Fitness
A stronger back without lifting weights? Sold
So many of us experience fitness plateaus or slumps that may be hard to recover from. It’s almost impossible to put up strong defenses and avoid decreasing physical abilities when we’re going through an endless cycle of stationary jobs or sitting at a desk day in and day out. Engaging in bodyweight back exercises may help to support your entire body as you sit during the day.
Back exercises will contribute to your upper and lower body strength, thus allowing you to maintain good posture and avoid developing back pain. These exercises are convenient and feasible because instead of using equipment, you can use your body weight for resistance.
As you go forward with bodyweight exercises, it’ll be important to balance the intensity of workouts, as well as safely warming up and cooling down, because this will enhance your flexibility and the ability to sustain these kinds of workouts.
Can you strengthen your back with no equipment?
Have no fear because you will be able to build strength, even if you exercise without using any equipment. Even if it doesn’t equal the results generated with equipment to a tee, you can make great strides just by using your body weight for resistance.
Bodyweight exercises, also known as calisthenics, entail the use of gravity as the resistance you’re working with rather than equipment. We consider that you may reach a limit for your gains because of gravity and the way this prevents resistance from increasing. However, you’ll still achieve bolstered flexibility and mobility that can encourage muscle gains.
You can build up strength with this type of regimen because you can target many muscle groups. This is why a workout like pull-ups is essential. The back is targeted and strengthened, along with the biceps and shoulders, which can ultimately maximize your overall upper body strength.
Benefits of having a strong back
Skeletal support system
It’s easy for us to take our backs for granted, but it is the most crucial part of the skeleton, quite literally the backbone, so to speak. You need a strong back to maintain an upright posture, which is essential in supporting the diaphragm and the way you breathe. We don’t think of it, but our posture contributes to the way our lungs fill with air, which contributes to breath control and how well or poorly we conduct this.
Additionally, our back acts as an enclosure for the central nervous system. This is crucial for connectivity to the brain and the signaling that occurs throughout the body. Often, when there is back pain, you’ll see that neuroinflammation and nerve sensitivities are present, which can cause certain conditions to deteriorate if communication between neurons and nerve endings isn’t corrected.
Balance and mobility
Strong back muscles, like the lats, are responsible for many movements that engage your upper body and your trunk. This includes simply pulling an object downward and bringing balance to the upper and lower body. The lats are the largest muscles in the back, and not only do they have the task of keeping the spine stabilized, but they also work in the extension and rotation of your arms and shoulders.
A strong back can balance the weight of your head and neck compared to your lower body. This can harness fluidity and agility in your moves because these aspects of your body will work in concert together without one system doing most of the work. Your long runs and swims will be maintained by strong upper and lower limbs, as well as great breath control, and you’ll recover from the activities without any pain.
Weight-bearing and functionality
The balance and structure that we discussed earlier come in handy when we consider weight-bearing capabilities. When we’re carrying heavy bags or lifting a toddler, it’s our back that carries the load. The stronger your back is, the better you can carry the load, and you won’t have to worry about neck pain, cramping, or getting stiff while sitting at your desk.
Due to our back serving as an anchor for our posture, it can direct the extension and rotation of our arms and influence our movements. This allows us to run with adequate knee function and execute proper swimming techniques.
Remember, it’s not just about upper body strength because lower back strength can accompany strong legs and gluteal muscles, which allows you to bend down and squat.
4 essential bodyweight back exercises
1. Supermans
Doing the Superman is a great way to work the back extensors, as well as the shoulders. Exercising these extensors can give you the support you need to defend against vertebral fractures, as well as osteoporosis and declined posture.
Instructions:
- To begin, lay down on your stomach and stretch your arms out overhead. This will resemble Superman’s “flying” stance with your arms straight out in front.
- Next, raise your arms slowly, lifting the rest of your upper body, like your head and chest, at the same time off the floor.
- As you raise the upper limbs, you’ll lift your legs simultaneously. In doing this, you’ll activate the back muscles and glutes.
- Keep your core tight as you maintain this position for several seconds, allowing yourself to hover above the floor.
- Return to your flat starting position, and then complete 15 reps.
2. Inverted rows
If you’re aiming to accentuate not only your back but also your biceps and core, inverted rows will be perfect for you. If you don’t have a bar or a set of barbells, all you need is the stability of a sturdy table.
