The Joy of Exercise

Stand near a wall. Lean out with arms straight, hands on the wall.

Gradually work your feet backward until you can feel the tendons stretching and straining in the back of your leg and ankle.

Keep your feet flat on the floor. Stretch the tendons slightly more by bending your arms alittle and leaning farther forward. Hold this stretching for 20 seconds. Then relax. (more…)

The whole concept of the abdominal work is to enhance core stability for the protection of the spine and pelvis, creating a trim waist and flat stomach that we all want. We have seen the importance of maintaining a stable pelvis (foundation) for the rest of the spine. Always remember to initiate and execute all movement from your center. (more…)

Wrist Rotations

Start in Supported Virasana.

1. Exhale, extend through the fingers.
2. Inhale, release. Repeat 5 times.
3. Exhale, hold the extension and simply rotate the hands around the wrists 10 times, then reverse rotation opening the front and back of the wrist.
4. Inhale, keep breathing, relax and shake the hands out.

Wrist Stretch

This is a variation of the Wrist Rotations. Extend the arms straight out in front in line with the shoulders. (more…)

Lunge

From Extended Uttanasana:

• Inhale to prepare, remaining up on the fingertips.
• Exhale, draw navel to spine, stepping the right foot back into the basic lunge, extending the back leg and squeezing the buttocks, push through that heel with the knee off the floor and the kneecap lifted. Tuck the chin, slightly extending through the crown of the head and draw the shoulders down away from the ears. Find your neutral spine in this position. Find a point of focus just in front of the body.
• Hold the lunge for 3 breaths, checking that the front knee is above that ankle with even pressure and weight distribution through the front foot; maintain the abdominal and pelvic floor contraction.

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Band Single Leg (Straight)

Working from the Single Leg 45°, inhale, taking the leg straight up into the air, maintaining the foot position.

• Exhale, navel to spine, float the leg toward the floor, hovering it just off the floor; squeeze the buttocks.
• Inhale and spring the leg straight back up in line with the hip.
• Exhale and repeat 10 times.
• To release, hold the leg high and release the foot back into a flex position, extending through the heel and releasing the back of the ankle and leg.

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Paschimottanasana

Sitting up out of the hips, extend the legs out in front of you and flex the feet. It is important to become aware of your pelvic alignment.

NOTE: Work with the visual of rotating and taking the pelvis forward, lengthening out of the hips. As you bend forward the pelvis will come with you.

NOTE:Lift your pubic bone up towards your face. Maintain this alignment as you bend forward.

“Place your strap around your feet, keeping your elbows bent. (more…)

Saw Spinal Rotation Twist

Begin by sitting up tall, legs opened wide, feet 3-4 ft (1-1.2 m) apart. Try to keep the kneecaps pointing directly up towards the ceiling. If you find you are tight in the inner thigh, do not have the legs so wide.

Flex your feet and push through your heels, anchoring the back of the legs into the floor for stability.

1. Inhale, raise both arms up to the sides in line with the shoulders.
2. Exhale, draw the shoulders down away from the ears.

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And so to the inner and outer muscle thighs, muscle groups which don’t get worked very regularly in everyday life but which most people would like to see firmed up a bit.

Stand facing the pool edge, both hands extended for support. Your feet should be about hip-width apart as usual, and parallel. Keeping them this way, gently raise your right leg a few inches straight out to the side and lower it again, repeating with alternate legs.

Posture-check, making sure your stomach muscles are well contracted to support your lower back, and the knee of your standing leg slightly bent. (more…)

It’s time for action, a gentle 10-minute warm-up to prepare both body and mind for the aerobic and muscular exercises in the main circuit.

Time invested in this part of your workout will pay good dividends.

• You want to work your way around your body, mobilizing each joint so that they move smoothly and safely. Try to act normally in the water. Move in a controlled and graceful manner, without cutting corners or becoming instantly uncoordinated.

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Vigorous exercise increases the body’s demand for oxygen, which encourages you to breathe more deeply and enhances the rate at which the body eliminates carbon dioxide. That’s why a brisk walk is so invigorating for your body and your mind; your cells are receiving extra oxygen and at the same time getting rid of the toxic wastes that contribute to fatigue. (more…)