Nowadays, many people like to exercise by walking. We suggest that there should be a proper measure for walking. Generally, it is advisable to walk for 30 to 60 minutes and take 6,000 to 10,000 steps. As the physical strength of the elderly declines, it is more appropriate to walk for 30 to 40 minutes and take 4,000 to 6,000 steps. They can also divide the walking into two or three sections, which is beneficial to their health.

When it comes to health preservation through exercise, it should be noted that it varies from person to person. For example, for those with yin deficiency or qi deficiency, strenuous exercise is not recommended. Instead, they should mainly engage in gentle walking to regulate their breath and nourish their spirit.

During exercise, one should pay attention to the body signals, especially the breathing. It is not advisable to have symptoms such as rapid breathing and intermittent speech during exercise. One should not be overly fatigued. If there is no proper “measure” in exercise, for example, experiencing soreness in the waist and legs after exercise, it will have the opposite effect. It is a good “measure” if one feels refreshed after exercise and the muscles do not have excessive reactions or fatigue.

Pay attention to the time. It is better to exercise in the early morning. Exercising when the sun rises is beneficial for stimulating the yang qi. At night, one should pay attention to protecting the yang qi and avoid a large amount of strenuous activities.

It is advisable for most people to choose moderate-intensity exercise. What is moderate intensity? One can refer to the heart rate indicator. The exercise heart rate should be maintained between (220 – age) × 0.6 times per minute and (220 – age) × 0.7 times per minute.

Luo Xiaobing, Director of the Department of Sports Medicine at Sichuan Orthopedic Hospital, said that everyone has a different constitution, so the ways of adapting to exercise also vary. We can understand the weak links of the body’s functions and find the key factors for the occurrence of injuries and illnesses through traditional Chinese medicine constitution identification, physical fitness assessment, and sports technology analysis.