3 . Exercise is good for physical and mental health, but with coronavirus cases surging across the country, exercising indoors with other people could increase your chance of infection. So, as gyms reopen across the country, here are some things to consider before heading for your workout.

Assess your own risk

It starts with you. You have to make your own assessment of how risky it is based on knowing your medical situation and whether you are someone who’s at high risk of infection. People aged 65 and over are at higher risk of getting a severe case of COVID-19.     1    , it may not be worth the risk.

Consider alternatives for working out

Exercise outdoors is a great low-risk alternative. When you are outside, it’s easier to control how close you get to other people.    2    . Outdoors you have sunlight which has been shown to quickly inactivate the virus. And outside airflow and humidity (湿度) help weaken it.

Assess your gym’s safety measures

There are things gyms can do to help decrease the risk of infection.    3    . Are they taking your temperature? Are you seeing them regularly clean equipment? And are staff and other clients in the gym wearing a mask?

Pay attention to air flow

Your best bet is going to be a gym that is larger, able to have windows open or have multiple floors or levels to allow for physical distancing. That’s because more space and more air flow decrease the concentration of the virus in the air and likely reduce the risk of transmission.    4    .

Location, location, location

    5    . Exercising indoors in hot spots where cases are surging is riskier than in areas with low infection rates, says Bruno Murtha. So check out this color coded tracker to look up the COVID-19 risk in your county, and nearby counties.

4 . It’s truly never too late to begin exercising, according to the researchers led by Pedro Saint-Maurice of the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Even for people who were “couch potatoes” in their youth, starting regular exercise in middle-age can still greatly cut the probability of death from any cause.

The study tracked the lifetime exercise patterns of more than 315,000 people. The investigators found that folks who’d exercised all their lives had a 36 percent lower risk of dying during the study period, compared to people who’d never exercised. But, perhaps surprisingly, people who’d been inactive in youth but decided to get more physical in their 40s and 50s saw almost the same decline—35 percent—in their probability of an early death.

The study also found that a mid-life start to physical activity seemed to cut the probability of death from the two major killers—heart disease and cancer. For people who began exercising in their 40s and 50s, rates of death from heart disease fell by 43 percent compared to people who’d never exercised, and the cancer death rate fell by 16 percent. Those declines were similar to those seen in people who’d exercised all their adult lives.

“This study, once again, indicates the importance of physical activity in relationship to one’s long-term mortality,” said Dr. Evelina Grayver. “Whether or not you start exercising when you are younger or older, the benefits will always be there. But starting exercising at a later age and still getting the same mortality benefit doesn’t mean that one should not exercise in younger years. Overall effects of continuous physical activity decrease the risk of an early death.”

The researchers also noted that while other research linking exercise to longevity has looked at physical activity at just one point in the lifetime, theirs is the first to examine the role of “participation in physical activity throughout the different stages of adulthood.” This new research demonstrates the crucial relationship between physical activity and the prevention of death at any age.

8 . 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.

    4    

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.

9 . Why we should exercise as a family

We've all heard the saying "The family that plays together stays together." Enjoying quality family time is important and working out together could be the perfect solution. It's never too early to introduce healthy lifestyle choices, whether you leave the car at home and walk to school or enjoy a family cycle at the weekend.    1    Here are some tips when it comes to enjoying free time and working out as a family.

Set rewards for achievements. Taking the kids to the park is such a fun and easy thing to do. Try setting them tasks. If they manage to do all the tasks, allow them a certain amount of TV or gaming time if that's what they like to do!    2    

Find a hobby they enjoy. One of the most important things is to find a healthy hobby that they love.    3    If they enjoy it, encourage and support them to build up their confidence.

Find exercise friends. Perhaps there's a family nearby with kids the same age. See if they would like to exercise together.    4    Besides, it sets a level of cooperation where you can't let the other family down. It's also a good excuse for a coffee and a chat with the mum or dad afterwards.

    5    It can be easy to want your child to be the best but it's all about them having fun with fitness. Support them, but don't pressure them too much, or it might backfire!