MOBILITY

1. As we get older, we creak more. Joints, tendons, and skeletal muscle = just like a hinge or elastic band, get worn. Practicing mobility is the oil that keeps the elasticity strong in avoiding making noises when standing up
2. Yoga is a formal workout way of improving mobility.
3. Warming up and cooling down, although are not cool to watch, are quick ways to at least get in some mobility movements without having to dedicate a specific workout to it.
4. There are 2 types of stretching. Static (like the splits), or Dynamic (like Inchworms).
5. The least sexy to watch of practices but one of the best at keeping you young and mobile, hence the name mobility

Mobility tends to be more important for older people, because they are aware they have a lack of it. Before it becomes an issue, work on it. Especially if you know of a particular problem area, to avoid fluid build up, swelling and general stiffness of that particular joint = flex it.

TRACKING

1. My Fitness Pal is the best app I am aware of for logging food, although I don’t use it. I’m still a fan
2. Smart watches are one of the easiest ways to track movement, calorie burn and steps
3. Self-comparison to PB’s and previous workouts can help benchmark progress…but only if you know your previous numbers
4. Having a separate fitness diary, or even incorporating a food diary, workout journal into your current one can help review previous and build future progress.
5. In specific order, the most important things to track from beginner to expert are; feeling, overall activity (days), water intake, calories, steps, workouts, macros, PBs. There are plenty more things to track but that seems like a nice summary list.

There are multiple apps and devices to track health and fitness = use any combination of these without it feeling like a negative process. Before I write anything anywhere, I know how I feel about my health. My instinct tells me if I’m eating the right foods, I feel energised and if my body is aware of itself without aching. Rest if I’m aching too much or work harder if I’m not feeling the DOMs. 

Note: I don’t track calories or specific workouts. I have Goals in certain disciplines and have a good enough gauge of feeling to know if I’m eating right and enough (or too much) and also if my workout intensity is right for me. That is sustainable for me although tracking more can help gain quicker results.

CARDIO

1. The heart is the first thing that was ever created when you were in the womb. Look after it through cardio
2. Do what you enjoy and vary what you do
3. Cardio can be quick and intense HIIT, or long and less intense LISS. By all means it can be long and intense too but doesn’t necessarily make it better.
4. No cardio is better than another. They’re just different.
5. More sweat doesn’t mean better cardio. Fatigue is a better gauge of quality

Make cardio fun, wherever possible. Do what is within your means and if you can make it social, all the more better. Intensity is dependent on mobility so from taking a few steps daily to running a sub 4hr marathon, just do it. The goal of all cardio is to look after your heart, lung and blood health, Not to lose weight/fat. Losing weight/fat can be a by-product but not the primary reason, although it is why a lot of people do it.

WEIGHTS

1. No equipment is needed. The first resistance (other than star wars and actually working out) is gravity. Bodyweight is plenty for most people. Too much in fact so variations of bodyweight exercices are great for beginner to intermediates
2. Heavier = less reps. More results will be gained from heavier weights but this also comes with a higher risk of injury. The most I lift is 90% of my max which is about the 3 rep range. The majority of my sets are 80% of my 1rep max at the 6-8 rep range
3. Compound moves have more bang for buck. They work multiple muscles and are generally aligned to natural body movements. Isolated has its place for specific muscle growth but that’s more for aesthetics or potential recovery reasons as well as specified training needs.
4. For variation, we can change the weight, change the reps and finally change the pace of each move. You can add more sets too but the first 3 will do it.
5. Weight is how heavy, reps are how many, sets are how many times.