Instructions:
- Find a bar or sturdy tabletop. Lay on the floor below it so the bar or edge is in line with your shoulders.
- Grip the bar or edge evenly with both hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your body in a straight line and your heels pressed into the floor as you bend your elbows and pull your chest up to the bar or edge.
- Slowly lengthen out your arms to return to the starting position before repeating.
- Aim for 8 to 10 reps.
3. Pull-ups
Another great workout to build up your back and upper body strength is the classic pull-ups. Pull-ups are one of the best back-focused exercises and are beneficial for optimizing balance and functionality, as well as providing a safeguard from injuries.
Instructions:
- Start by hanging from a bar with your hands at a shoulder-width distance. Your palms should be facing outward.
- Keeping your chest up and shoulders back, bend your elbows, and bring your chin up to the bar.
- Slowly release back to the starting position before repeating for 10 to 15 reps.
4. Rear delt raise plank
Working on your shoulder muscles, like the delts, is important for back strength, as this contributes to rotation and extension that doesn’t put a strain on the back when done adequately.
Using plank variations is imperative to musculoskeletal health because planks provide support and stability to your entire core, which is useful for upper and lower body movements. It would be wise to make good use of planks because this exercise can help prevent back pain and injuries, as well as improve posture.
Instructions:
- Start by positioning yourself in a high push-up stance. Be sure that your shoulders and elbows line up with each other, with your elbows directly below the shoulders.
- Raise your arm upward and outward, squeezing your delts as you do it. Keep your other palm on the floor to balance yourself. While doing this, engage your abs and glutes by squeezing them, and this will create the tension you need from your body weight.
- Your body should remain straight, with your lower limbs in line with your upper body and your toes maintained on the ground.
- After working the starting arm for your desired number of reps, lower it back down to the initial position. Follow up by working the other arm.
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Fitness
Staying Cool and Strong: Fitness Expert Shares 9 Diet and Exercise Tips for Hot Summers
As the temperature rises and the sun beats down, it’s essential to adjust our diet and exercise routines to ensure our bodies stay cool, hydrated, and strong during hot summers. By incorporating seasonal foods and making smart choices in our physical activity, we can maintain optimal health and fitness even in the sweltering heat.
Diet and Exercise Tips for Hot Summers
We spoke to our expert Tarundeep Singh Rekhi, Fitness Expert to shed some light on the same. Here is what he shared with us.
1. Aligning Diet with the Season
One of the best ways to support our bodies during hot summers is to focus on seasonal fruits and vegetables. Not only are they fresher and more flavorful during their peak season, but they also provide essential nutrients that are best suited to help us beat the heat.
2. Hydrating Fruits and Vegetables
Hydration is crucial during hot weather, and consuming fruits and vegetables with high water content can help keep us hydrated. Watermelon, cucumbers, strawberries, and tomatoes are excellent choices that not only quench thirst but also provide essential vitamins and minerals. Incorporating these hydrating foods into salads, smoothies, or as standalone snacks can help replenish fluids lost through sweat.
Also Read: Understanding Knee Pain: Expert Shares 7 Common Causes and Treatment Options
3. Refreshing Drink Options
In addition to eating hydrating foods, consider incorporating refreshing beverages into your diet. Coconut water, infused water with lemon and cucumber, and herbal teas are all excellent options to help cool the body and maintain hydration levels. Experiment with combinations like mint leaves, lime, and aloe vera for added flavour and health benefits.
4. Exercise Tips for Hot Weather
While staying active is important for overall health and fitness, it’s crucial to exercise safely during hot summers to avoid heat-related illnesses. Here are some tips to help you stay cool and strong while working out in the heat:
5. Stay Hydrated
Before, during, and after exercise, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Avoid sugary drinks and opt for water or electrolyte-rich beverages to replenish lost fluids.
Also Read: Mother’s Day 2024: Date, Theme, History, and Significance
6. Choose the Right Time
Schedule your workouts for the cooler parts of the day, such as early morning or late evening, to avoid the peak heat hours. If exercising outdoors, seek shaded areas whenever possible.
7. Wear Breathable Clothing
Choose lightweight, moisture-wicking clothing that allows air to circulate and sweat to evaporate, helping to regulate body temperature.
