Strengthening your upper body can aid you in everyday activities and contribute to good posture. (Image: Shutterstock)
With her perfectly combed hair and jewellery in place, Teresa is not letting her age get in her way of hitting that treadmill and enjoying using other exercise equipment in her local facility.
Camarillo resident Teresa Moore is letting everyone know that age is just a number. The 103-year-old is still hitting the gym three to four times a week.
Perhaps this is the secret to her long life. After all, it goes perfectly with her advice “to stay resilient and live life with no regrets.” If you have found yourself backing out on your resolution to get fitter this year, this is yet another sign that it is time to hit the gym. However, if you are freaked out by all the intimidating machines, fret not. Here are 5 simple exercises you can begin with. It does not matter whether you are a beginner or returning to a gym after a while.
Bench Press
Lie down on your back on a bench. Grasp the bar with a hand positioning that is slightly wider than the width of your shoulders. It should be such that your hands are directly above your elbows when you reach the lowest point of the exercise. Lower the bar gradually towards your chest while inhaling. While exhaling, push the bar upwards while maintaining a firm grip and fixating your gaze on a point on the ceiling rather than the bar to ensure that it follows the same trajectory every time.
Benefits of this exercise include improved muscle mass and strength, as well as enhanced endurance for daily activities. You will also have stronger bones. Furthermore, the bench press is a demanding exercise that expends calories.
Pull Ups
While ascending, exhale and raise yourself until your chin is parallel to the bar. Take a brief pause at the top of the movement. Descend, inhaling as you lower yourself until your elbows are fully extended. Repeat the motion without making contact with the ground. Perform the prescribed number of repetitions in your exercise routine.
The primary muscle targeted by the pull-up is the latissimus dorsi (lats), a large muscle located behind your arms in your back. However, this exercise also works the majority of your chest, upper back, and shoulder muscles, and your abs are engaged in stabilizing your body. Strengthening your upper body can aid you in everyday activities and contribute to good posture.
Squats
Stand with feet slightly wider than the width of your hips and toes pointed forward. Begin by pushing your hips back, bending your knees and ankles, and gently pushing your knees outward. Descend into a squat position while maintaining contact between your heels and toes with the ground, keeping your chest upright and shoulders retracted. Aim to eventually achieve a parallel position where your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Push through your heels and straighten your legs to return to a standing position.
This exercise confers several benefits to the body, including the strengthening of leg muscles such as the quadriceps, calves, and hamstrings, as well as the knee joint. It also helps burn fat and promote weight loss, strengthens the lower back, and enhances flexibility in the lower body.
Plank
Lie face down with your forearms and toes touching the ground, with your elbows directly under your shoulders and forearms facing forward. Pull your abdominal muscles towards your spine, keeping your torso straight and rigid, and your body in a straight line from your ears to your toes. Ensure your shoulders are relaxed and not raised towards your ears. Your heels should be positioned over the balls of your feet. Hold this position for 10 seconds before releasing it to the ground. Gradually increase the duration of the hold to 30, 45, or 60 seconds with time.
The plank exercise is great for strengthening the core, essential to stabilize, balance, and power the body during other activities. It can help to boost calorie expenditure by engaging a variety of muscles.
Static Lunge
To perform a static lunge, stand with one foot forward and the other back, ensuring your hips are squared and your posture is tall. Lower your body until your front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle while keeping your back knee 1-2 inches off the ground. Push off your front foot to stand back up and engage your leg muscles throughout the movement.
Static lunges can help strengthen leg muscles, improve balance and coordination, and can be done anywhere without any equipment.
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