Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Strength Training using Body Weight

Hello. Happy New Year!

How are you feeling as you start the new year? Feeling fit and strong? Or feeling a bit lethargic after all the celebrations and eating.

For me in 2016, one important area of my physical development is aim to maintain my fitness and strength. I will continue with my strength training (using my body weight ) to ensure that my muscles stay active and functional. I will abide by the simple principle - Use it or Lose it.

Truly as we grow older, whether you are a man or a woman, we begin to lose about 1 percent of your bone and muscle strength every year. "One of the best ways to stop, prevent, and even reverse bone and muscle loss is to add strength training to your workouts," advises Troy Tuttle, MS, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas Medical School in Houston."

Strength training has benefits that go well beyond the appearance of nicely toned muscles. Your balance and coordination will improve, as will your posture.

More importantly, if you have poor flexibility and balance, strength training can reduce your risk of falling by as much as 40 percent, a crucial benefit, especially as you get older.

I'll stick to body weight exercises because it can be done almost anywhere and anytime. It s also low cost - just a pair of good shoes and comfortable clothing.

My favourite exercises are:

1) Pull-ups
2) Push-ups
3) Squats
4) Jumping Jacks
5) Lunges
6) Jog in place (see video below)



I like this article about jogging in place - The One Exercise That Just Might Change Your Running Forever. Try the 100-Up jogging in place recommended by Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen.

The 100-Up is essentially exaggerated running form, and performing 100 repetitions can help build muscle memory during a similar state of fatigue that a runner might experience at the end of a tough workout or a grueling race.

Well, these are a few simple exercises that I do and my aim is to do them on alternate days.

They are simple exercises and I hope you will also try them out and let me know if they are useful for you.

Always start with adequate stretching and warm up.

Happy exercising, good health and keep strong!

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