Tag: 2014 AtoZ

Push ups, Plank and so on are  yet another group of excellent all body exercises that demand good core strength. Don’t be deterred if you are unable to do the full push up or think your core strength is insufficient, ‘cos these exercises will also help strengthen those muscles.

Basically the moves use the body weight as resistance. Put very simply, it just demands that we support our body weight by using specific muscles that’s all. No additional dumbbells, external weights. So it should be easy right?

Wrong!

Well not completely. These are challenging exercises and must be done correctly (with correct posture and alignment) to get most out of them. As mentioned earlier, these can be considered among the most effective exercises. For newbies or those just starting out, modify the push up as depicted in slide 9 (nine) of the above slide show. If you can do the full push up then go ahead and increase the reps gradually. It takes a lot of practise and strength building to reach double digits or higher.

Exercises in this category do not need additional equipment (hence no need for additional expenses) and can be done anywhere (even in a hotel room if you are travelling).

Its possible to take pushups to a much higher level by doing single handed pushups or pushups on a Swiss ball or even with dumbbells. Believe me these require tremendous strength and are not for newbies.

The Plank is a sort of static push up, an isometric exercise that involves maintaining a certain position. It can be down in different positions and should be taken up after you have been exercising for a while. Always begin under supervision. Here is a link on how to do the Plank.

Go on! Get away from the computer and get those muscles moving!
🙂

Cheers!

Disclaimer: All
suggestions are general in nature. Readers are advised to exercise
caution before implementing them and seek expert advise about what is
suitable for their specific needs. 

“Mirror Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?”
A quintessential question, whose reply we always want in our favour. 
Fairest, Slimmest, Fittest or “Bestest” of whatever we are striving to achieve.


When we exercise, we need a mirror and its not to admire our beautiful branded attire or spot early signs of flab. When exercising it has other more important uses, namely to check our ‘form’ or posture when doing the movements. This is especially applicable when we workout without a personal trainer. The reflection when we do the Squats or Lunges or Pilates will help us maintain correct position of the spine, keep the head neutral and so on. Gym regulars will agree there will be plenty of distractions around and a mirror is useful to maintain focus.

Some of us have installed gym equipment at home or workout at home. Make sure to have a good full length mirror on the wall where you exercise. It is your friend to avoid hurting yourself due to wrong postures when exercising. 

Of course there is a diametrically opposite school of thought which is against gym mirrors. The reflection may be a deterrent some experts have said. Read a report about such a research here.  

Cheers!

Disclaimer: All
suggestions are general in nature. Readers are advised to exercise
caution before implementing them and seek expert advise about what is
suitable for their specific needs.  

The above images are from Microsoft Clipart. 

Lunges are almost a perennial feature of every lower body workout and depending on the fitness level, the type of lunges may vary. Basically the movement consists of putting one leg forward, bending the knee of the stationary leg till it almost touches the floor and then returning the front foot back to starting position. 

As for squats, here too, do not let the knee of the forward leg jut out over the ankle. Begin with the weaker side (usually is the left for right handed individuals and visa versa) and then repeat the set for the other side. This is an excellent way to workout large muscle groups of the hip, thigh, knee and core muscles as well. The dynamic movement also helps improve our balance. Better balance reduces risk of injury and improves overall function of our body during cycling, hiking etc.

To increase exercise intensity, use bars or hand-held dumbbells. In this WebMD slide show, lunges have been included in a list of 7 most effective exercises. A good enough reason to include them in your workout isn’t it?

Some trainers advice Reverse lunges or Static lunges as well. 
Go on, get away from the computer and get moving! 
🙂
Stay Fit, Stay Happy!

Exercising with a friend or as part of a group is tremendous fun! It instills camaraderie and the group spirit is a huge motivator and challenger. If you are feeling down or need to pump up your workout to a new level, these members will be the ones to stand by you. And I speak from experience. I was able to increase my cycling distance only when I went along with a friend – I know I would have found ‘n’ number of excuses to return… road too bumpy/road is slippery; excessive traffic/ too lonely; too sunny/ impending rain… Sounds familiar??
🙂


When we exercise the Happy Hormones (Endorphins) are released in our brain. It makes us feel… well, happy, and its the urge to experience this post-exercise happiness that gets us to exercise again and again and again… It goes without saying that such happiness in highly contagious! 

A happy frame of mind will make us more productive in our work and improve our general well being. Group exercises done as therapy work like magic especially for elders suffering from knee pain or backaches. 



Next time you feel low you know what to do! Just go out and burn some calories along with your friends.
🙂
Cheers!


Disclaimer: All
suggestions are general in nature. Readers are advised to exercise
caution before implementing them and seek expert advise about what is
suitable for their specific needs.