Information on Loughborough

Exercises For the Feet and Neck

Health Clubs and Fitness Centres

Exercises For the Feet and NeckBy Robin Brain

Foot exercises will keep the feet healthy, supple and flexible. They also alleviate and disperse any fluid that may have collected around the ankles, and improve the circulation.

Foot mobility

Pick up a pencil with your toes. Hold it for a count of five and then put it down again. Repeat ten times.

Sitting down dorsiflex your foot and plantar flex your foot ten times.

With your foot relaxed turn your ankle round ten times in circles clockwise and anticlockwise.

Exercises for the neck

Your neck should be able to move freely forwards, backwards and sideways. Most people, however, find that movement is limited in at least one direction and all of us will suffer at least once in our lives from a stiff neck.

When performing neck exercises always stop immediately if symptoms such as dizziness occur. Never force movements and always perform them slowly and carefully.

Neck mobilization

1 Sitting or standing, slowly and gently bend your head forwards so that your chin ideally touches your sternum (breastbone). Then lift your chin up until the back of your head touches your neck. Repeat about five times.

Turn your head gently and slowly from side to side. Repeat about five times.

Incline your head to one side attempting to touch your ear to your shoulder and then incline your head to the other side. Repeat approximately five times.

Exercises for the shoulders

The shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the body. A whole host of movements is possible - flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, rotation and circumduction.

Always be wary of pains without a recognizable cause in the left shoulder radiating down the left arm which appear on exertion. These should be checked out by a medical practitioner in case they suggest a heart condition.

The majority of us have an enormous number of knots and nodules in our shoulders. It is a major area for the accumulation of stress and tension - hence the expression 'carrying the weight of the world upon the shoulders'. Most occupations also put a great deal of strain on the shoulders - leaning forwards over a desk, computer or typewriter, performing repetitive, awkward often one-sided movements and so forth. You should keep to a daily routine of shoulder exercises.

Shoulder mobilization

Towel stretch Standing with your legs apart, with your elbows straight, hold a towel in both hands in front of you. Slowly swing your arms back over your head, keeping the towel taut and then swing back to your original position. Repeat ten times.

Clapping Standing with your legs apart, keeping your elbows straight, swing your arms forwards and backwards clapping your hands both in front of your chest and behind your back. Repeat 20 times.

Circumduction Standing with your arms in a relaxed position hanging at your sides, circle your right arm slowly ten times in both directions. Repeat with the left arm.

Exercises for the wrists and hands

Our hands are used constantly and repetitively in our daily activities. Exercise can promote strength and mobility.

Exercise 1 - Strengthening

Squeeze a squash ball for a count of five, as hard as you can, then stretch out your fingers. Repeat ten times with each hand.

Exercise 2 - Strengthening

Place your hands flat on a table with your palms down. Spread your fingers out sideways as far as possible, and then bring them together again, keeping your fingers in close contact with the table.

Exercise 3 - Mobilizing the fingers

With your hands flat on a table, palms down and your fingers slightly spread, lift each finger in turn, take it to each side and lower. The other fingers should remain as still as possible. Repeat ten times.

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Exercise For the Abdomen and Legs

Health Clubs and Fitness Centres

Exercise For the Abdomen and LegsBy Robin Brain

This is another yoga exercise. Kneel down on your hands and knees in a crawling position with the hands shoulder width apart and the knees approximately eight inches apart. Keeping your arms and legs still slowly arch your back to hump it upwards lowering your head and tucking the chin into the chest. Hold this position for seven seconds.

Exercise for the abdomen

It is important to strengthen the abdominal muscles. Weak abdominal muscles will cause back pain disturbing the balance between the erector spinae muscle group and the abdominals. Weak abdominal muscles create bad posture - the abdomen protrudes and the lumbar spine curves too far inwards. The abdominal muscles are also essential for supporting the internal organs. Weakness can lead to problems with the bowels and the reproductive organs.

Partial sit-ups

Lie on your back with your knees bent up and your feet apart and flat on the floor. You can either place your arms at your sides or clasp your hands underneath your head.

Tuck your chin on to your chest and slowly raise both your head and shoulders off the floor. Hold this position for seven seconds . Lower yourself back to the floor. Repeat three times.

Benefits

Your abdominal muscles will be strengthened and toned. Your internal organs will be supported and massaged.

Exercises for the legs

Leg exercises are important for maintaining and increasing the flexibility of the legs and hips. The legs must be warmed up before any sporting activity to avoid injury. Exercising the legs also helps to reduce fatty deposits around the hips and thighs.

Exercise 1 - The hurdler's stretch

Sit on the floor. Stretch your right leg straight out in front of you with your knee pressed firmly into the ground and your foot dorsiflexed (pulled upwards). Bend your left knee up and tuck it sideways out of the way. Slowly and carefully bend forwards as far as you can without causing any pain. Hold this position for ten seconds.

Repeat this stretching movement on the other side. Repeat three times.

