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Fitness Gift Giving

Stuck on any last-minute gifts for people you love? Encouraging people to move is a wonderful gift. Of course you never want to try to twist someone’s arm if movement isn’t their thing. This year for CT LIVE we put together a few fitness ideas that are playful and practical. Click here to watch. I hope these ideas help with someone you are stuck on. And we aren’t paid by anyone to plug these gift ideas…

Trekking Poles: Can’t speak highly of these enough. I started hiking with them in my 20’s. I was embarrassed because no one my age used them, but my knees felt so good when I used them. People resist them but they are a game changer for anyone you know who likes hiking (and wants to continue lifelong) or anyone you know who is getting a bit older and a little unsteady.

For hikers they give you a more full-body workout, help you move faster, burn more calories, help with balance, and reduce how sore you’ll be after you hike.

A Stretch Strap: this gift can be for the person you know who LOVES stretching or the person […]

To Squat Or Not to Squat

This is probably not a question you give a lot of thought to on a regular basis. Most people with knee problems steer away from the squat, and it’s certainly good to be cautious. But if you don’t have knee problems, the squat can be a really important exercise. The squat is basically the muscles we use to stand up and sit down. Most of us stand and sit at work, when we eat, when we go to the bathroom, and when we get in the car. It’s a pretty important exercise for daily use.
As people age it’s one of the more important exercises they can probably do to keep themselves independent.

Recently I read two articles that argued for the importance of a really deep squat. One where you start standing and lower your glutes until they almost touch the floor between your heals. This isn’t for everyone and some people need to build up to this, but the articles made an interesting case

They claimed that we are very sensitive about knees in […]