Abel Ndooka
Fitness Correspondent
As one chapter rushes to close with the year 2024, we stand at the edge of a new year and all that it has to offer.
When it comes to fitness, the new year of 2025 will introduce the world to embracing technology, inclusion, and holistic views regarding wellness.
At its core, the secret to a healthy fitness routine is simple: Find ways to move.
There are limitless options these days, but the best exercise is whatever you enjoy enough to keep doing it.
In 2024, we published articles on how to stay strong as you age, how to run better and how to blow off a little steam. We also looked at how exercise can affect your immune system, and your sleep patterns.
Here is a selection of our favorite fitness coverage from the year.
Exercise to ease pain.
Take a walk
Some fitness enthusiasts might go on about their latest HIIT workout or the lifting session that blasted their quads.
But you shouldn’t underestimate the power of walking as a workout.
Whether you’re walking in the wilderness, doing so while wearing a weighted pack or just around the block, walking can be a great way to improve your physical and mental health.
And, experts say, this simple exercise can help combat some forms of chronic pain.
If you suffer from back issues, walking isn’t an instant fix but can play a role in managing the discomfort.
Find the right balance
Too much sitting (or focusing too much on the same form of exercise) can also lead to so-called muscular imbalances. They aren’t always a problem but can lead to issues over time.
The way out of pain in these cases is usually to train the opposing muscles.
But first you have to find them.
Here is what you need to know.
Exercise to help …
… boost your mood
For some people, one of the biggest benefits of exercise is the way it lifts their moods. Call it a runner’s high or a rush of endorphins while lifting weights. But not everyone experiences that emotional boost. If that’s the case for you, there are a few ways to tweak your workout plans to better lift your spirits.
… dull a hangover
Sometimes your foul mood is a little more, shall we say, self-imposed. Many of us have had the experience of waking up on a Sunday morning with a splitting headache and a promise to never drink tequila slammers again.
Sadly, exercise is not a miracle hangover cure — but can be helpful if you take it easy.
… improve your sleep
Regular, moderate exercise can be an excellent way to improve your sleep habits. However, intense exercise — or abrupt changes to your regimen — can play havoc with your slumber.
If you suffer from insomnia, or if you have found that your new training plan is making it suddenly hard to sleep, there are a few steps you can take to help you work hard and rest hard.
For the newbie
Once you’re out there, you should turn to the real running experts for advice. Here, running coaches and researchers share some of the most common mistakes beginner runners make — and how to avoid them.
For the perfectionist
After you have developed a running habit, you might feel the urge to improve your stride. But it turns out that many runners are better off sticking with their natural form. Here’s what you need to know.
When building a strength training habit, it’s helpful to start with the basics. For instance, consider the body’s foundational motions. Most of our daily movements fall into one or more of these categories: hinge, squat, lunge, push, pull and rotation.
If you want a well-rounded functional workout that helps you in everyday life, you need to touch on all of them.
The exercises you love to hate
All of the best exercises are tough in the moment. They make you grunt, curse and maybe even spit a little. But a few exercises hold a special place of loathing in our hearts. We all have at least one — usually it starts with a “B” and rhymes with “slurpees.”
