Understanding 7+1 Training

7+1 sport

Table of Contents

If you want to focus more on keeping yourself healthy and improving your appearance, you’re not alone. According to a study, 98% of women feel the pressure to look a certain way, causing stress in their lives. Another survey that focused on men showed a 325% increase in the number of men seeking plastic surgery between 1997 and 2018. These numbers clearly demonstrate how important appearance is to people, often in unhealthy ways. However, you don’t need to go under the knife to feel better about yourself!

It’s not just about our external appearance; it’s also important to exercise and move regularly for the optimal functioning of our bodies. After all, our bodies are designed to be in constant motion throughout the day.

Our bodies are optimized for movement

Before we introduce the 7+1 sports that beginners can easily engage in, let’s take a look at some interesting facts about how regular exercise affects our body:

  • The calf muscles are often referred to as the “second heart” because they help pump blood back to our heart through muscle contractions, aiding its flow against gravity. (source)
  • Cartilages do not have blood vessels, so they rely on the fluid between them to absorb nutrients and remove accumulated by-products and toxins. However, this nutrient absorption and waste removal process can only occur through the movement of cartilages. The compression of cartilages helps expel toxins, while the subsequent “suction” motion allows fresh nutrients to enter the cartilages. (source)
  • The “muscle fascia,” a thin connective tissue, separates the “muscle bundles” in our body. The fascia surrounds every muscle. However, these muscles move independently on a regular basis, preventing the two layers of fascia from connecting. But if we don’t move, these layers gradually start to fuse. We can experience this when, for example, we have a cast on our hand or leg after surgery, and during rehabilitation, we feel significant pain as the fascia breaks apart the fused adhesions. (source)

These are just three interesting examples of why movement is essential in our lives, but many more could be mentioned!

7+1 sports for our mental and physical health

Now let’s move on to the 7+1 sports that not only strengthen your body and shape your figure but also help you mentally unwind. Moreover, these activities can be done by beginners or those starting over!

Walking

Many people might think that walking is not a sport since they walk every day in the office, at home, or to the bus stop, but they don’t feel any better because of it. Walking can be a sport, but it requires covering

a greater distance than what is typically covered in daily routines. Walking for 40-50 minutes a day can result in significant improvements in quality of life and health. However, this doesn’t refer to leisurely walks for sightseeing purposes, but rather dynamic, brisk steps that involve movement of the arms and hips.

The health benefits of dynamic walking include improved blood circulation, activation of muscles that are often neglected while sitting, support for cartilage and bone metabolism, stress reduction, and mental clarity. It also enhances oxygen supply in the body and promotes digestive processes (source).

Yoga

Yoga originates from India, so it’s not surprising that yoga poses are still referred to by their original names, called asanas. In addition to strengthening muscles, improving concentration, and enhancing balance, yoga is also beneficial for clearing the mind and organizing thoughts. It serves not only to enhance our physical appearance but also to connect with our spiritual selves. As the practice builds upon itself, it is perfect for beginners to learn the basic techniques.

The techniques used in yoga are not only for relaxation but also contribute to alleviating chronic issues. Furthermore, it improves lung capacity, helps regulate blood sugar levels, and enhances sleep quality.

Additional benefits of yoga:

  • Increases flexibility
  • Strengthens muscles
  • Promotes calm and steady breathing
  • Boosts energy and vitality
  • Enhances metabolism
  • Aids in weight control
  • Improves circulation
  • Helps prevent injuries through frequent stretching

Hiking

Hiking has numerous health benefits, similar to walking. The difference lies in the fact that hiking takes place on uneven terrain. This unevenness puts more strain on the ankle and calf muscles. Additionally, climbing rocks, stepping on stones, or walking uphill activates the quadriceps and gluteal muscles. On the descent, we can feel the strain in the hamstrings and calf muscles.

During hiking, we often don’t realize the amount of muscle work our bodies are doing. The soreness in our muscles usually becomes apparent the following day or two, in the form of muscle soreness.

Moreover, while walking can be done in urban areas, hiking usually takes place in nature, on hills and mountains, where the air quality is significantly better. It benefits our body and mental state to reconnect with our roots, distancing ourselves from the noise, smog, and hustle and bustle of the city, while inhaling the scent of plants and allowing our thoughts to wander freely.

