Exercising

By B. Dear

Summer is approaching and maybe you want to look good for when you are out on the beach. You may just want to improve your health or look good for your spouse. Never fear. I am here to provide some sound advice to get you whipped into shape. You’ll be looking buff and on your way to a happier life and marriage in no time.

You know that you have to get into shape, but how will you do it?

Should you join an expensive gym or sports club or just work out at home? Depending on the severity of your situation, you may need to go to a gym, exercise with a personal trainer or change your diet and nutritional intake. If all you need is some fine tuning to your physique, read on.

Before investing a lot in a home gym or weight lifting set. Check out some of these exercises that you can do without any equipment at all. I’ve found that most of these expensive machines end up in garage sales due to lack of use.

Here are a few exercises to do while around the house that will help slim and tone your muscles. These should work just as well is you are a man or woman.

Push ups: Lie face down on the floor. Keeping your body straight, pushing yourself up with only your arms. When in the up position, only your hands and toes will be touching the floor.  If you cannot do this, try pushing yourself up so that only your knees and hands are touching the floor in the up position.

Continue doing repetitions until you can’t do anymore. Then do them again in about 20 minutes doing half the amount. Then half again. Repeat until you are at zero.

Dips: While sitting on the edge of a sofa, chest or other stable item of comparable height, place your hands on the object behind you. While supporting your weight using your arms dip your backside down towards the floor, with your body in a shape of an L. Your weight should be supported by your arms and your heels on the floor.  Your arms will be doing the work of lifting you up and down. This exercise will work you triceps.

Sit-ups: Lie on the floor facing the ceiling. With your hands crossing your chest, sit up until your elbows touch your thighs. Repeat using the same method used for the push ups.

Knee benders: While standing, squat while keeping your back straight. Go down until your can touch your calves. Be careful not to bend your knees past a 90 degree angle. Repeat the exercise using halving process described under push ups.

Calf Raises: Stand on the edge of a step balancing on your toes. Lower your heels up and down past the edge of the step in an up and down motion. Repeat until exhausted. Use the same halving process.

Jogging: Go for a 15 minute run the first day. Then the next day try 20 minutes. Continue to increase the time and distance as you are able. You can increase the intensity of the exercise by running faster if you want to.

Play a Sport: To make exercising more fun, play a pickup game of football, soccer, basketball or whatever interests you. Playing sports is motivating and provides an opportunity to do something fun with friends.

If these exercises aren’t working for you, there are many more exercises to check out. There is always the possibility of joining a gym or health club, hiring a personal trainer, seeking a nutritional expert, or a dietician.