A healthy adult should break a sweat doing some sort of aerobic (oxygen)/cardiovascular (heart, lung & blood vessels) exercise at least 3-4 times per week for a minimum of 20 minutes. Optimally, daily aerobic/cardiovascular exercise for about 30 minutes or more is more beneficial, helping with high cholesterol, blood circulation, weight control, elimination of toxins, improved digestion, reduction of stress and many other benefits.

Some statistics from the movie Supersize Me!:

• Since 1984, the percentage of Obese Americans has doubled.
• Obesity-related illness is now the second most deadly affliction after smoking.
• Currently, over 400,000 Americans die from obesity-related illness.

The best Aerobic/Cardiovascular exercises are balanced exercises like bicycling, hiking, kayaking, elliptical machines, rebounding (trampoline), running (on sand or soft surfaces), swimming and probably other similar exercises.

Two reasons that these exercises are the most beneficial are:

• There is no impact on the joints as in hard-impact sports like volleyball or running on asphalt
• There is no imbalance of the body as in one-sided sports like tennis or surfing

Rebounding also has added benefits of stimulating the lymph (immune) system in your body:
http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/rebounding-for-detoxification-and-health.htm

It is scientific fact that as we age, we loose both muscle and bone density, which can make us vulnerable to diseases like Osteoporosis. In order to live healthy and active lifestyles with reduced risk of injury from small accidents like falling down, it is important to try to maintain a balanced muscle tone in the body to help protect and support the bones, joints, muscles, nerves, organs and tendons. Not only are strength and muscle toning exercises good for the muscles, organs and joints, they also help blood circulation, improve digestion, reduce stress and provide many other physiological, mental and emotional benefits.

Some examples of strength and muscle toning exercises are Chi Kung, fitness exercises/equipment, isolated muscle exercises, martial arts, pilates, swimming, yoga and other similar exercises. Many of these exercises are focused on physical development in a more balanced manner improving physical energy, flexibility, manipulation, strength or combinations of those depending on the type of exercise.

Once there are imbalances in the body from years of high intensity sports or physical accidents, it is wise to first have the big problems or chronic pains diagnosed by a specialist and then possibly balance/strengthen the body through structural alignment exercises.

A general knee balance and strengthening exercise

1. Start with the legs and inside feet parallel about 1-hand width apart and lean your body back against a door.
2. Slowly bend your knees keeping your feet planted and the same width in your knees as you go lower.
3. Stop before your heels lift up and hold for 10 seconds.
4. Slowly come back up and repeat 5 to 9 more times from Step 1.

1. 2. 3.

This exercise will help to build strength in the quadriceps, which will help to protect and strengthen the overall knee joints.
Bicycling with good knee alignment will also assist in strengthening the knee joints.

CAUTION:
If you feel pain while doing this exercise, stop doing it and see a qualified practitioner to help you diagnose and correct the underlying problem.

But if you don't have chronic pain, but know something is not quite right in your body, it doesn't mean that you have to wait until something breaks before you start to improve the structural balance in your own body. You can do this by checking your activities that you do for a long time like computer work, or physical occupations involving standing or lifting, etc. Try to watch how you use your body and if it is held in tension during the activity.

Are you walking correctly?

• When you walk, try to check if your lower leg and foot are turned outward.
• Try to see if you lift your knee or simply swing your straight leg forward when you walk.

Many people walk incorrectly as we get lazy to lift our knee and keep our feet straight. Prolonged walking like this (especially with weight gain) will cause upper leg (femur & ITB muscles) and lower leg to be rotated outward in the long run. This will cause long-term alignment alignment issues in the ankles, knees and hips, which will most likely become the source of future lower back pain.

Try this simple walking practice for 10 minutes if you see your own walking habits need improvement:

1. Start by standing with the feet pointed straight (from insides) and about 1 hand-width apart.
2. Balance on one foot and lift the other knee just high enough so the foot just comes off the ground.
3. Swing your leg thorough and place your heel on the ground in front of the other foot.
4. Lower the front of the foot on the ground evenly, touching both the inside and outside foot at the same time.
5. Repeat from step 2 with the other foot.

1. 2. 3. 4.