Backward Stationary Lunge

This lunge can be done in place with or without free weights and works mostly the hamstrings and gluteus maximus. Have your feet shoulder width apart, with your knees slightly bent. Step back one foot at a time. Keep your back straight. Step back with your right foot: Lower your right knee to the floor slowly. Your left leg bends until the left knee is 90 degrees. Bend your right leg 90 degrees, only this leg's knee almost touches the floor. Have the right knee go about one inch over the floor. Keep your back straight for the whole move. Exhale when you go down and inhale when you go back up to starting position. Do five sets of ten repetitions for each leg going backwards.

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.authorhouse.com and http://www.amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.louizapatsis.com.

Breathe

When a baby is born, the physicians, nurses or midwives check to see if the baby can breathe. Just as our heart beats, breathing is something we do all of the time, including when we sleep. As we get more in shape, we are able to breathe deeper so that we do not have to breathe as many times when we exert ourselves. This is also true of our heart beats. The stronger our heart muscle becomes, the bigger will be our stroke volume, and the slower our heart will beat as we exert ourselves. This does not mean that our hearts are not capable of beating faster or our lungs of breathing faster if necessary.

Breathing helps us to ground ourselves, and is a key ingredient of medication, yoga and Pilates. Observe yourself: How do you breathe when you walk down the street or sit in a chair? keep your posture straight and breathe deeply. Being aware is the first step.

Take deep breaths by having your transverse muscles push out your rib cage when you breathe. This gives your lungs more room to expand. See what this does for your mental awareness, stress level and exercise performance.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.authorhouse.com and http://www.amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.louizapatsis.com.

Age

It will be my birthday on August 11th! I will be 36 years old. I feel as energetic as I did when I was a teenager and keep sharpening my mental and physical skills. I just completed six weeks of Martha Graham modern dance classes yesterday. The average age of students was 20 years old. Most of them were from high school or college, and many came from abroad. The classes were two hours long a day. Besides class, there was getting to class in the hot New York City subways and carrying attire, and shoes with me from Queens for days that usually included the gym and doctoral-level studying in the library. My computer has been broken and I have used the New York University library computers. I would often get home late and go to sleep at about 3:00 am, to wake up about four hours later and study, go to the gym and then go to dance class. Being connected to my body, largely because of working out for years, allows me to actually grow younger each year, and I think we can do this until we are about 65 years old.

Weeks ago I saw physician authors talking about this on Good Morning America. I will look of their book. Perhaps you can fish around for it. Your spirit, mental attitude, commitment, intention and actions you take affect your age. Your health age may not be the same as your biological age.

See http://www.drgrisanti.com/biological_age.htm.

Disclaimer: Information on this blog is posted for information purposes, not as a substitute for professional medical advice.

Don't forget to check out www.louizapatsis.com!

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on http://www.authorhouse.com and http://www.amazon.com. If you look up my name on those Web sites, you will find my other books The Boy in a Wheelchair and Life, Work and Play: Poems and Short Stories. These two books are on my Web site http://www.louizapatsis.com.