Advanced Abdominal Crunches: Throw a Ball

 
You may have seen people do this at the gym or elsewhere:  One person sits or stands at the feet of another person who does abdominal crunches while throwing a ball spitting or standing. The principles of abdominal crunches apply: Keep your chin up and your shoulders off the floor, and breathe out when you crunch and in when you release.

Do four sets of ten repetitions. Increase as you get better at it. Replace a regular rubber ball with a medicine ball of increasing weight as you can. 

New Musings book: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louiza-patsis-phd/musings/paperback/product-186r9z9d.html?fbclid=IwAR0stDXt_ywHMcnAJYcNZjV89HM80MUpVAuk5twxxcwRAcZgpLa94ALoHgo&page=1&pageSize=4

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket

Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or AmazonMy other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket

Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon

Scissors with Arms and Legs

Here is an exercise for you abdominal muscles. Lie down and with your abdominal muscles, make sure your lower back is on the floor throughout the workout. 

Raise your arms straight over your head and keep your legs straight. Together, make a scissor motion with your arms and legs, opening and closing both at the same time. If you keep your legs from your feet to your knees, or even your lower thighs, off the floor, and especially if they are just an inch or two off the floor as opposed to a foot or more off the floor, the exercise will be harder. Do four sets of 10 repetitions.

Hug your knees for 10 seconds after each set to stretch your lower back. You can also move right to left and back to massage your lower back as you hug your knees. After the sets are done, stretch your arms over your head and your legs out straight for 10 seconds.

You can buy my book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon.

Does Your Butt Hurt?

Have a Healthy and Happy New Year, everyone!

My butt does hurt, from some Zoom classes, even though I am not working full out int eh movements!

My intuition guided me to do a quick search of interior butt muscles, i.e. under the gluteus maximus and minimus, their movements and exercises for them.

Here are some quick websites/videos I found (so far):

https://bit.ly/39azSvY

https://www.spine-health.com/video/sciatica-exercises-piriformis-syndrome-video?source=tdw

https://www.anabolicaliens.com/blog/gluteus-minimus-exercises

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drjbzTCsJM0

You can buy my latest book of poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon

Oblique Muscles on the Wall

Place the palms of your hands close together on a wall on shoulder level, in front of your chest.  Exert some force toward the wall. Keep your arms and hips steady. Twist left and right from your waist slowly.

Start with four sets often repetitions.

You can buy my book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon

Some more Abdominal Exercises

I especially like the ski one, although it may not be recommended if you have hip issues like hip arthritis or hip-spine alignment issues.

https://bit.ly/33d7Kaa

You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon

Fitness Training on Zoom

If you are interested in exercise sessions for an individual or group, leave a comment. You can pay via PayPal and I will set up a Zoom session.

Study Links Exercise to Cancer Survival on a Molecular Level

https://www.oncotarget.com/article/27609/text/

You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon:

Simple Dance Warm-up Core Strengthening Exercise

I hope this post finds you and your loved ones well.

There are five basic dance feet positions. https://binged.it/35wa4Ip

Do the second position with feet further apart than on the Web site. Turn out, which means have your knees and toes facing diagonally or to the right. Most people cannot turn out totally, so do so as much as you can. 

Bring your arms over your head, also turned out, and touch the fingers from each hand a foot and a half over your head, like a crown. Now spread your arms, your palms facing each other. Keep your arms straight and elbows not locked. Keep balanced for three seconds. Now turn your hands the opposite way so the back of one hand is facing the back of the other hand. This works your core more and engages your latissimus dorsi muscles. Keep this position for three seconds. 

Repeat. to make it harder and activate your core muscles even more, do this in  a relevé position, or on your toes.

Repeat for balance and strength as much as you would like.

https://www.hngn.com/articles/228979/20200420/exercise-prevent-serious-covid-19-complications.htm

You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Another Reason to Exercise, Even if You Are at Home These Days

Here is a good reason to exercise. Even If you are home in a small apartment, you can lay on your back and move your arms and legs. You can also go for a walk, sprinting at times for interval training, or bike ride, with a mask and gloves.

This article is about superoxide dismutatse, that is released during exercise and may ward off  respiratory disease.

https://www.hngn.com/articles/228979/20200420/exercise-prevent-serious-covid-19-complications.htm

You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Fat Special on PBS

How are you all doing?

Keep safe. Stay positive. Keep busy.

This is a good special with basic information about fat. If you pay $5 a month for
the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), you get to watch any program you want any time online. It's a good bargain. You support a good channel.

Why are sumo wrestlers healthy? I guessed correctly.

Why do some Biggest Lower contestants gain weight back? A lot has to do with homeostasis.

What is the body's response to dieting? years ago I wrote about meal times in more than one blog and they are relevant.

What does dopamine have to do with it? How can you trick yourself? (The last answer is not in the documentary but feel free to comment.)

Years ago I reviewed uses of fat such as to cover your nerve myelin nerves, give you energy, protect your bones and ultimately provide sugar for your brain.

In my spirituality and religion blog I wrote about an axiom Pan Metron Ariston, probably first said by Socrates that everything is in excellence in moderation or the middle road. For most, being too fat or too thin is not good.

The complex reasons one person may be obese besides perhaps eating too much and not moving enough are partly a mystery. Yet I believe with your will power, good choices, hard work, intention and magic, you can achieve and keep a weight and fitness level that works for you.

Enjoy.

