helps the contraction and movement of the upper limb muscles. During exercise, you can cross your hands in front of your chest or behind your back and do up and down alternating movements. Through the coordinated action of the upper and lower limbs, it can effectively promote the metabolism and consumption of sugar and fat.

7. Exercise the waist muscle group - crab walking

In the world, all creatures walk straight, and only crabs walk laterally. The crab, which walks laterally for a while, can use it to exercise its legs and hands and make them more flexible. To master the technique of crab walking, change the center of gravity of the body with the movement of the crossed feet, and the hands should twist freely according to the pace. Please pay attention to maintaining the continuity of the music rhythm. During walking, swing both legs left and right or move both feet forward and backward to relax and flex the muscles of the whole body, thereby achieving the goal of rapid progress. This walking method helps strengthen the muscles of the waist and gluteal muscles, improve the flexibility of the hip and ankle joints, and enhance the body's balance.

Although there are various ways of walking, there is no fixed pattern to avoid changes. Different people have different understandings and perceptions of the same thing, and they have their own preferences and strengths, so the choice of walking style will vary. Even for the same individual, due to changes in physical condition and interests, their walking style will show a diversified trend.

In addition to adopting the exercise of fast walking, you can also choose the most suitable exercise method for yourself based on your physiological and age characteristics to achieve the best results.

Here, I have sorted out the unique advantages of various exercises for you, in order to provide you with comprehensive reference.

Swimming provides joint protection

Swimming is an attractive sport for all of us. It allows us to exercise both physically and mentally. Swimming can make our bodies healthier and help improve cardiovascular function. In the water, the human body is in a weightless state, allowing our joints to be relieved of short-term stress. When you walk on the water, it feels as easy and natural as flying in an airplane. Floating our body in the water is also an effective method when treating our muscles, joints, and bones. In the water, we can see many wonderful phenomena. In the water, the movement of our body relies on the support of buoyancy, so we can exercise in a comfortable environment. When we finish a movement, our body feels like floating on the water, and we can feel that our limb movement has returned to its original level, and we can also feel the existence of our own gravity. Over time, our joints will gradually become more flexible, and our muscles will become more elastic and vibrant, which is a natural change.

Swimming is a comprehensive exercise that exercises all muscles of the body and has benefits for all aspects of the body, especially the promotion of back and leg muscles. Swimming can make people stronger and improve brain function. Even for leisure, doing it once a week can promote body flexibility and strength. Swimming can also make people smarter. Regard swimming as a fitness activity and do it at least 3 to 4 times a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes of vigorous swimming.

Cycling requires muscle tightness to maintain health

Cycling is a rare sport that can help us maintain optimal physical condition. Cycling not only exercises the body but also has certain benefits for health. Cycling can enhance the flexibility of muscles in the knee, ankle, and hip joints, making them more flexible. When cycling, various parts of the body are in a relaxed state, which helps improve the cardiovascular system's function and reduces the risk of sports injuries. When cycling, the exercise intensity should be flexibly adjusted according to individual physical conditions, to achieve vigorous cycling for 20 minutes or longer at a stable speed, which can significantly improve physical fitness and endurance and effectively exercise cardiopulmonary function.

Jogging is helpful for weight loss

Jogging, as an excellent exercise, has the characteristics of simplicity and ease. It has various benefits for the whole body, regardless of gender or age, as any other aerobic exercise. Jogging has good health effects on various parts of the body. By promoting oxygen consumption, reducing heart rate, reducing 10,000 to 20,000 heartbeats per day, enhancing cardiovascular function, reducing blood pressure, and helping the body lose weight, this exercise has positive effects on the body.

For beginners who are jogging for the first time, it is feasible to control the breathing time to about 10 minutes, but over time, it can gradually increase to 20-30 minutes and use nasal inhalation and nasal or mouth exhalation for ventilation. Jogging is an aerobic exercise with good effects on the cardiovascular system. When the elderly choose jogging as an exercise method, they should fully consider their own physical condition. Therefore, they can use the "jog-walk" exercise method, first do a series of warm-up exercises, then walk briskly for a while, then enter the jogging stage, and after running fatigue, walk for a while until comfortable, then start jogging again, and repeat this cycle, lasting for 20 minutes.

Walking outdoors to enhance physical fitness

Walking is not only a pastime but also an exercise method. Walking leisurely for a while with a relaxed pace is an excellent form of physical exercise. Walking can make people feel relaxed and happy, help eliminate fatigue, and restore physical and mental energy. In order to maintain physical fitness, it is recommended to take a walk for fitness once a day, or exercise at least 3 to 4 times a week like this.

White, known as the father of cardiology and an American, proposed in the 1920s that walking every day is a regular lifelong exercise that can have unique benefits to health.