Thursday, May 21, 2009

Lower Abdominal Exercise on Flat Bench

Lie down on flat bench so that your hips are on the edge. You can hold on to the bottom of the bench with your hands around where your hips are. With bended knees, lower your feet to the floor and then bring your legs up, 90 degrees, until your knees are over your hips. For a harder exercise, do this with straight legs. Do five sets of ten repetitions. This is a good lower abdominal muscle exercise, and works slightly different muscle fibers than other lower abdominal exercises.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Friday, May 08, 2009

Bosu Ball: Body Lift for Core Muscles

I came upon an owner's manual for the Bosu Ball, designed by David Weck, and the next series of post will have information from that manual. For more information, see www.Bosu.com. It is always great to get off a plateau, and the Bosu ball may be ideal for exercising balance, which we usually do not concentrate on, and strength.

(Curved part up) Lie down with your belly at the center of the dome. Extend your arms straight in front of you and your legs straight behind you. keep your head, neck and back aligned. Lift your arms and legs up. Do four sets of ten repetitions. For added difficulty and to also work your obliques, when you lift, tough your opposite hand to the opposite foot. You will have to bend your leg here. Do four sets of ten repetitions on each side.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Bosu Ball: Opposite Arm/Leg Raise with Knee Pull

I came upon anowner's manual for the Bosu Ball, designed by David Weck, and the next series of post will have information from that manual. For more information, see www.Bosu.com. It is always great to get off a plateau, and the Bosu ball may be ideal for exercising balance, which we usually do not concentrate on, and strength.

This exercise works your core abdominal and back muscles, and then your gluteus minimus and maximus and leg muscles.

(Curved part up) Kneel with one knee centered on top of the dome and hands on the floor under you. Lift opposite arm and leg straight out. Do four sets of 10 repetitions and repeat for the other arm and leg.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Bosu Ball: Push Ups

I came upon an owner's manual for the Bosu Ball, designed by David Weck, and the next series of post will have information from that manual. For more information, see www.Bosu.com. It is always great to get off a plateau, and the Bosu ball may be ideal for exercising balance, which we usually do not concentrate on, and strength.

Put the cured part of the ball on the floor. Have your hand grasp the handles. perform a push up. Then straighten your arms and come back to starting position. then tilt the Bosu Ball to one side, allowing the body to tilt. If you bend your knees to the floor, the exercise is easier. Try to do 10 repetitions. Work your way up for four sets of 10 repetitions.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Bosu Ball: Abdominal Exercises

I came upon an owner's manual for the Bosu Ball, designed by David Weck, and the next series of post will have information from that manual. For more information, see www.Bosu.com. It is always great to get off a plateau, and the Bosu ball may be ideal for exercising balance, which we usually do not concentrate on, and strength.

(Curved part up) Center yourself at the center of the Bosu Ball with your gluteus maximus. Keep your legs at a Pilates plank position with knees at 90 degrees and shins straight. Do four sets of 10 repetitions of abdominal crunches. A more advanced movement is bringing your legs in at the same time to work your lower abdominal muscles too.

You can also perform four sets of 10 repetitions of the oblique exercises (see older post). Place your hands behind your head and keep your elbows "open". Reach the opposite elbows to the opposite knee (while slightly bringing your knee "up"). Alternatively for the obliques, lie sideways on the curved part of the Bosu Ball. Placing one leg over the other, crossing at the knee, makes it easier. Place your crossed arms in front of your waist. Stretch out and from this position, slowly lift the torso and flex to the side. Do four sets of 10 repetitions, then repeat for the other side.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Bosu Ball: Lift One Leg

I came upon an owner's manual for the Bosu Ball, designed by David Weck, and the next series of post will have information from that manual. For more information, see www.Bosu.com. It is always great to get off a plateau, and the Bosu ball may be ideal for exercising balance, which we usually do not concentrate on, and strength. You can perform exercises with the curved part of the ball facing up or down.

(Curved part up) Place one foot at the center of the Bosu Ball. Bring the other foot to the center to get balance, then extend it forward or sideways or backward. use your arms where you can achieve balance. Do 10 to 60 seconds of bringing the non-centered leg up in one of the three directions. Repeat for the other leg and/or other directions.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Bosu Ball: Balance

I came upon an owner's manual for the Bosu Ball, designed by David Weck, and the next series of post will have information from that manual. For more information, see www.Bosu.com. It is always great to get off a plateau, and the Bosu ball may be ideal for exercising balance, which we usually do not concentrate on, and strength. You can perform exercises with the curved part of the Bosu Ballon the floor or facing up.

(Curved part facing down)Balance: Leap onto the Bosu ball with one foot to its middle. Bring the other foot aboard right next to the first one. Repeat for 20 repetitions on each side. Do 30 seconds of alternating leg compressions 9with both feet on the Bosu ball). Then repeat the jumps with the other leg.

(Curved part facing down) Side Squat: Place both feet at the center of the Bosu ball. Perform a jumping squat (plyometrics, and then twist to one side with your hands reaching for that side's knee. Perform 20 repetitions, then do the same for the other side.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Swiss Half Ball or Bosu Ball

Have you seen those "Swiss half balls" or Bosu balls? They are used for balance. Place your feet on the inflated side. They can be about four inches apart. Small muscle fibers in your core muscles of the abdomen and back will be triggered for balance. You can do arms exercises such as biceps curls while improving your balance and training your core muscles. If you do the same exercises with the flat part of the Bosu ball on top, it is even harder. The same holds true for push-ups. Little shoulder muscle fibers will be used that would not be used or used as much without the Bosu ball.

To use if further to improve balance, use either side for ballet moves such as raising one leg at a time to the front, side, diagonally or back.

Disclaimer: None of the above information can be taken as a substitute for advice from a medical professional such as a physician.

My third book, Pocket Guide to Fitness, is available on www.louizapatsis.com, http://www.authorhouse.com, www.bn.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.