How Yoga Benefits Patients with Mesothelioma

 By Katherine Keys

Patients living with mesothelioma, the aggressive type of cancer most often caused by asbestos exposure, face a number of symptoms that range from mild to severe. Both the cancer itself and the treatments for it can cause pain, nausea, and fatigue. They also cause psychological effects, like fear, depression, and hopelessness.

While mesothelioma is unfortunately not curable for most patients, there are many treatments that can extend life and combat the symptoms of the cancer and chemotherapy used to treat it. These include a lot of natural and holistic strategies, including yoga. Many mesothelioma patients face fear and uncertainty. They may work with mesothelioma lawyers to get justice for the cancer likely caused by working conditions, but this can only provide so much relief. If you are struggling to cope, yoga may help.

Yoga for Pain

Pleural mesothelioma, the most common form of the disease, is the cancer of the tissue that lines the lungs. As the cancer grows in that tissue it presses against the spine and nerves. This can lead to significant pain for patients. Research has found that practicing yoga regularly can help relieve pain by improving the body and brain’s tolerance for it.

Any pain caused by mesothelioma, or even other kinds of pain that are less tolerable because you are ill, may be reduced by doing yoga several times a week. A qualified instructor can even tailor a yoga workout to meet your specific needs. If you are experiencing mostly back pain, for instance, there are certain poses that will help more than others.

Battle the Fatigue of Fighting Mesothelioma

The many effects of cancer on the body, not to mention the treatments, include fatigue. If you are struggling with mesothelioma you probably also struggle to do the things you used to because of being tired and having less energy. Just one session of yoga per week boosts energy levels and reduces feelings of fatigue. If you can work up to it, and your health care professionals give you the green light, more than one session per week can really help you to get your old energy back.

Manage Mood and Fight Fear

Living with a death sentence hanging over your head is a terrible thing to have to experience. Patients with terminal cancers like mesothelioma have to be brave in the face of being given a short life sentence. That can take a toll on the psyche and leave you feeling afraid, anxious, depressed, and alone. Time and again, yoga has been proven to help people manage these negative feelings and boost mood.

Many studies have demonstrated that there are positive psychological benefits of yoga, but some have focused specifically on cancer patients. In one study a group of cancer patients participated in yoga for several sessions and researchers found that they all experienced a reduction in stress and anxiety and reported having a better quality of life.

If you are battling mesothelioma, trying yoga could help you feel better and give you a valuable coping strategy. Be sure to work with a professional who can help you start doing yoga at a pace that is best for your current fitness and health level. Once you get started you will likely experience relief from symptoms and a better outlook on living.

Moving through fear while knowing your body

After working out for years, you will know your body more:  What you can do without hurting yourself, when you need to rest, when you need to stretch. With this, you can push to dance, run, hike, swim farther each time. You will have a hump of fear for obstacles that you know are coming. You may look bad in front of others that are more advanced in a certain sport. With a commitment to get better, while loving and accepting yourself where you are at as whole and complete, you will gain in love and respect for yourself and strength for what life brings to you.

Check out Pocket Guide to Fitness and my other books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=louiza+patsis

Bosu Ball Squats

You can use a Bosu Ball for squats that work out the glutes, quadriceps and hamstrings, and that simultaneously engage your abdominal muscles for stability. Place the Bosu Ball on its soft, round side. Place each foot on its edges, on the same "line." Balancing engages the abdominal muscles.
Perform squats for four sets of ten repetitions. Place your arms straight out in front of you or cupped together in front of you for stability .

Up and Down Body Weight Exercise for Abs and Legs

Bend your arms at 90 degrees in a grip in front of your chest. You can scoot a bit forward for this exercise, bending from your waist at about 45 degrees. Bend your legs 90 degrees at the knees. Bend the right knee to the floor while keeping your upper body and arms steady. Have your left knee join your right knee inches away. Bring your right knee up. Have your left knee join your right knee inches away. This is a brief squat position. Repeat the sequence until exhaustion. Stretch your quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes.

Swiss Ball for Stability -- Core Muscles

Grab a medium or large Swiss ball. Sit on it and keep it steady.  This works out your core and hip muscles. Alternate arms and legs: Bring up your right arm straight above your head and your left leg, bent 90 degrees at the knee inches above the floor. Switch arms and legs. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.

