Team University of Dayton Engineering & Safety Lab No. 23:Change Up Your Routine

 Our bodies really benefit from different types of activities. You should regularly include endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility exercises in your routine.

Endurance activities increase your breathing and heart rate. These help improve your overall health and fitness, making daily activities like climbing stairs or mowing the lawn much easier. Try going for a swim or taking a long walk in one of Dayton’s Metroparks.

Strength exercises increase muscle strength. Even small improvements can make a big difference in your ability to perform everyday tasks like carrying shopping bags or hauling your suitcase around the airport. You can use weights or resistance bands for these exercises.

Balance practice can help prevent falls (but you already knew that!). Some lower body strength exercises also help improve your balance. Tai chi is one example of a balance exercise, and check out our recurring feature called “Balance Tune-Up” for more.

Flexibility exercises, or stretches, can help your body stay flexible. Stretching gives you freedom of movement so you can do things like bending down to tie your shoes or looking over your shoulder as you back out of the driveway. Yoga is a great example.  Be creative!