Strength Training is the focus this week, and today we're moving on to another major muscle group, your calf muscles. Your calves are essential in the walking motion and for raising up on your toes.
A clever and sometimes fun way to strengthen them? Try a new way of walking...around the house at least, where no one will think you are crazy. :) While you're doing your normal daily activities, simply spend some of that time walking up on your toes (really, the balls of your feet). If you want to change it up a bit and strengthen some different muscles, while up on your toes, invert your toes (point your toes toward one another). You can also do the opposite, and evert your toes, by bringing your heels close to one another and your toes apart.
I suppose if you are really motivated you could buy some of those fancy "shaping" shoes, that put you up on your toes for you, but I don't want to spend the money.
So put a little pep in your step. You won't have to carve out any additional time from your day, and you'll reap the wonderful benefits of strength training.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Tip #16: Do the push-up step-down
You've worked one major muscle group this week (gluteus), now let's knock out 3 more with some push-ups (deltoids, triceps, and pectorals). Working these muscles are important for lifting things over your head, throwing, reaching, pushing, opening a door, and many more everyday movements.
Push-ups are a pretty standard exercise. Everyone knows about push-ups; the key, is to know how many to do, and to have some sort of goal. You may start doing some push-ups, do about 5, start feeling uncomfortable, and then you are done. Instead, let's set that goal.
Try a push-up step-down. The number of repetitions you do will vary based upon your strength level. Here is a step-down starting with 10.
10 push-ups
rest (@30 seconds or less)
9 push-ups
rest
8 push-ups
rest
7 push-ups
rest
6 push-ups
rest
5 push-ups
rest
4 push-ups
rest
3 push-ups
rest
2 push-ups
rest
1 push-up
YOU DID IT!
If you can complete that push-up step-down, you will have done 55 push-ups! If you started with 5, you will have done 15!
If you aren't able to start with at least 5, don't be discouraged. Start with 1 or 2 if you need to! Keep at 2, until you're strong enough to move up to 3, and then 4...you get the idea. If you do it on a regular basis, you will get stronger; that's just science.
*If you are brand new to push-ups try these standing up, pushing on a wall. If you're strong enough for that, try them on the floor on your hands and bent knees. If you can manage that, go for the standard push-up form; balanced on flat hands and balls of your feet.
As a reminder, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults exercise their major muscle groups 2-3 times per week. So far we've worked 4, just 9 more muscle groups to go!
Push-ups are a pretty standard exercise. Everyone knows about push-ups; the key, is to know how many to do, and to have some sort of goal. You may start doing some push-ups, do about 5, start feeling uncomfortable, and then you are done. Instead, let's set that goal.
Try a push-up step-down. The number of repetitions you do will vary based upon your strength level. Here is a step-down starting with 10.
10 push-ups
rest (@30 seconds or less)
9 push-ups
rest
8 push-ups
rest
7 push-ups
rest
6 push-ups
rest
5 push-ups
rest
4 push-ups
rest
3 push-ups
rest
2 push-ups
rest
1 push-up
YOU DID IT!
If you can complete that push-up step-down, you will have done 55 push-ups! If you started with 5, you will have done 15!
If you aren't able to start with at least 5, don't be discouraged. Start with 1 or 2 if you need to! Keep at 2, until you're strong enough to move up to 3, and then 4...you get the idea. If you do it on a regular basis, you will get stronger; that's just science.
*If you are brand new to push-ups try these standing up, pushing on a wall. If you're strong enough for that, try them on the floor on your hands and bent knees. If you can manage that, go for the standard push-up form; balanced on flat hands and balls of your feet.
As a reminder, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults exercise their major muscle groups 2-3 times per week. So far we've worked 4, just 9 more muscle groups to go!
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Tip #15: Get your rear in gear!
Your buttocks is a lot more important than you may realize. Your gluteus muscles are a major muscle group that are responsible for helping you walk, run, climb, stand up and many other motions you do every single day.
Let's get started. If you need reminders of why strength training is even necessary or important, look back at Tip #14: Strength Training is not just for body builders. These are called, "Butt Exercises". Super creative.
Start out by getting on your hands and knees, with your back straight and parallel to the floor. This will be the starting position for exercises 1 and 2. You will do three different exercises on each leg.