Plank Run

Here is another plank variation: Get in the plank position, with your back and hips aligned. Bend your knees as if running. For variation that works your oblique muscles more, bring your knee to the opposite hip bone when you bend each leg.

Do this for 10 to 20 seconds at a time with 5 to 10 seconds of rest in between, or whatever variation works for you for a length of time that is effective. You should get a burn but not be in pain.

Step for Glutes and Quadriceps

You may have seen personal trainers do this with clients at the gym. Hold a bar of five to ten pounds, according to what you can do, or free weights of two pounds or more straight over your head. Step up on a step or a black platform with your right foot. Bring your left foot to join your right foot. For added intensity, go up only on your right leg and extend your left leg straight back. For yet added intensity, squeeze your left leg up one more inch when you think you cannot raise it further. The higher the intensity, the more you will work your right quadriceps and left glutes. Repeat for two to four sets of ten repetitions, according to what you can do. Then switch legs and repeat. The intensity also increases by the height of the step.

Small Swiss Ball for Adductor Muscles

Sit on the edge of a chair and place a small Swiss ball between your knees and upper calves. Slowly squeeze, bringing your legs closer together. Hold for 1-2 seconds. Return to starting position. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.

For a more advanced movement. Lie on your side, supporting yourself with your forearm. Place a small or medium-sized Swiss ball between your knees and upper calves. Your leg closest to the floor should be about half a foot above the floor. Squeeze your upper leg to the Swiss ball while keeping your other leg, your hips and back, steady. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions. Switch sides and legs.

Stretch Band and Chair for Hamstrings

Sit on a steady chair with a hard cushion. Place your stretch band around your right ankle and then attach your stretch band on one end to a steady surface like a beam. While keeping your upper body and hips steady, bend your right knee slowly until your ankle is near or beyond (according to your ability) the edge of the chair. Keep it there for one second, then return to the starting position. Do four sets of ten repetitions. Then switch ankles. The higher the resistance of the stretch band, the harder is the exercise.

Check out Pocket Guide to Fitness and my other books on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=louiza+patsis

Alphabet for Abdominal Muscles

Lie down on your back. Lift your legs straight above you and 90 degrees from your waist. Keep your legs hip width apart. Activate your abdominal muscles so your lower back will not be stressed. Trace the letters of the alphabet with each foot. Do not work too quickly. Do not forget to breathe. 

Inner Thigh Stretch

I discovered this inner thigh stretch today:
Sit down with legs extended diagonally in front of you with feet relaxed. Lean forward. Twist to your left. Place your right forearm on the inside of your right calf. with your elbow, gently stretch your right leg outward around the knee area, without turning your knee. You will feel a concentrated inner thigh stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat as needed.

For your left leg, do the opposite. Sit down with legs extended diagonally in front of you with feet relaxed. Lean forward. Twist to your right. Place your left  forearm on the inside of your left calf. with your elbow, gently stretch your left leg outward around the knee area, without turning your knee. You will feel a concentrated inner thigh stretch. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat as needed.

Use a Towel for Core Work

Barefoot or with sneakers, place a folded towel under each foot and get into the wedge position. Stick a straight leg out to your side as far as you can without engaging the lower back muscles. Repeat for the next leg. Do two to ten sets of ten repetitions, as you can.

Advanced 1: When both legs are straight behind you, do a push up!
Advanced 2: Extend both legs at the same time, like a scissor opening. Then return to starting wedge position.
Advanced 3: Move both straight legs at a time and straighten your arms to stick your butt up and have your hands and feet almost touching. Return to the wedge position. Add difficulty: Perform a push up right after the wedge position and as you begin to bring your feet to below your belly.
Advanced 4: Repeat 3 with the difficulty, but when you return your legs to the wedge, do so with a circular motion. So, extend each leg out in a circular motion to its respective side and to the wedge.

For these exercises with the towel, and more, see this video on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/1620614438206037/videos/1722218994712247/?pnref=story

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. 

Swiss Ball Obliques

Rest your elbows on a medium-sized Swiss ball. Extend your body out in a plank. Breathe out and raise one leg straight about a foot above the floor. Repeat 10 times for two to four sets of 10 repetitions, depending on what you can do. Repeat for the other leg.