8. Opt for Indoor Workouts
On exceptionally hot days, consider moving your workout indoors to air-conditioned spaces where you can control the temperature and humidity levels.
9. Listen to Your Body
Pay attention to signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, such as dizziness, nausea, or excessive sweating, and take breaks as needed. If you start to feel unwell, stop exercising immediately and seek shade and water.
By incorporating these diet and exercise tips into your routine, you can stay cool, hydrated, and strong during hot summers. Remember to listen to your body, stay hydrated, and adjust your workouts as needed to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience. Here’s to a healthy and active summer season!
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Fitness
Local woman starts new fitness center – Addison Independent
MIDDLEBURY — Fitness has always been important to Karrie Sinks. The Middlebury native and current Weybridge resident got into sports at an early age, displaying her varsity soccer, basketball and softball skills for Middlebury Union High School before graduating in 1998.
Exercise has remained a big part of her life into adulthood, a joy she’s shared with her three children and legions of others who participate in Middlebury’s Parks & Recreation Department programming. Sinks has spent many years with the department coaching kids’ sports and leading dance/Pilates for children, contributions for which in 2022 she was honored with the town’s Robert E. Collins Award.
“I love sports and the way they make me feel,” she said during a recent interview.
Sinks flirted with the idea of buying a gym at age 23, but the time wasn’t right. Now in her early 40s, with her children firmly ensconced in school, an introduction to “Inferno Hot Pilates (IHP)” reignited her interest in running her own fitness hub.
Two months ago, she opened one — “802 Pilates Health & Fitness,” in The Centre shopping plaza at 260 Court St., in a space previously occupied by H&R Block, and then Middlebury Sew-N-Vac.
“You don’t get rich doing this. It’s more for the love of doing it and the community you build,” she explained. “It’s always better together, and you always challenge yourself.”
Sinks is certified as a personal trainer and in Pilates — including Level 1&2 IHP. She explained IHP involves a high-intensity Pilates workout in a room heated to 95 degrees, with 40% humidity.
“You get in there and it’s hot, right off the bat. It’s fast-paced and helps you build long, lean muscle,” she said, adding the high temperature helps IHP practitioners get into the workout “zone” quicker while promoting perspiration — which is intended to help the body detox.
But 802 Pilates isn’t a one-trick pony. It offers a variety of other workouts for folks of all ages, including “barre” — not to be confused with the Vermont city — which employs ballet-like movement to engage and tone muscles.
The new enterprise also has several yoga offerings, including hot yoga, yoga dance and restorative yoga.
There’s “kids’ dance,” along with Hip Hop for children aged 9-12.
“This class fosters creativity, coordination, and confidence in a supportive environment,” reads a description of the Hip Hop sessions. “Get ready to bust a move, make new friends, and unleash your inner superstar on the dance floor.”
But Sinks stressed you don’t have to be a fitness superstar to benefit from 802 Pilates. She’s all about the self-improvement journey that people take upon launching their personal fitness regimen.
Her motto: “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
She wants to cater to people of all abilities and is committed to getting seniors into the action. Sinks is planning what she calls “Silver Sessions,” consisting of “gentle exercises focusing on enhancing mobility, flexibility, and overall well-being.”
It’s been a busy couple of months, and that’s fine with Sinks. She currently teaches 16 classes during a typical week, which includes sessions with private clients. She’s a versatile teacher, but also has a great supporting cast. Her roster of instructors includes Neon Crystal and Bobbie Hutchins (both for kids’ dance), Vanessa Dunleavy (yoga/dance), Deb Orosz (yoga) and Lily Hunt (group fitness and barre).
“My idea was to bring strong, knowledgeable people from this community to part of the team,” she said. “I might be the owner, but I’m not ‘the boss.’ I think you’re always stronger as a team than working as a boss with people underneath you.”
802 Pilates offers monthly membership rates and a drop-in option for $35 per class. It also currently offers passes for eight or 12 classes. Sinks is developing a new promotional package that will allow clients to sample a variety of different classes to see which ones they like best.
Rather than drop in and take your chances, Sinks advises folks to pre-register. Complete details about 802 Pilates, including classes, their start times, rates, package deals and online registration, can be found at 802pilates.com.