1. Leg straight back: start with your left leg, keeping it slightly bent, and put it straight up in the air behind you, and return to starting position. Do this 5-10 times.
2. Dog at a fire hydrant: Sorry, that's the best way I can explain it. Put your left knee, bent 90 degrees, in the air, until your thigh is parallel to the floor, and then return to starting position. Do this 5-10 times.
3. Straight leg: Put your leg completely straight behind you (this is the starting positon for this exercise), bring your toes in the direction of your nose (keeping your leg straight), and then return to starting position. Do this 5-10 times.
*Note: Foot should not be pointed, but flexed for these exercises.
*Repeat all of these exercises on the right side.
This is a great exercise to do while watching a favorite TV program, etc. It's an extremely effective exercise, and you can feel your body working right away! Start out conservative, and as you get stronger and more comfortable with the exercise, you can add more repetitions.
Let's get started. If you need reminders of why strength training is even necessary or important, look back at Tip #14: Strength Training is not just for body builders. These are called, "Butt Exercises". Super creative.
Start out by getting on your hands and knees, with your back straight and parallel to the floor. This will be the starting position for exercises 1 and 2. You will do three different exercises on each leg.
1. Leg straight back: start with your left leg, keeping it slightly bent, and put it straight up in the air behind you, and return to starting position. Do this 5-10 times.
2. Dog at a fire hydrant: Sorry, that's the best way I can explain it. Put your left knee, bent 90 degrees, in the air, until your thigh is parallel to the floor, and then return to starting position. Do this 5-10 times.
3. Straight leg: Put your leg completely straight behind you (this is the starting positon for this exercise), bring your toes in the direction of your nose (keeping your leg straight), and then return to starting position. Do this 5-10 times.
*Note: Foot should not be pointed, but flexed for these exercises.
*Repeat all of these exercises on the right side.
This is a great exercise to do while watching a favorite TV program, etc. It's an extremely effective exercise, and you can feel your body working right away! Start out conservative, and as you get stronger and more comfortable with the exercise, you can add more repetitions.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Tip #14: Strength Training is not just for body builders
When you think of strength training (weight/resistance training), the first picture that comes to mind may be a steroid-enhanced, fake-tanned, inhumanly muscular guy, with blinding white teeth, posing in a speedo. Let's erase that please. Gross. That's not natural, that's not healthy, and that's not the product of correct and balanced resistance training.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends for healthy adults to exercise each muscle group 2 to 3 nonconsecutive days per week. Wondering why they would suggest such a thing?
Strength training:
-raises your metabolism
-gives you more energy
-reduces your risk of osteoporosis
-reduces lower back pain
-reduces high blood pressure
-reduces risk of diabetes
-increases muscular strength
-increases endurance
-helps to maintain a lean body weight
-enables older individuals to function independently longer
-helps you to better perform your activities of daily living
Don't have any weights? No worries. Most of the strength training I do is with no weights at all; I simply use my body weight, and you can too. If you are convinced that strength training is important now, then stay tuned this week because I'll be sharing different exercises that you can start right away!
*Check out the new pages on the home page: Why this blog? and My Story.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends for healthy adults to exercise each muscle group 2 to 3 nonconsecutive days per week. Wondering why they would suggest such a thing?
Strength training:
-raises your metabolism
-gives you more energy
-reduces your risk of osteoporosis
-reduces lower back pain
-reduces high blood pressure
-reduces risk of diabetes
-increases muscular strength
-increases endurance
-helps to maintain a lean body weight
-enables older individuals to function independently longer
-helps you to better perform your activities of daily living
Don't have any weights? No worries. Most of the strength training I do is with no weights at all; I simply use my body weight, and you can too. If you are convinced that strength training is important now, then stay tuned this week because I'll be sharing different exercises that you can start right away!
*Check out the new pages on the home page: Why this blog? and My Story.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Blog update...
Hello friends, I have decided to get realistic and keep my daily "fit tips" to Monday-Friday, and take the weekends "off". So enjoy your Sunday, and I'll be seeing you Monday.
***If you want something to read, check out the new pages on my blog: Why this blog? and My Story. You'll find those tabs on the home page, right under the heading. Enjoy!
***If you want something to read, check out the new pages on my blog: Why this blog? and My Story. You'll find those tabs on the home page, right under the heading. Enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)