Work Your Abominal Muscles While Driving a Car

This is from www.truthaboutabs.com:

• You can do them standing, seated (such as in a car), kneeling in a four-point position, or even lying flat on the floor.  I prefer them seated or standing.
• The movement is as simple as pulling your belly button in as far as you can by imagining you're trying to touch your belly button to your spine and holding for 10-20 seconds at a time.
• Start by inhaling deeply. Then, as you exhale, start pulling the belly button in towards the spine and hold it there for 10-20 seconds while just taking short breaths. Repeat for several of these 10-20 second holds, perhaps 5-10x if you have enough time while in the car.  But even just repeating 3-4x every time you're driving somewhere can really add up over time and give you the benefit of a flatter belly!
• Get in the habit of doing this at least 4-5 days per week while driving somewhere and you may find that this helps to flatten your stomach more by strengthening the transversus abdominis muscle (the deep abdominal muscles beneath the rectus abdominis) if you previously had a "lazy belly."

Psoas Muscles

This blog post is from Dr. Christiane Northrup and does not necessarily contain my opinions: http://bit.ly/1VJJq66

Move Often, Not Just at the Gym

On Dr. Mercola's Web site, Katy Bowman discussed nutritional movement, or moving throughout the day as opposed to being sedentary and going to the gym at times. A masseuse recently told me that muscles "freeze" like meat in the freezer if you do not move. We know that we are usually more stiff in the morning after a night of sleep than throughout the day. I tried to do a back bend in the morning and the physical therapist told me that muscles have to warm up first. That is why stretching is important.

In her discussion, Katy points out how most of us are sedentary at work or in front of the computer and television all day, then spend a specific time at the gym. Instead, it is best to work in housework, walking and other tasks throughout the day to keep circulation flowing, muscles fluid and calories burning instead of just working out a few hours a week.

Dr. Mercola wrote that the interface between active and inactive muscles in your body is where injury happens. To read Dr. Mercola's article and see Katy's video, click here: bit.ly/1XWeM74.

Life Your Leg for Core Abdominal Strength and for Balance

I have been ignorant when it comes to physical therapy. And, in spite of MANY abdominal exercises and Martha Graham dance contractions, my deep abdominal muscles need some work, according to my great physical therapist.

Here is a test to see if your deep abdominal muscles are strong: Stand with feet hip width apart. Place your fingers (one hand for each side) by your top pelvic and pubic bones and monitor if your hips do not shift when you move your leg. This is key.

Simply lift one leg at a time, just an inch or two off the floor, while you breathe. Hold for 30 seconds. Are your hips shifting? This may be a sign of abdominal weakness.

Repeat the exercise with a two-inch mat under your standing leg.

Repeat the exercise with your eyes closed. Try to keep your leg up for 30 seconds. This measures balance!

Repeat for the other leg.

Repeat all variations for each leg equally and as needed.

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. 

Physical Therapy Exercise for the Gluteus Medius- Clam shell

I went to physical therapy for the first time this week! And I have done a lot of exercising, dancing and walking! I need the physical therapy to stabilize and strengthen deep abdominal and other core muscles and to soothe tension in my hips and thighs.

The gluteus medialis, I was told, supports the hips and thus takes tension off the knees, which take a lot of wear and tear in anyone's life, especially an athlete's. Here is a simple exercise to strengthen this muscle. 

Lie down on your right side on an exercise mat. Make sure your hip bones are aligned and the lower back is not stuck out or ducked under your spine. Breathe in by expanding your rib cage and belly. When you breathe out, concentrate on your belly muscles contracting around your navel. Bend or straighten your right leg. Open a bent left leg like an opening clam shell (a nick name for this exercise) as far as you can without compromising your hip position. Close the leg so your knees meet. Do this slowly five to ten times. Repeat while on your left side.

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. 

