Our bodies are designed to
move, lift, hoist, brace, bear down, and have agility to move about
easily. As we have become more sedentary
with our jobs, computers, technology, we are losing a lot of our natural
movements we used to do daily. Therefore,
the mechanics of our hips, low back, and shoulders lose strength leading us
towards greater risk of injury. Resistance and weight training do not build
bulk but build muscle tissue and strength down to your bones. The ability to lift and lower your own body
weight builds bone mass as well creating fewer problems later in life, allowing
for longevity and vitality. If you are
like me and want to be mobile and agile well into later years, you have to do
something about it now! Especially if you have children and want to keep up
with them, you need to start now practicing overall good health behaviors your
children will learn and continue to do on their own as they grow.
Here are some great tips on
what to do and why:
1.
Shock your
muscles: if you have been doing the same
routine for the last couple years, your body has gotten used to the routine,
has plateaued and your brain is simply going by rote. You need to shake things up if you want to
see change and muscle definition. You
must push beyond your limits and add either more reps or more weight to the
routine. Try another routine, group
fitness class, or spin for cardio to push you along the way.
2.
Better tone and
shape: We all know Jane Fonda and now we
know Tracy Anderson Method. Women, we
just can’t get away from those leg lifts, core crunches, and isometric poses
like plank. These movements take oxygen
away from the muscle while contracting causing it to be nice and tight. A slight hold then pulse in the subtle
movement is the key to squeezing and firming the area.
3.
Strengthen you
body and your mind: the more focus we
can give our body while performing strength and resistance moves the better our
form and result will be. Think of an
athlete and the amount of focus and determination he has to throw the
ball. He is not doing this out of habit
and scrolling on his iPhone for emails.
Perform squats, lunges, jump lunges, planks, push-ups, and pull ups to
build strength, stamina, and overall total body health.
4.
Strength training
and cardio are a great relationship:
this combination helps lean out the muscle from weight training, also
feeds your heart and muscles tons of oxygen, and makes for a great fast way to
lose even more weight and inches.
5.
Stretch for
recovery and power: the more your body
can recover faster and safer the more activity and fluidity you can
endure. Power comes from the body
working together as a whole unit so you stay supple and mobile. This way dysfunctional patterns don’t show up
and you don’t' create injuries.
