BLOCK Training

Walking for your health is a lot more approachable than you think. A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology confirmed the number of daily steps we need to start seeing health benefits is lower than previously thought. Researchers found our risk of dying from cardiovascular disease lowered with every 500 to 1000 extra steps we walk in a day. If you're thinking of adding more steps into your life, increasing your current average by 500 each week is a good place to start.

What do you want your extra time to look like?

Physical activity has huge benefits for employees' mental health. The American Psychological Association found that 36% of Millennial and 31% of Gen X employees report lower stress levels on days they engage in exercise. Exercise has been found to be a much more effective stress management tool than the sedentary alternatives many Americans report choosing, such as watching 3+ hours of TV or going online. So when considering company morale, supporting the access to and availability of physical activity can be a great option.

Giving yourself time to recharge can help you:

✅ Slow down
✅ Sharpen your focus
✅ Pause and reflect on your progress
✅ Build up your health and productivity

In an episode of his podcast 'On Purpose with Jay Shetty,' author discussed the importance of taking time for yourself amid the busy day-to-day hustle.

Strength training has a host of other benefits beyond building muscle. According to the Mayo Clinic, adding this type of exercise into your weekly routine can have huge benefits for your healthspan, brain, joints, and bones.

This involuntary loss of muscle mass, strength, and function—called sarcopenia—is a major cause of disability as we age, according to a study from USC's Department of Medicine.

Luckily, a study published on the Oxford Academic research platform found that adding just one session of resistance training a week can greatly reduce the weakening of muscle mass.

Resistance exercise—also known as weight training, strength training or resistance training—usually involves work that requires your muscles to hold or work against an applied force or weight.

You could add 20 years to your life by implementing 8 habits by middle age, according to a new report presented at last month’s American Society for Nutrition. The suggested behaviors include following a healthy diet and avoiding opioid addiction and smoking.

According to the study, men and women who started these behaviors by the age of 40 could live an average of 24 and 21 years longer, respectively, than their counterparts who didn't.

“The earlier the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s or 60s, it still is beneficial,” said lead study author Xuan-Mai Nguyen. “This is not out of reach — this is actually something attainable for the general population.”

Happy Birthday to our Director of Coaching 🤜🤛

Thank you for motivating us both in front of and behind the camera.

Take care of your body, and it will take care of you.

Spending just 5-10 minutes before your favorite activities on proper warm ups will help increase your efficiency and decrease your risk of injury.

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Proper sleep prep can begin at any point in the day.

Here are a few tips from sleep expert Rachel Salas, M.D. at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness that you can start ASAP.

Want a deeper sleep?

The Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep found that adding at least 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity can improve the quality of sleep that same night.

If you're the type to workout at night, make sure you finish any exercise at least 1 to 2 hours before going to bed. This ensure you're giving your body enough time to wind down and alert your brain that it's time to sleep.

A little movement each day can make a huge impact on your mind as well as your body. Find 10-20 minutes each day to move as part of your larger mental health plan.