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Today’s Health Upgrade
Preventing shrinkage
Q&A with Arnold
Weekend challenge: Finish Strong Workout #6
Arnold’s Podcast
Want more stories from Arnold? Every day, Arnold’s Pump Club Podcast opens with a story, perspective, and wisdom from Arnold that you won’t find in the newsletter. And, you’ll hear a recap of the day’s items. You can subscribe on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Preventing Shrinkage
Did you know your brain starts to shrink about five percent per decade after age forty? But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Research suggests that regular cardiovascular exercise can reduce or prevent brain atrophy. Scientists estimate that adults who get 2.5 hours of low-intensity activity, 1.5 hours of moderate-intensity activity, or 1 hour of high-intensity activity every week have brains that look four years younger than those who are inactive.
The study examined more than 1,500 people with an average age of 75 and used brain imaging to assess brain volume. Those who engaged in the top-third highest level of physical activity had younger-looking, larger brains.
Research suggests that exercise improves blood flow and the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your brain cells. It might also reduce the build-up of plaque linked to neurodegenerative diseases. And because it reduces stress and anxiety and improves well-being, those benefits can indirectly boost brain health.
Remember, all different intensities of exercise can help. The harder you push, the less time you need to spend exercising. Start somewhere, and let movement serve as anti-aging medicine for your mind.
Arnold Q&A
Like most weeks, Arnold did another Q&A in The Pump app. Here are a few of his answers.
Arnold’s Thoughts on Ayahuasca and Happiness
How Arnold Adjusted His Training As He Aged
On Training to Failure
Why Arnold Built The Village
Creating A Vision and Defining Success
Weekend Challenge: Finish Strong Workout #6
Here’s the last workout of the second week of The Finish Strong Challenge. Remember, at the end of the month, we’ll randomly reward three people with $1,000 who are a part of Arnold’s Pump Club and have shared their workouts on social media using the hashtag #Arnoldschallenge. Consider it a little extra incentive to keep training during the holiday season.
This is a lower-body workout made up of 3 circuits. Perform each exercise, resting 30 seconds between movements and 2 minutes after you complete an entire circuit. Once you do all the sets in a circuit, then move on to the next group of exercises.
You can do all these exercises with your bodyweight, dumbbells, or barbells.
Circuit #1
Squat: 2-4 sets x 10 reps
Straight-leg deadlift: 2-4 sets x 6-8 reps
Lunges: 2-4 sets x 15-20 reps
Circuit #2
Step ups: 2-4 sets x 10-12 reps/leg
Rear-foot elevated split squat: 2-4 sets x 10 reps/leg
Calf Raises: 2-4 sets x 10-20 reps
Circuit #3
Plank: 2-4 sets x 30 seconds
Reverse crunches: 2-4 sets x 10-20 reps
Give it a try, and let us know how it goes!
Once again, thanks for joining us for another week. We know it’s almost the end of the year, and we want to help you finish strong and go into 2024 with lots of positive momentum. Have a fantastic weekend!
-Arnold, Adam, and Daniel
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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell
