STOP BEING A COUCH POTATO
As a report reveals we walk less than half a mile a day, part two of our easy-peasy exercises will help you . . .
THE HEALTH benefits of regular exercise are indisputable. Being active is enough to reduce your risk of having a stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s and even some cancers.
Yet, according to a new report by the British heart Foundation, we walk less than half a mile a day on average.
In last week’s Good health, we introduced the world’s easiest exercise plan, which anyone can do at home.
The plan, devised by personal trainer Nicola Addison, of eqvvs Training in London, gives you simple moves to run through with something different every day.
Monday’s exercises work on your stomach and abdominal strength, on Wednesdays build your arms and shoulders, on Fridays focus on your legs and buttocks, with fun cardiovascular challenges on Tuesdays and Thursdays to boost heart health.
Saturdays are a time for sociable exercising and Sundays are your day of rest when you can check your progress.
If you found week one’s exercises challenging, then Nicola recommends that you repeat week one for as long as you like until it becomes a little easier, before moving on to the week two exercises.
however, if you are sailing through last week’s exercises, you are ready to take on the slight increase in intensity provided by weeks three and four laid out here today.
It means increasing your daily exercise time from 15 minutes in week two to 20 minutes in week three, but you really will start to see a difference.
Feel free to repeat any week until it feels comfortable and easy before moving forwards. If you have any concerns, check with your GP and always stop if you experience pain or discomfort.
After working through our four-week plan you will be reaping all the health benefits of exercise and you should be fit enough to take up some form of regular activity that you enjoy.
WEEK THREE
Every day, start with a warm-up (see box) then complete 20 repetitions of each exercise, with 20 seconds’ rest between each.
If you don’t feel confident enough to tackle these exercises, repeat the moves from week two (featured in last week’s Good health) until you feel ready to move on.
Once you have mastered one set of this week’s exercises, aim to repeat a second set of moves each time. Finish with a cool down.
MONDAY
FULL SQUAT: Standing tall with feet hip-width apart, sit back as if lowering yourself onto an imaginary chair, pushing arms out in front. Keeping body weight in your heels, return to standing, squeezing your buttocks at the top.
BACKWARDS KNEELING: Standing tall with your feet hip-width apart, step one foot backwards and lower one knee to the floor. Bring the other knee down to join it on the floor. Lift one foot back in front, push through heel and return to standing. HIP BRIDGE, KNEES OUT: Lie on your back, knees bent and soles of your feet touching to make a diamond shape between your knees. Open arms out wide, palms up. Clench the buttocks, push through your heels to raise hips off the floor. Gently, keeping bottom squeezed, lower back to the floor. SIDE LUNGE WITH TORSO TWIST: See illustration.
TUESDAY
GO FOR a 30-minute walk and ensure 20 minutes of it is properly energetic, so try ‘power walking’, moving as fast as you can, swinging your arms (work in intervals if you like, powering for five minutes at a time, slipping back to a slower pace in between) or break into a shuffling run for a few metres every 100m or so.
WEDNESDAY WALL WASHER: See illustration. PLANK PRESS ON YOUR KNEES: See illustration.
TOWEL LATERAL PULL DOWN: Grab the ends of a hand towel in both hands so your arms are about 1m apart and stretch arms high above head, keep tension in the towel.
Now lower the towel behind your head, bending your elbows, but keeping tension in the towel. Keep eyes forward (don’t dip your head down) and tummy braced, return to start position.
PLANK ROTATIONS ON KNEES: Get on all fours, tummy tight, body weight evenly distributed between your hands and knees. Lift right hand off the floor, out to the side, then twisting your torso slightly as you go, raise your arm straight up in line with your shoulder above you — eyes following your right hand. Slowly lower right hand back to the floor, and switch sides.
THURSDAY
DO EACH exercise for 30 seconds, resting for 30 seconds, before moving on to the next one, and keep cycle going for 20 minutes.
JOGGING on the spot, with your knees high.
FULL star jumps with a bounce if you can.
TAP one toe on top of a low step then jump back and switch legs to tap the other toe on the step.
BRISK spotty dog (where you jump with your right leg in front of your left leg, then left in front of right, alternating), but keep arms by your side.
FRIDAY
LEG LIFT: Lie on your back, knees bent so they are at right angles, feet in the air, open arms wide in line with shoulders, palms facing up and draw tummy button in, pushing lower back flat against the floor. Keeping knees bent, slowly lower both feet towards the floor, pause, but keep feet off the ground, then slowly bring them back to the start position. LIE DOWN: Sit on the edge of a bed or sofa, hands on thighs. Look forwards and lean back so torso is flat on bed, then lean forward to return to upright sitting position.
Aim to keep your feet on the floor this time.
PLANK ON TOES: Get on hands and knees then straighten so you are in a full plank position (a perfectly straight line from heels to shoulders) balancing on your toes. Keep abdominals braced and trunk solid. Count 15 seconds out loud. RUSSIAN TWIST: See illustration.
SATURDAY
Get out with family or friends, book a tennis or badminton court. Just make sure you are properly puffed for 20 minutes.
SUNDAY
Rest and test your fitness (see box, right).
WEEK FOUR
Each day, start with a warm-up then complete 20 repetitions of each exercise with 20 seconds rest between each move.
If you are ready for week four you are ready to repeat each group of exercises three times in total. Always finish with a cool down.
MONDAY
SQUAT: Standing with feet hipwidth apart, sit back as if lowering yourself on to a low chair, while pushing your hands above your head. Keep body weight in your heels and your arms lifted, then push through heels to return to standing and lower the arms. STEPPING LUNGE: Stand with feet hip width apart and take a big step backwards with one foot, bend the back knee and dip it towards the floor. Keep your body weight in your front foot, knee over toe, body upright. Drive through the heel of the front foot, and return upright to standing. Switch legs.
HIP BRIDGE, FEET ON STEP: Lie on your back, knees bent and feet raised on the edge of a step or low bed. Open arms out wide, palms up. Clench the buttocks, push through your heels to raise hips off the floor as high as possible. Gently, keeping bottom squeezed, lower back to the floor.
SKATER: Standing tall with feet hip-width apart, take a big sideways step and jump on to right foot — try to balance on one foot for a moment. then hop sideways on to left foot, travelling as far as you can, with same technique. Keep chest lifted and tummy strong.
TUESDAY
By NOW you should be fit enough to power walk for 30 minutes — establish a super brisk stride, breathe deeply, and push on. you should be able to talk, but be too puffed to sing.
WEDNESDAY
HELICOPTER: See illustration. PLANK PRESS: See illustration. TOWEL RAISE: See illustration. FULL FLOOR PLANK ROTATIONS: See illustration.
THURSDAY
Keep going with each exercise for 30 seconds, and have a 20-second rest before moving on to the next. repeat the cycle for 30 minutes if you can.
JOGGING on the spot with speedy feet — as fast as you can.
FULL star jumps with bounce, rotating ¼ circle each bounce.
Feet together, jump up and down on and off a low step — stay light and bouncy.
FULL spotty dog, with arms, bouncing.
FRIDAY
LEG LIFT: Lie on your back, knees bent at a right angle, both feet off the floor, knees directly above hips, arms out wide, palms facing up. Draw tummy button into spine, pushing lower back flat against floor. Straighten one leg so it points upwards and lower towards the floor, pause, return to start position. Switch legs.
LIE DOWN: Standing with your back to the edge of the bed, sit on the bed (don’t use your hands), then lie flat and extend arms above the head to try to touch the bed directly behind your head. Bring arms back to chest height, lean forward and push back up to an upright sitting position and drive back up to full standing.
PLANK: Lift body into a high plank position (see week three), on toes, body straight, abdominal muscles braced and trunk solid. hold for 30 seconds counting out loud.
RUSSIAN TWIST: Sit on floor with a bag of sugar (1kg) in both hands, knees bent, feet flat to floor. hold sugar out in front of you at chest height, lean back slightly and slowly twist hands towards left, back to centre then over to right.
SATURDAY
NO excuse now: aim to push your limits a little and exert yourself for 30 minutes. Well done! If you can do that, you are gleaning the benefits of exercise.
SUNDAY
Rest and congratulate yourself. you are no longer unfit.