When Men and Women Should Eat Before and After Exercise

I came upon this article. I canot vouch for the veracity. The Web site claims to be the "1 natural health site" of the world. It sounds interesting:

http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2016/01/22/eat-before-exercise.aspx

A Type of Jumping Jacks for Interval Training

You will move your legs as you do in a jumping jack (legs in and out). Your arms, however, will move differently: Keeping your arms straight, bring your arms from out to your sides to almost touching in a clap in front of you. When your arms move closer your legs more apart. Do this "jump" for a minute. Rest for 30 seconds. Repeat the "jump" for a minute. Rest for 20 seconds. Repeat the "jump" for a minute. Rest for 10 seconds. Repeat the "jump" for a minute. Rest for 5 seconds. Repeat the "jump" for a minute. Breathe deeply.

Taps with Plank

You can use your hands and arms to make the plank harder! Get into and stay in the plank position and do one of these variations or alternate them:

1. Hand tap:  Tap one hand at a time with the opposite hand.
2. Elbow tap:  Tap one elbow at a time with the opposite hand.
3. Shoulder tap:  Tap one shoulder at a time with the opposite hand.
4. Hip tap:  Tap one hip side at a time with the opposite hand.
5. Knee tap:  Tap one knee at a time with the opposite hand.
6. Foot tap:  Tap one foot at a time with the opposite hand.

Jump for Your Abductor Muscles

Place a yoga mat on the floor.  Bend your elbows and hold your hands together in front of your chest. Jump from side to side over the thinner part of your yoga mat for four sets of ten repetitions. This works your abductor muscles. It may seem easy when you are doing it, but you will most likely feel it on the side of your hips for days later.

Medicine Ball and Swiss Ball for Abdominal Muscles

This is a tough abdominal exercise. Get a medicine ball that will give you a workout and that you can use for four sets of ten repetitions.
Lie down on the floor. Keep your back flat against the floor. Spread your arms and legs straight above and beneath you. Place a medium-sized Swiss ball between your ankles. Hold the medicine ball with your hands.

Lift your arms and legs straight until they meet above you. You are using your abdominal muscles to squeeze the Swiss ball between your ankles. For an advanced exercise, lift your hips an inch or two inches off the floor when your legs are up. Inhale when you lower your arms and legs and exhale when you lift them. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.
 

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. 

Stability Ball Plank Rotations

This is a tough abdominal exercise. Grab a medium-size stability (Swiss) ball. Place your forearms on it. You can grasp your hands together or just keep them close. Stabilize your legs on the balls of your toes. The rest of your body is straight, neck, back, hips and legs aligned.

First, rotate the stability ball clockwise for two sets of ten repetitions (full circles). The rest of your body does not change position. Then, rotate the stability ball counterclockwise for two sets of ten repetitions. If you can, repeat these four sets.

For an even tougher exercise, lift your right leg sideways to a 90-degree angle to your left leg and bring it back to center for each circle of the first clockwise set. Do the same with your left leg for the first counterclockwise set. Then repeat starting with the left leg for the first counterclockwise repetition and then the right leg for the next counterclockwise repetition.

Stretch by hugging your knees for 10 seconds. Then lie down on the floor and stretch your arms and legs straight away fro your center for 10 seconds.

Plank with Triceps

This is an advanced exercise. Get into a plank position. (Search for the original plank post.) Rest on your left forearm and on the balls of your feet. Keep your body straight and off the floor except for your forearm and the balls of your feet. Keep our head, neck, spine and hips aligned. Use a free weight for your right arm that will give you a workout and that lift for four sets of ten repetitions. Keep your right elbow near your right side. Extend your right arm backwards to work out your triceps. After four sets, place your right forearm on the floor and repeat the exercise for your left arm.


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. 

Great Therapy Video on Anorexia and Bulimia

You may want to check out her other videos too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDSVKLJAAh0

Lower Abdominal Muscles with Bench and Free Weight

Sit on the narrow edge of a bench. Hold onto each side. Hold up a free weight that will give you a good workout with the top of your feet (under the circular part of the free weight). Your knees should be perpendicular and your thighs should be parallel to your hips. Exhale and bring your thighs up. Use your lower abdominal muscles to lift your legs about tow inches from being parallel to your hips.
Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.

Hug your knees for 10 seconds as needed before, in between and after sets.

Abdominal and Glute Exercise

Rest on your forearms and elbows facing the ceiling. Lift your hips. This activates your gluteus maximus. Bend your left leg and rest on the left foot. Extend your right leg, pointed or flexed, and move it straight from in front of you to the right side. This activates your abdominal muscles. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions. Then do the same with your left leg while keeping your right leg bent.


