Fitness

Fit balance exercises into a busy day – Harvard Health

Published

2 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Fit balance exercises into a busy day – Harvard Health

Adding balance exercises to a hectic schedule might seem like one chore too many. How are you supposed to squeeze in another 30-minute regimen when you’re already exercising daily, working, and running errands? The answer is by doing a little balance training at a time. “Just a minute of balance exercise here or there has a cumulative effect. As your balance improves, it gets easier to carry out daily functions,” says Kristina Dunlea, a physical therapist at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

We need good balance to safely perform upright activities, such as walking, getting up and down from a chair or bed, climbing stairs, or reaching up for a dish in a cupboard. Unfortunately, balance declines over time, increasing the risk of falls — a leading cause of injury and disability past age 65.

Finding the time

Since you need only a minute for a balance exercise, Dunlea recommends integrating it into a free moment that’s already built into your day.

“For many people, it’s when they’re standing and waiting for coffee to brew or brushing their teeth. Or it might be during TV time: think of commercials as your cue to get up and do a balance exercise,” she suggests.

Those opportunities also come with equipment to keep you safe if you become unstable during a balance exercise, such as a counter or desk to hold on to or a chair to fall back on.

Balance exercise ideas

A counter or sturdy chair works well for several effective balance exercises.

For example, a sturdy chair is a good spot for a sit-to-stand exercise — going from a sitting to a standing position, arms crossed, then returning to a sitting position and repeating the process. Dunlea recommends doing this exercise five to 10 times in a row. “It strengthens your leg and abdominal muscles and trains you to shift the main weight of your body up over your feet — your base of support,” she explains.

A counter works well for doing one minute of heel raises, tandem standing or walking, or standing on one leg (see “3 balance exercises to try at home”). “Standing on one leg is especially helpful for tasks requiring you to shift your weight and balance on one leg for a moment, such as climbing stairs or stepping up onto a curb,” Dunlea says.

But don’t continue a balance exercise if it’s so challenging that you’re at risk of falling. And if you currently have balance problems, it’s best to work with a physical therapist before trying these moves on your own. For more information, check out the Harvard Special Health Report Better Balance.

3 balance exercises to try at home

Tandem standing

Stand with your arms at your sides. Place your left foot directly in front of your right foot, heel to toe, and squeeze your inner thighs together. Lift your arms out to your sides to help you balance. Hold the position up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position, then repeat with your right foot in front.

Heel raises

photo of a man performing the heel raises exercise as described in the article

Stand with your arms at your sides. Lift your heels, shifting your weight to the balls of your feet. Try to balance evenly without allowing your ankles to roll inward or outward. Hold. Lower your heels to the floor, maintaining good posture as you do. Repeat 10 times.

Single leg stance

photo of a man performing the single leg stance exercise as described in the article

Stand with your arms at your sides. Bend your right knee, lifting that foot several inches off the floor, and balance on your left leg. Hold the position up to 30 seconds. Return to the starting position, then repeat the process while balancing on your right leg.

Exercise photos by Michael Carroll

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Fitness

Comedian Bill Bailey thrilled with 'game-changer' sofa-based fitness routine

Published

10 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Press Room

Comedian Bill Bailey thrilled with 'game-changer' sofa-based fitness routine

A QUIRKY new sofa-based fitness routine has been created – to inspire those who followed the action-packed Summer of Sport on TV to do more exercise.

The new S.O.F.A (Sit On Fitness Apparatus) workout routine is a set of simple movements people can do using their sofa.

The Summer of Sport has inspired people to be more activeCredit: SWNS

Billy Bailey is fronting the S.O.F.A workout campaignCredit: Getty

Fronted by comedian Bill Bailey, it’s designed for those who want to emulate the elite athletes they’ve been used to watching on television from the comfort of their own front rooms.

It comes after research of 2,000 adults found a quarter of the nation still struggle to fit movement into their day-to-day routine and aren’t sure how to start being more physically active.

