Michael Mosley says he tries to do press-ups and squats every day as part of his morning routine. Speaking on an episode of his BBC Radio 4 podcast Just One Thing, the health expert explained the importance of combining aerobic and resistance exercises to stay fit.
While other resistance exercises – such as weightlifting – require equipment, Mosley said the benefit of doing press-ups and squats is that no kit is needed. As reported by North Wales Live, this type of training uses an individual's body weight to provide resistance against gravity, helping to tone muscle, improve heart health and potentially boost brain function.
He said: "I do love walking and cycling, and I also make myself do the occasional run. But just one thing I would recommend you try fitting in to your daily life are press-ups and squats.
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"I do them first thing when I get out of bed because I know if I don't do them then I'll probably forget to do them later in the day. They give you a full-body workout, help your heart and may even boost your brainpower – amazing."
Mosley told his listeners that the potential benefits of doing regular press-ups have been shown in research conducted in the United States. Analysing the fitness of a group of firefighters, the study found that if a person in their late 30s is able to do 40 or more press-ups in one go they are far less likely to have a heart attack in the next decade than those who could manage fewer than 10.
Alongside their muscular and cardiovascular benefits, squats may also improve brain function, the University of South Wales' Professor Damian Bailey told the podcast: "We've evolved needing gravity, so when you start to play around with gravity it's not that the brain doesn't like it but it works jolly hard to try to defend blood flow. This is the stimulus, we think, which is fundamental to optimising the brain to exercise."
Mosley said it is important to build strength over time to avoid injury and suggested starting out doing press-ups with the knees on the ground or against a wall before progressing. People with pre-existing frailties should speak to their doctor before adding press-ups and squats into their routines, he added.
Guidance on how to do resistance exercises correctly can be found on the NHS website. The guidance recommends that you do muscle-strengthening activities that work all the major muscle groups at least twice a week.
Just One Thing is available to listen to on BBC Sounds. The episode on resistance training was first broadcast in May 2021.