Benefits

This exercise stretches your hamstring muscles in the back of your thigh. It also increases flexibility of your knees. The hamstrings are particularly under stress when sprinting, playing football and karate kicking. If your hamstrings are taut then you will have difficulty touching your toes.

Exercise 2 - The half lunge

Stand up facing a wall. Place the palms of your hands shoulder width apart against the wall.

Place the right leg straight behind you in a lunge position. the left leg remains forward and is flexed. Push gently against the feet feeling the stretch in the legs. Hold this position for ten seconds.

Come back slowly to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other leg.

Benefits

Increases flexibility of the legs, hamstrings and hips. Aids the reduction of fatty deposits around the hips and thighs. An excellent warm up exercise prior to sporting activities.

Exercise 3 - The sitting stretch

Sit on the floor with the legs straight out in front of you. Keeping your back as straight as possible reach forward slowly aiming to try to reach your ankles or feet with your hands. Hold this position for ten seconds.

Benefits

This exercise also stretches and increases flexibility

Exercise 4 - The squat

Standing up place the feet shoulder width apart. Tighten up both the abdominal and the buttock muscles. With the back straight and the arms stretched out in front of you slowly lower yourself as far as possible into the squatting position (if you find it difficult to balance then hold on to a chair). Hold this position for seven seconds and then gradually return to your original position.

Repeat this exercise three times.

Benefits

The squatting exercise is particularly good for strengthening the thighs and buttocks. It also improves balance and posture.

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Exercises For the Back and Knee

Health Clubs and Fitness Centres

Exercises For the Back and KneeBy Robin Brain

Exercise

Eating properly will not by itself keep well a person who does not exercise, for food and exercise, being opposite in effect, work together to produce health.

Exercise is vital to good health and will enable you to keep your body strong, supple and fit. The exercises described below are simple and will help to prevent muscular and joint problems from occurring. If you find it difficult to exercise at home I strongly recommend you join a Yoga class

Exercises for the back

The majority of the population will suffer from back pain of some description at some time in their lives. In fact, over 30 million working days are lost each year as a result of bad backs. However. if we keep our backs healthy with regular exercise and massage and we improve our posture to minimize the strain on the joints and soft tissues, many back problems will be avoided. The following remedial exercises are designed to help Your spine to regain strength and flexibility. Try to make this exercise program part of your daily routine. Always perform the exercises slowly avoiding any quick, jerky movements and never overstretch and over strain. If you experience sharp pains while doing these exercises, stop at once and consult your doctor or osteopath.

Find a comfortable place to exercise and place a blanket, mat or thick towel on the floor. While exercising it is important to breathe deeply - never hold your breath. Take a few deep breaths before you begin. Place both hands on your abdomen just below your naval and breathe in. As you inhale, your abdomen should rise as it fills with air. As you exhale your abdomen should fall.

Exercise 1 - The pelvic tilt

Lie on your back with your knees bent up, and your feet apart and flat on the floor. Place your hands down on the small of your back and feel the arch in your lower back. In this exercise you will try to press this arch down to meet the floor. Squeeze your buttocks together, tighten the muscles of your abdomen and then raise your buttocks slightly off the floor. Hold this position for a count of ten. Relax. Repeat three times.

Benefits

The pelvic tilt will reduce the stress on your lower back and tighten your abdominals and buttocks.

Exercise 2 - Knees to the chest

One knee

Lying on the floor as in Exercise 1, clasp both hands around your right knee and slowly bring it towards your chest. Hold this position for ten seconds. Gently allow your leg to return to the original position. Repeat this exercise with the left knee. Repeat three times in total.

Both knees

Bring your right knee and then your left towards your chest. Clasp both hands around your knees and pull your knees down towards your chest, as close as you can. Hold this position for a count of ten. Return to the starting position and repeat three times.

Benefits

The muscles in both your hips and buttocks are given a good stretch.

Exercise 3 - The gentle trunk twister

Place the hands clasped underneath your head with the elbows outstretched at right angles. Bring the knees up and slowly cross your right leg over the left thigh. Allow the weight of your right leg to slowly push the left knee towards the floor. As you do so slowly turn the head towards the right shoulder. Hold this position for ten seconds. Ensure that your shoulders remain flat on the floor throughout the exercise. Only stretch as far as it is comfortable. Gently return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side, crossing the left knee over the right thigh and turning the head towards the left shoulder.

Benefits

The lower back and abdominal muscles are stretched and strengthened. Flexibility of the spine is encouraged.

Exercise 4 - The cobra

This is an exercise or workout based on yoga with wonderful therapeutic effects. Lie face down. Place both hands in front of you palms downwards just below the shoulders. Breathe in deeply slowly raising your head back as far as you can and using your arms push the chest slowly away from the floor so that the whole spine curves back. Hold this position for seven seconds ensuring that the stomach is pressed firmly against the floor. Slowly return to the starting position.

Benefits

The lower back is strengthened and posture is improved.

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