A figure which increases to 38 per cent among those with long term health conditions.

But almost a third (27 per cent) have been ‘inspired’ by Summer of Sport to be more active with a further 19 per cent inspired to take up football and 13 per cent wanting to give swimming a try.

Comedian and actor, Bill Bailey, added: “I’m excited to be partnering with We Are Undefeatable for the second year, to continue to encourage people to be more active in whatever ways they can – big or small.

“This S.O.F.A workout is an absolute game-changer.

“It shows fitness doesn’t have to be just for the athletes that we’re all watching on our screens, you can start right in your own living room, on your sofa – it’s all about making fitness fun and open for everyone.”

The study found having more free time (38 per cent), not feeling self-conscious (30 per cent) and having accessible exercise options (20 per cent) would help those polled integrate physical activity more into their routine.

And 31 per cent said watching sports on TV or another device like a smartphone or tablet motivates them to be more active.

Nearly eight in 10 (78 per cent) have never used their sofa as a piece of equipment to do physical activity.

Currently watching TV (84 per cent), reading (60 per cent) and browsing on their phone (53 per cent) are among the most common sofa-based activities.

However, 52 per cent of those with long term health conditions would be ‘interested’ in doing physical activity from their sofa.

While 66 per cent of everyone polled would be interested in building physical activity into their existing routines and while at home.

The study carried out through OnePoll.com also found 38 per cent are unsatisfied with their current level of movement of their bodies.

Duleep Allirajah, chief executive of Richmond Group of Charities and spokesperson for We Are Undefeatable, said: “It has been a fantastic summer of sport with more to come and many people across the country may be inspired to get active.

“However, for those of us living with long-term health conditions the idea of taking up new activities can be intimidating or unmanageable.

“That’s why we wanted to show that moving more can be accessible and part of your everyday routine – starting right from the comfort of your sofa.”

“Through this campaign we aim to show what it means to be physically active with a long-term health condition and the benefits it can bring to our physical and mental health.

“We’re delighted to work with Bill Bailey again to do this.”

Fitness

Workout Wednesday: Finding the right equipment

Published

17 hours ago

August 22, 2024

Press Room

Workout Wednesday: Finding the right equipment

Wednesday, August 21, 2024 4:41PM

Finding the right equipment at a gym can make a big difference in your exercise routine.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Finding the right equipment at a gym can make a big difference in your exercise routine.

Fitness trainer Rhonda Murphy shares a few examples in this week’s “Workout Wednesday.”

Fitness

Kelly Rowland’s fitness routine and the major life events that shaped it

Published

1 day ago

August 21, 2024

Press Room

Kelly Rowland’s fitness routine and the major life events that shaped it

Once upon a time, Kelly Rowland was a bit embarrassed by her athletic physique.

“I used to be scared to hold up my arms,” she previously told Us Weekly. “People would be like, ‘Oh my God, she looks so masculine.’”

However, the singer eventually learned to embrace her hard-earned muscles and “feel strong.”

“Whether I look masculine or feminine, I’m comfortable in my skin. I don’t give a care what anybody says, I look great. And I feel that’s how every woman should feel. Don’t be ashamed of your body; own it,” the 43-year-old added.

Rowland has a balanced wellness routine that focuses on healthy eating and exercise, but she’s not someone who obsesses over the number on the scale.

“I like the fact that exercising makes me feel good. It’s not about size,” she previously said during an appearance on “The Graham Norton Show.”

Still, all of Rowland’s hard work certainly seems to be paying off. Looking for some fitspiration? Here are some of what the star’s said about her wellness routine.

She sees working out as “me time”

Busy moms know all too well that finding time to take care of yourself isn’t always easy. But Rowland told Extra TV that she views her workout routine as a form of self care.

“When I work out, that’s my time for (my)self. That’s my time to pour into myself physically (and) mentally,” she said.

She prioritized health even more after her mother died

When she lost her mother to cardiac arrest in 2014, Rowland got serious about her health.

