adminI would like to thank the Lord for the gift of life at this moment, so that I can be sharing with you guys this subject of health for the benefit of all. I believe the best present you can give someone or yourself is the present or gift of health. Health is the foundation of every means of prosperity. Remember you cannot buy health, it is priceless. So make the right decision now, you will not regret it.
I know most people might be starting to slow down on their activities and deals because some have reached their goals. Others just feel they need to take a break, after a long year of hard work. For some, it is just the time to spend, but just take the advice. Be careful, don’t reverse all your achievements for only this short space of time. Our bodies are very quick to be out of shape, than to shape them. I will give you some of the activities you can do while enjoying your holiday, so that you can maintain your body shape.
Well, today I just have to remain focused on the second level of exercises of the sports persons as I promised last week. At this stage, if you have been following your exercises regularly, you should probably be feeling a lot healthier and seeing some improvements in your sport. If the results are slow, don’t lose your focus, keep going, giving up is not an option.
If you have mastered the movements of the first exercises, these should not give much of a hard time. Remember to warm up, before resuming any form of exercise.
Exercise
1. Stationary lunge plus squat
This will work your quadriceps, harmstrings, glutes, calves and core muscles. Stand upright with hands on your side.
Hold some weights to increase resistance. Your feet shoulder width apart, take a step forward with your right leg and slowly go down with your back knee moving towards the floor. Stop just before your knee touches the floor.
Step back the right leg and change to the left leg.
When feet are parallel to each other, do a squat movement by bending your legs to a 90 degree angle.
Pause for a second before moving up to starting position. Complete both movements, the lunge and the squat as one rep. Do 4-3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Exercise Tips: Keep back straight throughout the set. Front knee mustn’t go over the toes. Don’t slam your knees on the floor. Avoid too much resistance — that will affect your form.
2. Power Press-ups
This will work your core, chest, shoulders and arms.
Take your body down into a normal press-up position.
Hands on the floor, shoulder width apart, keep back straight and chest almost touching the floor. Tighten core and push off as hard as you can lifting your hands off the floor. When you reach your highest point up – clap hands together and land down softly to starting position.
Exercise Tips: Don’t arch your back as you push up, to avoid back pain. Put a soft mat in front of your face, you might fall on your face on your first attempts.
3. Box Jump
This is for your core, guards, calves and for improving your cardio endurance. Stand in front of a step box. If you don’t have one, use a wooden block about one metre long with the height of a normal door step. Feet shoulder width apart, leap onto the box or block and squat down to a 90 degree angle, and step off. Raise your arms as you jump on and do 3-4 sets of 20 jumps.
Exercise Tips: Make sure the box is stable on the floor. Land both feet at the same time to avoid the box from skipping to one side. Don’t kick the box and fall over as you jump. Breathe out as you jump and in as you step down.
4. Spiderman Push-ups
This is an advanced exercise for your core, arms and shoulders. Start by getting onto a push-up position. Arms slightly wider than your shoulders width apart. Lower down your body and push your right knee to touch your right elbow. Push up while returning your leg to starting position and change to the left. Count right and left as one rep and do 3-4 sets of the repetitions.
Exercise Tips: Keep back straight, keep elbow slightly bent when pushing up. Exhale as you bring in your leg and inhale when pushing back.
5. Superman
For strengthening your lower back and glute muscles.
Laying flat on your stomach, legs outstretched and arms flatly extended. Raise your right arm together with your left leg. Slowly lower down your arm and leg and change to the other side. Count 10 reps on each side and do 3-4 sets.
Exercise Tips: Don’t over extend your back as you lift up. Tighten core and keep neck on its natural position.
6. Calve Raises
This will work your gastrocnemius and tibiatis muscles.
Stand on a step box on the end of your feet, hold against the wall for balance. Keep knees soft and lower your ankles down to stretch your calves. Push you ankles up to contract your calve muscles and repeat.
Do 3-4 sets of 20 repetitions.
Exercise Tips: Avoid bouncing. Do higher repetition to pump the calve muscle.
NB: Finally, do a total body stretch to improve your flexibility. Avoid ballistic stretching movements by holding your stretch for 15-30 seconds at a time on each and every muscle. Do this workout for another three-four weeks before you take the next challenge. By then you should be a superman. Remain focused, don’t forget to eat correctly.
Enjoy and be safe.
Online Reporter