Splash Yourself Slim! Stay Fit, Stay Cool..
It's hot out there! There's no time like the present to submerge yourself in some refreshing H2O. And while you're at it, you can burn calories and tone up all over- faster, in fact, than if you exercised in the air-conditioned sanctuary of your gym. Why? Water provides 12 to 15 times more resistance than air. So you can burn as many as 3.5 times more calories than if you walked at a moderate pace-and it's more refreshing! You don't even have to swim to get these results. Here are some ways to started with solo moves you can do right in the pool. You'll have more fun, stay cool and shed pounds in no time.
Hanging out at the pool? Try these out:
Treading Intervals
Burn twice the calories of regular treading
You'll slim down faster and firm up all over. In deep water, tread as hard as you can for 30 seconds. Then go easy or float on your back for 30 seconds. Fit in 30 bursts over your afternoon at the pool and you'll scorch nearly 300 calories.
Step Push-Up
You're lighter in water, so full push-ups are easier while being a super arm and shoulder toners, say Rob Shapiro a 16-year veteran personal trainer in Brookline, MA. Start in plank position in the shallow end, hands on the top pool step and toes on the pool floor. Slowly bend elbows to lower as far as you can without getting your face wet. Straighten elbows and repeat. Work up 2 or 3 slow sets of 15 reps.
The Blender
Firm legs from every angle
Water workouts provide 360 degrees of resistance, says Jay Cardiello, a certified strength and conditioning specialist in New York City. In waist-deep water, quickly swing right leg forward. Pause, then pull it back against the current to starting position. Next, swing leg to side, then back. Alternate legs for 10 to 15 cycles.
The Helicopter
"Jog" in the water to burn fat fast
This move revs your heart rate to melt calories, says Mary Sanders, PhD, a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise and director of WaterFit Wave Aerobics. Squat in waist- to rib cage-deep water, then jump up and "jog" vigorously for a count of 6. Repeat for 1 minute, then rest for 15 seconds. Do 2 more times.
Pool Jumps
Do squats without realizing it
In waist-deep water, crouch down, and jump up bringing your hands over your head. Repeat 10-20 times. Try jumping sideways or backwards.
Kickboard Laps
Target your fat-burning leg and glute muscles
You'll easily glide through the water with a kick-board or noodle in hand. Practice different types of kicking: flutter (alternating legs), dolphin (legs together, mermaid style), and breaststroke (frog kicks), suggests Paul Smith, swimming instructor and fitness specialist at Lake Austin Spa Resort in Austin, TX.
Deepwater Jogging
Burn a whooping 750 calories an hour
Hold a noodle or slip on a floatation belt or vest. "Run" as hard as you can for 30 to 60 seconds brining knees toward chest and pumping your arms. Do 10 sets, recovering your breathe between sprints, suggests exercise physiologist and triathlon coach Ben Greenfield of Spokane, WA.
Source: Written by Natalie Gingerich, Prevention Magazine, Aug 2010 pgs. 108-113
|
More Raking, Less Aching: Protect Your Back for Gardening Season
An hour of gardening can reduce stress, boost bone density, and burn a whooping 300 calories. But all that bending, squatting, raking, and lifting can challenge muscles as much as any competitive sport. " The lower back and knees most often pay the price," say Rachel Hazuga, M.S., an exercise physiologist at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse. Here are the ways to properly perform the most common gardening maneuvers, plus a few exercises to strengthen your gardening muscles
Bending
Muscles used: Abs, back, legs
The right way to do it: Focus on tightening your leg muscles (your quadriceps and your hamstrings) as you bend forward. Keep your knees slightly bent.
Try this exercise: Bird Dog
Get down on all fours, with your hands underneath your hips. Tighten your abdominal muscles while simultaneously raising your right arm and straightening your left leg, keeping your back straight. Hold for 6 seconds. Return to starting position, switch sides, and repeat 10 times.
Raking
Muscles used: Core
The right way to do it: Use short, quick motions, and keep the rake close to your body. Switch sides every 2 to 3 minutes.
Try this exercise: Countertop Pushup
Stand facing a countertop, with your hands shoulder-width apart on the counter. Tighten your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight as you bend your arms into a pushup position. Straighten your arms, and repeat 15 times.
Pushing a Wheelbarrow
Muscles used: Core, quads, hamstrings, chest, shoulder, arms
The right way to do it: Load the wheelbarrow with only as much weight as you can handle without straining. First, use your leg muscles (not your back) to lift the wheelbarrow; next, use your arm muscles to push the load forward.
Try this exercise: Modified Plank
Lie on a mat, supporting your upper body with your forearms and your lower body
with your knees; your stomach stays raised as you keep your body in a straight line without arching your back. Hold for 15 seconds, working up to 60 seconds
Squatting
Muscles used: Glutes, quads, hamstrings
The right way to do it: Keeping your torso upright, lower yourself until your bottom almost touches the ground. Try to keep your weight on your heels.
Try this exercise: Chair Squat
Stand in front of a chair, feet shoulder-width apart, arms in front of you. Bend your knees and slowly squat, gently touching the chair without fully sitting down, then stand up using only your legs. Repeat 10 times.
By Linda Melone, AARP Magazine July/Aug 2010 pg. 13
|
|
