1 . Jumping rope is popular but we tend to ignore (忽视) its benefits.     1     A study found that college men who spent 10 minutes jumping rope daily for six weeks improved their cardiovascular (心血管的) fitness just as much as college men who spent thirty minutes jogging for the same time. Here are some benefits of jumping rope.

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Since most of your major muscles are working when you jump rope, the exercise creates a lot of heat in the body. Your body needs to burn more fuel to produce this energy, so it burns lots of calories. It burns more calories than any other exercises, such as jogging, cycling and swimming.

Improves coordination (协调)

Jumping rope requires good coordination, especially as you advance to more skilled moves.     3     It improves coordination by requiring several body parts to communicate in order to complete one movement. The feet must jump in time with the wrists turning in order to create a continuous jumping motion.

Reduces injury risk

With your improved coordination from jumping rope, you’ll be less likely to get hurt either during exercise or in daily activities.     4     As a result, you are more agile (灵活的) and your body awareness is improved greatly. This guarantees fewer injuries.

Improves heart health

Since jumping rope gets your heart pumping, it’s great for your cardiovascular system and heart health. Jumping rope can increase your VO₂ Max (最大摄氧量), the measure of the maximum amount of oxygen a person can breathe during exercise. The higher someone’s VO₂ max, the more cardiovascular endurance (耐受力) they have.

Jumping rope gives us a full-body workout with just one piece of equipment and one move.     5     Jump to some music, or take your rope to a nearby park to enjoy the fun.

4 . The Netherlands is the only country in the world with more bicycles than residents. By 2022, the Netherlands has had a total of about 23 million bicycles, with an ownership rate of 1.35 bikes per person. One study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that in the Netherlands cycling prevents about 6,500 early deaths each year, and that Dutch people have 1.5 years longer life expectancy (预期寿命) due to cycling.

“The time spent cycling was about 74 minutes per week for Dutch adults aged 20 to 90 years old. The time was fairly stable over adulthood and reached its apex in the early days of retirement, in one’s 60s. The death rate reduction, which was a direct result of the average time spent cycling for a certain age group, was therefore also the highest among the seniors who just retired,” said Jeremy Smith, an expert from NIH.

What is it that makes cycling so beneficial? Obviously, cycling is a form of exercise. It is a great form of cardio (有氧的) exercise, which gets your heart pumping and helps strengthen the heart muscles. Doing cardio exercise may also help lower your blood pressure.

Furthermore, solid evidence proves the link between cycling and better thinking skills. Even younger adults claim that a bike ride helps shift their thinking to a higher level — and research backs them up. In one small study, young men are required to cycle for 30 minutes every day for 3 weeks. They also completed a series of cognitive (认知的) tests before and afterward. After cycling, they scored higher on memory, reasoning and planning, and they were able to finish the tests more rapidly than before.

Besides all the benefits mentioned above, cycling, as many Dutch put it, is a way of life. In their simplest form, bikes are tools for travelling. But they’re so much more. They are cognitive improvement, environmental protection, satisfaction and an expression of freedom. They bring people of the same passion together and connect them to a greater journey of life.

5 . Rene Campbell has devoted most of her life to shaping her figure into one completely against what society thinks a woman should look like.

“I was always very insecure about my body image, as everyone seemed to know for sure that women needed to look a certain way,” she says when reflecting on her motivation to transform herself.     1     For quite some time, she struggled with eating disorders because she was trying to keep her weight really low and appear skinny, like the women on magazine covers.     2     It was then that she became attracted by the way these seemingly confident women held themselves.

However, building her dream body—gaining over 85 pounds, going from a size 8 to 14—has had its challenges, too. “    3     When I tell them that I am a female bodybuilder, the first reaction is, ‘Muscles for women are just not attractive,’” Campbell says. Though she loves the way she now looks, she is sometimes treated with cruelty.

    4    Even though there is a huge market encouraging women to build muscles and tighten their figures, the ideal still stands for smaller waists, and thin legs, the so-called perfect figure. For women to build up strong muscles, it takes a strong heart.

“I gradually learn to ignore others’ voices and become committed to the training. It is a very big shift for me, and it has won me plenty of awards.     5     My bodybuilding journey makes me realize that I need to do things for myself.” Campbell says.

6 . Regular jogging (慢跑) can reduce your risk of health problems. If you’re new to jogging, getting started can seem a little difficult.     1    .

Fuel your body 2 hours before jogging

Eat a healthy meal rich in fruit and vegetables before jogging.    2    . It will also help muscle grow and repair. If you’re jogging for weight loss, try increasing your intake of fruit and vegetables. Reduce your intake of sugary food and drinks.

Warm up for 5 minutes before jogging

It’s very important to warm up before you jog.    3    .Some good warm-up exercises include doing knee lifts, side-stepping and climbing stairs. You may have heard that it’s important to stretch (拉伸) before you run, but stretching before exercise can put additional strain (拉紧) on your muscles. Therefore, focus on warming up before jogging.

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Most people think how far and how long you run has to do with patience and a strong will. However, having the proper running form plays an important role in jogging. To make the most of your jogging, remember to keep your head straight and your muscles relaxed, avoid lifting your knees too high, and touch the ground lightly with the middle of your foot.

Cool down after your jogging

After jogging, you can avoid strain on your heart and muscles by doing cool-down exercise. Finish your jog with 5～10 minutes of walking.    5    , You should do deep stretches and hold each stretch for 15～30 seconds.

10 . “Age is just a number” is a saying that some people might disagree with, but for healthy and fit great-grandmother Anne Sheppard, nothing could be more true.

At 100 years old, Anne can kick, crunch and do full push-ups. And she is always exercising with other fitness fans who are almost 70 years her junior in the gym. South Melbourne-born Anne worked at the local clothing factory while her husband Max was away at work with the army. When the couple retired in 1981, they signed up to their local gym, where Anne is still a member 40 years later. “I feel stronger and fitter than before!” Anne says in an interview from her gym in Melbourne. She has just finished a rigorous training class — one of five group courses she attends throughout the week. “I just love it and I want to keep going as long as I can,” she smiles. “It’s part of my life now — my husband has passed away and now I’m on my own. The gym is my second family and I’d be lost without them.”

“Anne is a superstar —no matter where she goes, everyone is attracted to her! I know she inspires us to do whatever we set our minds to. We’re all jealous because we want to get to 100 years old and be like her,” says Jan, a friend of Anne in the gym.

Exercise has always been an important part of life for Anne. Despite going to the gym three days a week, Anne also keeps active in other ways, and regularly walks to and from the local supermarket. Life has now slowed a little bit for Anne. As for her next personal best, her goal is to keep going to the gym. That’s how Anne enjoys her life.