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. 

Active Plank

There are several variations you can do with a plank (for abdominal muscles), and you can find some by searching for past plank posts. One simple and effective variation is to get in the plank position, with your head, neck, back and hips in a level position, and slowly bring your hips and buttocks up while keeping your legs straight. Return slowly to the starting position. Repeat for four sets of 10 repetitions, or until you fatigue. 

When you finish, lie on your back and hug your knees for 10 seconds. Repeat as needed. 

Medicine Ball for Lower Back

Grab a medicine ball that will give you a workout (not too easy or hard) With your legs shoulder width apart and knees a little bent, hold the ball tightly over your head. Bring it down in from of you and let it "bounce" about an inch over the floor. [If you let it hit the floor hard while holding onto it, I believe the friction forces will travel up your arm to your spine, skull and brain, and you don't need that.) Bring the ball back up over your head in a moderate speed and about two to four inches behind your head (with arms straight up). Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions if you can.

Art, Thoughts and Health

I just finished reading How Plato and Pythagoras Can Save Your Life by psychotherapist Nicholas Kardaras. One topic he wrote about is how keeping your thoughts high on nature, art, beauty and mathematics can affect you and your health at a cellular level. Everything has a vibration, and keeping in sync with these can boost your mind and health.

Serendipitously, I saw an article about something similar in the Health & Fitness section of the Epoch Times of Sunday February 15, 2015. The article is How Awe and Beauty Can Boost Your Health by Yasmin Amwar. Certainly, you need awe and wonder to learn about your body and take on working out each time. She writes that bad emotions boost the production of cytokines which are associated with inflammation and Type 2 diabetes. A recent study found that depressed patients had high levels of cytokine INF-alpha. The researchers found that the people with these emotions had lower levels of cytokines. Cytokines may boost neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.

Psychologists at UC Berkeley conducted two experiments of 200 young people, who recorded how many times a day they felt good emotions like awe, amusement, compassion, joy, love, contentment and pride. Gum and cheek samples showed that those who experienced more of these emotions, especially awe, amazement and wonder. 

Psychologist Dacher Stellar, co-author of the study, said that the relationship between the cytokines and emotions may be bidirectional; researchers are not sure which comes first. But who cares. If you feel lousy, take a walk, preferably by the beach, listen to relaxing music, look at your favorite art, paint, dance, or read an inspiring book.

Stretch Your Hips Using a Bosu Ball

I just finished another Martha Graham dance intensive. I felt that my hips and lower back were a bit stiff, maybe because it is winter time and I had not taken such classes since the summer. In between doing sit-ups on the Bosu ball in the gym, I discovered I can use it to stretch my hips.

Place your lower back on the Bosu ball's center. Place your feet on the floor and bend your knees. Move your right knee toward the floor. Do not force your knee. The key is to feel a stretch in your right front hip. Use your right hand, if you want, to get your right thigh closer to the floor. Most likely, your right knee will be outside your left leg. Do what feels right. Hold five to ten seconds and do as many times as you feel are helpful.

Now, keep your left leg bent and bend your right leg the other way: have your right knee point away from your left knee. You may want to use your right hand to "help" your right leg.
Hold five to ten seonds and do as many times as you feel are helpful.

Now repeat the two previous paragraphs for the left hip: substitute left for right and right for left.

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. 

Eating Before, During or After Exercise

I am not an expert in this area but found the article Add Sugar for Prolonged Hard Exercise by Dr. Gabe Mirkin in the Health & Fitness section of The Epoch Times of November 7-13, 2014, very useful. Below is a summary.

I follow my intuition on what to eat before or after exercise. When you are in touch with yourself, this is usually a safe bet. I don’t eat or drink anything except for coffee (at times) for half an hour before and after I exercise. When I have run the marathon, I have had a few Power Bars, and one time even a sandwich. This is fine for intense or long endurance workouts.