Great basic facts on fat on PBS Frontline viewed any time online for $5 a month

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/fat/etc/synopsis.html You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Plank and Triceps

Here is an exercise for the abdominal muscles and triceps. See previous posts to describe both. Stay steady. Do not lock your elbows.

Get in a plank position. Keep your hips as straight with your back and low to the ground as possible. Keep one hand down. Do triceps extensions with the other arm. Do four sets of ten repetitions. Repeat with the other arm

Below is my book information, including Pocketguide to Fitness. If anyone is interested in my doing a half-hour fitness class on Instagram Live for $10 USD posted to my PayPal account, let me know. Movement is important for mental, emotional and physical health.

Stay well!

You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket
Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Good Hip Stretches

https://www.health.com/fitness/hip-stretches?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=social-share-article

You can buy my new book with poems and short stories Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Work Out Core Muscles with Unstable Surfaces or the Oov®

Check out this article and this Web site.

https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jsr/28/8/article-p803.xml

http://www.oov.com.au/

You can buy my new book Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Abdomninal Muscles and Inner Thighs

I have been enjoying barre fitness classes with Madeline McBroom at Rioult Dance Center in
Astoria, Queens, New York City for some weeks now. She keeps the class fresh with moves using body weight, a mat and medicine balls and gets m plateaus. I did this move in her class  or it was inspired by her class.

One way you can get off a plateau and keep working out fun is to use different moves to work out your muscles. With this move, you will work out in a three-dimensional way and exercise your abdominal muscles and inner thighs at the same time.

Lie down on a matt and squeeze a medicine ball between your thighs. Put your left hand behind your head and relax your right arm next to you on the matt. Relax your head and don't strain your neck muscles. Breathe in, and then breathe out while you squeeze the medicine ball and bring your left elbow to your right knee. Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions.

Repeat with your right hand behind your head and moving to your left knee for four sets of ten repetitions.

You can buy my new book Musings below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/louiza-patsis/s?k=louiza+patsis

Variation on Plank for Abdominal Muscles

Get into a plank position on your elbows. Lift your right arm straight. Do not lock your elbow. Then lift your left arm. Do not lock your elbow. Both arms will be straight. Lower your right arm to your elbow. Next lower your left arm to your elbow.

Repeat for four sets of ten repetitions. If you cannot do that, start with one set and work your way to ten sets.

You can buy my book below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=louiza+patsis&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Ankle Side Movement Exercises

Few or no activities in life or the gym have you use your ankle to move in the sagittal plane, i.e. left and right. Often, athletes and dancers can use cardiovascular equipment, hike, run dance and even swim without much left and right ankle motion. This may make ligaments around the ankle weak and make people prone to ankle sprains.

What can we do?

We can move the ankle left and right, using a sports band as resistance. Place the band of strength you can use for four sets of 10 repetitions, around the back of your feet and hold it back for resistance with the hand of the opposite foot you are using. You will work out the tibialis anterior, tibialis exterior and extensor hallucis longus, and the peroneous longus and peroneous brevis muscles that allow you to evert your ankle.

You can buy my book below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=louiza+patsis&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

My New Book Musings

I am updating my International sports Medicine Association license. I am reading Nancy Clark's Sports nutrition. She writes many things I know like that it is not usually good to diet, you can be "fat" and fit, and listen to your body about food and exercise. I will post some good points in a blog in the near future.

In the meantime, I want to tell you about my new book! I  collected stories and poems I wrote in two years and self-published yet another book Musings. I also designed the cover. Many of it is comprised of dark emotions and times, symbolized by the "dark" months of autumn and winter, in a surrealistic mix of both on the cover. Yet the sunny skies, brook, deer, bluejay and cardinal show the undertone of joy, sense of humor, irony and strength of the stories and poems.

My goal was to express myself and my emotions authentically while creating content that people can relate to, and that will entertain and inspire. You will be surprised by smart stories and witty, emotional poetry.

You can buy my book below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=musings+patsis&type=

My other short story and poetry book Life, Work and Play, fitness book Pocket Guide to Fitness (two versions and anti-bullying children's book The Boy in a Wheelchair are available on Authorhouse.com or Amazon:

https://www.authorhouse.com/en/search?query=louiza+patsis

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=louiza+patsis&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Simple Inner Thigh Stretch

Sit on the floor. Spread your legs as far as you can. bend. Put your arms in a 90-degree shape with your elbows over your head. Move your arms before you as you bend as if offering something to someone on a tray. Try as much as you can to have your elbows and forearms touch the floor in front of you. It may help if you inhale and exhale at intervals. it is okay if your arms do not touch the floor.

This is taken from a Martha Graham dance technique floor exercise.


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Too High Amounts of Blood HDL

If more studies are done to confirm this, it is more evidence that extremes are [usually] not good. High, but not too high, HDL blood level, is healthy.

https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/38/32/2478/3608700

Explore my fitness, poetry/short stories and bullying children's book at
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Podcast on Nutrition and Pharmaceuticals

I am usually middle of the road in politics and more. Drugs can be good. Or they can be harmful or unneeded. It sounds like some alternative medicine is always good, even if you think of meditation as such. The mind-body connection is always important.

I thought as a teenager that medical school education is outdated, and it's one reason I did not go.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYOIhmZ0Osg

Explore my fitness, poetry/short stories and bullying children's book at
https://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/BookSearchResults.aspx?Search=louiza+patsis#.XBSBoY5LPl0.twitter