HIIT

HIIT, which stands for High-Intensity Interval Training, is a great solution for boosting weight loss, improving overall physical condition, and reducing various health problems (source).

Interval training involves performing high-intensity exercises for a few tens of seconds, followed by a lighter exercise for another few tens of seconds. The duration of each interval depends on your fitness level. Beginners can start with 20 seconds of high intensity followed by 40 seconds of rest and gradually try different ratios, such as 30-30 or 40-20. The light exercise can involve jogging in place, running, or gentle hopping from right to left, but it’s important to avoid coming to a complete stop, as that would disrupt your momentum.

HIIT training has numerous positive effects on our bodies. First, it stabilizes blood sugar levels, improves circulation and oxygen supply, thereby reducing insulin resistance. The intense intervals

also stimulate the production of growth hormones, contributing to muscle building. The short anaerobic sprints are intense enough to challenge the body but not long enough to initiate muscle breakdown.

Another advantage of HIIT is that it can be done anywhere and anytime. Plus, as little as 15-30 minutes a day is sufficient to see improvements. This makes it an excellent exercise option for those who often use the excuse “I don’t have time to exercise” (source)

Swimming

Swimming is an excellent exercise, especially for those with spinal issues, as the resistance of water protects the spine and vertebrae. It engages the entire body and helps build strong muscles. It evenly distributes the workload between the upper and lower body, involving every muscle group.

In addition, swimming is great for regulating breathing and improving lung capacity since we have to hold our breath underwater. The rhythmic strokes and movements bring a sense of rhythm to our breathing. This leads to improved oxygen supply to the cells, increased blood circulation, enhanced bone metabolism, and benefits for the cardiovascular system. It also has a positive impact on metabolism, contributing to the normalization of blood sugar and insulin levels.

Due to the fraction of body weight placed on the bones and joints, swimming is an excellent choice for those with degenerative and chronic conditions or joint issues.

Cycling

Cycling is an accessible form of exercise for almost anyone. Even simply using a bicycle for commuting instead of a car or public transportation (source) or taking a few kilometers ride at the end of the day can greatly benefit our health. Although cycling primarily works the lower body, it also has a positive effect on concentration and balance.

Cycling is a fantastic anaerobic exercise that raises your heart rate, improving circulation, cellular oxygenation, and metabolism. It helps regulate blood sugar levels and stimulates the production of growth hormones responsible for muscle building. You can build strong, lean muscles while strengthening your lungs and heart. Like with any other sport, proper nose breathing is crucial!

Not to mention, if you replace driving with cycling whenever possible, you’re also contributing to protecting the environment!

+1. Aviva Torna

Among the aforementioned forms of exercise, you may be familiar with all of them. But have you heard of Aviva Torna? Aviva Torna is a movement method primarily developed to harmonize the functioning of the female body. Its creator, Aviva Gabriella Steiner (formerly Fazekas Gabriella), was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1930. Through her work with women, she noticed that certain exercises had a better impact on women’s bodies than others. This led her to experiment with developing a unique set of exercises. Thus, the Aviva Torna was born, consisting of 18 fundamental exercises that can be learned from certified instructors.

The goal of Aviva Torna is to restore hormonal balance and reduce or eliminate female health issues such as PCOS, painful menstruation, endometriosis, or infertility. Although primarily used by women, it can also be beneficial for improving male fertility with some modifications to the exercises. It’s important to learn the exercises exclusively from certified Aviva instructors since the execution of exercises needs to be modified based on individual health issues.

The basic exercise routine takes about 30 minutes and should be performed at least twice a week to have therapeutic effects. Noticeable changes can be observed as early as the first month. The exercises mainly target the pelvic muscles and promote increased blood circulation and movement throughout the body. It should not be confused with pelvic floor exercises, which focus on strengthening the

pelvic floor and internal muscles.

Trying all of these workouts will not only improve your overall health but they will increase strength and mental agility as well so you can be the healthiest version of yourself at all times!

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These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products/services are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.