During exercise, muscles use sugar and fat, and, to a lesser extent, protein. For exercise at a relaxed pace, food and drink is not necessary unless hungry or thirsty. I would add that this is true hunger or thirst, and does not apply to times you may be thinking about pizza while you exercise! For intense exercise periods of more than 70 minutes, sugar should be consumed before and while you exercise. There is no advantage to restricting sugar during intense training, as it will not “teach” muscles to get along with less sugar. Carbohydrate loading, used by athletes mostly in the past, also is not effective. Athletes would restrict their carbohydrate intake for four days to “empty” their muscles of stored sugar or glycogen, and then eat a regular diet with extra carbohydrates for three days, all extra carbohydrates beyond what a muscle can store are turned into fat.

Dr. Mirkin wrote that athletesc an store the maximum amount of sugar in their muscles by eating their usual diet and cutting back on training for three days before a competition. A regular meal should be eaten three hours prior to an endurance workout and the workout should not be started on a full stomach. The meal should not be composed of simple sugars. 

Sugary foods and drinks cause blood sugar levels to rise. The pancreas releases insulin which causes sugar to enter cells. This leads to low blood sugar levels which can cause dizziness or feeling weak and tired, because the brain uses sugar from the blood. Simple sugars are to be added five to ten minutes before and during long endurance competition. Caffeine can also be used at these times, as it speeds up the rate at which sugar enters muscle cells. A combination of glucose, fructose and sucrose is most effective. (Sucrose is a sugar composed of both glucose and fructose.) However, the need for both glucose and fructose are needed during intense exercise. Sugary drinks can be used throughout intense exercise periods of more than 70 minutes. Sugary drinks, according to the doctor, should be used only during or after exercise.

Contracting muscles take up sugar from blood quickly, so there is no danger or high blood sugar levels (for non-diabetics) if sugary drinks are ingested during exercise. This protection (of not having high blood sugar due to contracting muscles) lasts for up to an hour after the workout is completed.

For endurance events of more than three hours, protein, solid foods and salt should also be ingested.

 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. 

Star Jumps

Star Jumps elevate your heart rate and work your core, gluteus maximus and leg muscles. Lower yourself into a low squat where your hips almost touch the floor and place your arms down by your shins. If you have back or knee issues, go as low as you go and do not be hard on yourself.  Quickly jump in the air and extend your arms and legs out to your sides in the shape of a star. Then move your feet together and land on the floor. Lower yourself back into your starting position. Exhale when you jump and inhale when you return to the starting position. Repeat for five total repetitions. Rest for several seconds before you start another set. Repeat until exhaustion.

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. 

Abdominal Exercise with Weight

Hold an octogonal weight  straight over your chest while laying on your back. Bend your knees to 90 degrees. Subtly bring your lower pelvis off the floor using [mostly] your lower abdominal muscles while doing a crunch. Exhale when you come up and inhale when you go down, your shoulders to an inch or two off the floor, never touching the floor for each set. Repeat ten repetitions for four sets.

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. 

Lower Back Stretch

Besides hugging your knees while lying down or standing and reaching for your toes, there are other stretches for the lower back. One of them is this one: Sit on the floor and stretch out your left leg, relaxed, diagonally away from your centerline. Bend your right knee with the heel of your right foot close to your crotch. Twist to the left. It may help if you hold onto your left knee with your right hand. As you exhale, twist further. You will feel a stretch in your right lower back, as well as, secondarily, your right latissimus dorsi and right gluteus maximus.

Now do the same for the other side. Substitute right for left and left for right in the instructions above. Enjoy.

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. 

Run and Sit Interval Training

Stretch your legs and buttocks. Run in place for 10 seconds. Do squats for 10 seconds. Repeat for four sets. Do squats with slight bounces for 10 seconds. Then repeat the four sets. Then do the bounces again. Repeat to exhaustion. Stretch.

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. 

Barbell for Lunges and Adductors

This is a variation of a lunge or of using the barbell for squats with legs in second position for the adductors. This is a very difficult exercise, used by some people competing. Grab a barbell with a weight that will challenge you but with which you can do at least five (if not up to ten) repetitions. Do a lunge. Then turn to the right with legs in second position (open legs with toes pointing diagonally out) and squat. Stand while bringing your right leg center, passing your left leg and then face the other direction, legs in second position, and do another squat for the adductors. Repeat this sequence at least five times. Rest 5 seconds. Repeat four more times (at least five sets.)

