ANYWHERE FITNESS

Experts say daily exercise of at least 20 minutes is best for a healthier mind and body for all ages. Here’s how to get ina workout without going to a gym

- Chantal Sajan

Train every day to stay fighting fit for life.

Do not leave it to once a week, fortnightly or occasionally. And if you cannot get to a gym, train at home or in well-shaded neighbourhood parks and connectors.

This is the maxim of mixed martial arts (MMA) athlete Radeem Rahman, 36, co-founder of MMA Fitness Lab in Race Course Road. The certified fitness trainer, with a degree in sports and science from Edinburgh Napier University in the United Kingdom, designs bespoke workouts for clients who suffer from knee issues, as well as neck, shoulder and back pains due to sitting for long periods at their desks.

In his gym, Mr Rahman and his team of two physical fitness assistants guide clients to build up their fitness gradually, mindful of an individual's fitness level and pace.

Mixed martial arts is a contact sport that combines various combat sports such as muay thai, which is the national sport of Thailand, wrestling for takedowns and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which is known for its grappling and ground movement. Its workouts are practised in the gym as well as outdoors.

He says that by spending at least 20 minutes daily, one can benefit from increased metabolism, improved cardiovascular health, better bone density and joint health, a stronger immune system and mental clarity.

The trick is to slowly extend the duration of workouts anywhere, not just at home or in a gym, which can get stale and boring.

"Go for early-morning or late-evening sessions when it's cooler - and work out in a range of settings such as in parks or playgrounds to avoid falling into a rut and losing interest," he advises.

While many prefer to wait till the weekend to catch up on exercise due to work commitments, medical experts advise spreading out workout sessions throughout the week to reap the most benefit.

People of all ages should ideally clock between 150 and 300 minutes of exercise a week. That works out to about 20 to 40 minutes a day.