Sinks’ future plans include marrying 802 Pilates offerings with other services, including acupuncture, presentations from nutritionists, and meditation.
The best service her new business provides?
“It makes people feel good,” Sinks said.
Reporter John Flowers is at [email protected].
Fitness
One in three Australians has pain. Building muscle can help — and you don't need to leave home to do it
Muscles are getting plenty of positive press lately and for good reason.
Increasingly, we are understanding that lifting weights or doing resistance exercises are not just about getting ripped (though if that’s your driver, all power to you).
By building muscle, we can safeguard against falls into older age, make our bones stronger and less brittle, better control our blood-sugar levels and reduce the risk of a suite of serious diseases.
“It’s really about improving functioning, improving capacity,” physiotherapist Sammy Prowse, who works with the AFL’s Hawthorn Football Club, tells ABC RN’s Life Matters.
“It might be that you’re looking to be able to play with your grandchildren, or you might be a labourer and you’re noticing that you need to have strength in certain positions, or you might be an athlete; it’s about optimising your muscles and the way in which your body performs.”
Building muscles also helps in managing pain, she says.
“We know that 30 per cent of Australians have pain or 16 per cent have lower back pain. So it’s really high … one in three has pain.”
But Prowse says it doesn’t need to be this way: “There is so much that we can do.”
How to build strength
There’s a simple equation to building strength, Prowse says.
“What you really need to be ensuring is that [you’re bearing] load — load is the thing that brings strength.”
There are lots of exercises to help.
For example, squatting can be done at home without any equipment.
“You can do that by bending your knees and ankles, and you really want to think about it as though you’re sitting back into a chair. So you really stick your bum back so that your knees don’t shear forward,” Prowse says.
“That’s a great one. It’s functional. It relates to walking, going up and down stairs, sitting to stand — these are activities we do all the time, and it includes our major muscles of the legs … all of the muscles that we need, essentially, to move around.”
For abdominal exercises, a safe place to start — if you don’t have any upper limb, arm and shoulder injuries — is doing a plank from your knees, Prowse says.
There are many different ways to do this, including holding yourself up on the floor or by putting your hands on your bed, and taking your knees or feet back on the floor, so that your body creates a long line, and holding the position for a few seconds.
You might start with three sets of five repetitions, with a break between sets, and you can gradually increase the reps to 10 or 15, when it feels safe to do that, or increase the seconds you hold for.
“Those are things that you can do around the house that really do make a difference. It’s great if you can access amazing facilities … but you can actually just do this in your own home. And it really does work.”
Elements of Pilates and yoga also have “underlying principles of strength”. Another option is to see a physiotherapist who can tailor a program for you.
If you can commit to the routine, you’ll reap the rewards, Prowse says.
What if my workout is making me sore?
When building strength there is a concept of “safe” pain, which doesn’t include pain from injuries.
Safe pain is pain that, on a scale where 0 is none, ratings up to four out of 10 would be considered normal. This is when your muscles are working and you’re unlikely to be doing any damage, Prowse says.
“That’s a good place to be.”
However, above four out of 10, things get “a bit sketchy”, she says.
Pain at that level should be considered in relation to any injury you might have, your physical condition and your body. When the line between safe and unsafe pain feels blurry, a physiotherapist can help.
Aim to feel ‘good in your body’
Ella Mason, a fitness coach and founder of a strength-based gym in Melbourne’s north, says any exercise that “pushes you out of your normal window of tolerance or comfortability or resilience” is a great way of building strength.
Along the way you’re likely to build confidence, too, they say.
“As we go along with strength training, we start to understand our bodies a bit better. The more autonomous we are in our bodies and how we move them, without someone telling us how to and how not to, we get to understand our individual bodies.”
Mason is a big fan of strength training over a lifetime, rather than in small spurts.
That goes for bodies of any gender, ability, size and age.
“I advocate a lot for all bodies to be able to do movement,” Mason says.
“We have all sorts of people come through the gym [including] older people who are in their 70s and 80s, who are new to strength training [but who can] suddenly lift things that they never have before [or are] regaining really good balance and reflex, which in relation to falls mitigation as we age, is really important.”
For everyone who is strength training, the same ethos should apply.
“It’s really just about feeling good in your body.”
Advice in this article is general only. See a health professional for advice on your individual circumstances.
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