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. 

Muscle Confusion

"Confusing" muscles is a way to get off a plateau. A blog post on plateaus was written years ago on this blog. Often people train using periodization. They use cycles of three weeks or three months on which they do certain exercises with specific weights and/or repetitions. The problem is that muscles accommodate to this and do not get "shocked". Ultimately, they adapt to the workout program and don't grow as much or develop in power and flexibility.

This is akin to a person developing a habit which eventually gets outdated and leads to no more spiritual, mental or physical growth. Or it is akin to a relationship that stagnates. When someone, for instance, gets used to you and what you do, they may get bored, or may take advantage of you, knowing they can get away with it because you will react in the same way, or not at all. What better way to get the ball rolling on your growth or on a relationship but to put in needed changes.

Exercise becomes ineffective when the muscles accommodate to certain stress. Variety must be added as in someone's life and relationships. 
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. 

Stupid Things People Say: "Big-Boned"

People say lots of stupid things. Among them is “big-boned”. Next time someone tells you that you are fat,  you are just big-boned, tell them to go --  well, it’s up to you what to say.

If someone tells you this, even if it's a nutritionist or personal trainer, ask them if they are a [good] orthopedist who took an X-Ray of you.

This article by an orthopedist explains just what my intuition has "thought":
http://www.youbeauty.com/body-fitness/ask-a-scientist-being-big-boned.

Some people use "big-boned" to attack others' appearance, while some people use the concept to justify being overweight. A doctor writing for fashion magazine Glamour wrote that most people are not big-boned, and this should not be used as an excuse for being overweight. Most people, Dr. JoAnne wrote, are medium-built and a larger than usual bone structure accounts for only about a ten-pound increase in weight.

An obese person can have a small skeleton. The excess weight damages the joints. On the other hand, weight bearing exercise to  strengthen muscle takes away stress from the skeleton and makes bones stronger. This type of exercise also causes new bone growth by increasing the rate that osteoblasts cells bring calcium to bones to make them stronger. Running and jumping exercises can make bones stronger by increasing bone density. This does not cause bones to get "bigger". A thin person may be big-boned, as can be determined by wrist size.

Remember, for fitness levels, you must take into account your weight AND BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, energy levels, blood work, endurance, strength and flexibility. In general, according to the American Council of Exercise, women with a body fat percentage up to around 30 may not be overweight. This depends on muscle tone and distribution of fat. The same holds for men at a 25 percent rate of fat.
Percentages vary with age.

References

http://www.youbeauty.com/body-fitness/ask-a-scientist-being-big-boned
http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/bonehealth/conditioninfo/Pages/activity.aspx
http://www.maxwettsteinfitness.com/Library/Ideal%20Body%20Fat%20Percentage.htm
http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/2007/09/your-doctor-big-boned 

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. 

Moving Plank

Get in the plank position. Get on the floor with palms of your hands and balls of your feet. Keep your back and hips on the same level. Now, bring your hands and feet together by using your abdominal muscles, not your back, hips or butt. This is very difficult. Try to do it five or ten times at a time, according to your ability and as long as you can. Breathe: Exhale when you bring your hands and feet closer together. Your lower back and butt will move up, but do not let this be too much, as this may indicate you are not using your abdominal muscles.

 

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. 

Butt Massage

Sit on a small of medium Swiss ball and rotate clockwise ten times. Repeat counterclockwise. Repeat as many times as you want or with different motions to soothe those aching gluteus maximus muscles. This is preferably done after you use them in a good workout!

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.

Tough Abdominal Exercise

I haven't even tried this one. I saw it at the gym today.

Use the machine with the arm rests where you can bring your legs up. Another person holds a bar perpendicular to you and at the height of the upper part of your hip. Be careful not to scrunch your shoulders. Bring your legs up straight and over the bar to the right. Return your legs to starting position. bring your legs up and over the bar to the left.

That will rip up your abdominal muscles. 

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. 

Simple Standing Lower Abdominal Exercise

Stand with your legs shoulder-width apart and slightly bent. With your lower abdominal muscles, curve your hips forward and then return to the starting position. Notice how difficult it is to do this using your abdominal muscles. Perform four sets of ten repetitions.

 

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.