“I made a vow to myself to change the way I would eat (and) how I would take care of my body when it came to exercising because that was something I really wish she would have done more of,” she told Business Insider.

While chatting with TODAY.com about her renewed focus on health, Rowland said she’s motivated to take care of herself for her children’s sake.

“I promised myself when I became a mother, I would have my kids see me eat healthy — I can indulge, of course sometimes — and work out and go for walks with them,” she said. “I feel like the earlier kids learn all these things for themselves, the more they’ll be able to put it in their own lives.

Music motivates her to work out

As a musician, Rowland is particularly inspired to exercise when she has the right workout soundtrack.

“I’m boxing a lot right now and when I first recorded ‘The Game’ it put me in a different headspace. I really wanted to go into my workouts like Rocky. Jeanette (Jenkins, her personal trainer) was like, ‘What is wrong with you?’ It kind of just snaps you into place. Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ did that for me too, the other day when I was doing yoga and it came on at the end, and I just danced out of class,” she previously told Cosmopolitan.

She doesn’t count calories

Obsessing over calories can send you into an unhealthy spiral, and Rowland previously admitted that she doesn’t examine every calorie that enters her mouth.

“I don’t really count calories,” she told Women’s Health.

Instead, Rowland makes it a point not to eat meals past 7 p.m. when she can.

“Trust me, there are some days when it’s hard to look at seeds and nuts and fruit when everybody’s got French fries and burgers and Roscoe’s chicken and waffles at midnight,” she said, adding that heavy foods late at night interrupt her sleep cycle.

Rowland has also never been a fan of the word “diet,” as she previously told PopSugar.

“I never like to say diet. I like to say eating clean and actually listening to your body and knowing what your body responds well to. For me, it’s green vegetables or fish. I don’t feel like I’m heavy or weighted down or lethargic from food. Food should give us energy. It shouldn’t weigh us down, unless you’re having a cheat day,” she said.

Dancing is one of her go-to workouts

When she was a member of Destiny’s Child, Rowland had plenty of opportunities to show off her moves. Years later, she’s still a fan of dancing.

“I really, really love to move. You know what I mean? I mean, it’s not a workout, but I absolutely love to do it, and that’s performing, which is very close to doing Zumba,” she previously told Glamour.

“When you’re on stage and you’re moving everything, every single part of your body, it’s actually working and active to the tips of your fingers. You’re burning a hell of a lot of calories.”

She was very active during her first pregnancy

When she was pregnant with her first child, Rowland was quite passionate about fitness.

“I swam, I did yoga, I did weights, I jogged and walked,” she previously told Women’s Health.

The star even suggested that her commitment to exercise ushered in an easier delivery with only “four pushes.”

She focused more on strengthening exercises after a postpartum health scare

After she gave birth to her first son, Titan, Rowland noticed her abs looked different. She later learned that she had a common condition called diastasis recti.

Per The Cleveland Clinic, it occurs when “the rectus abdominis muscles (six-pack ab muscles) separate during pregnancy from being stretched.” As a result, your belly can “stick out or bulge months or years postpartum.”

Rowland then worked with her personal trainer to learn about strengthening exercises that could remedy her condition.

“My trainer now helps me with my abs, and it’s such a relief because I can feel them, slowly but steadily, coming back together,” she previously told Self.

While reflecting on her condition with E! News, Rowland said the experience shifted her perspective on fitness.

“The inside of my body changed and it was a moment when my core became extremely weak, which gave me back problems—Diastasis recti,” she said. “It affected my abs, which affected my back. I don’t care about being skinny more than I care about being healthy.”

She altered her workout routine during her second pregnancy

After a super active first pregnancy, Rowland was anticipating a similar experience when she was expecting her second child. However, she told Women’s Health she spent the first few months of her second pregnancy in bed.

When she was able to start working out, Rowland eased in with yoga, walking and stretching. She also prioritized strengthening exercises to avoid another abdominal separation.

Later on in her pregnancy, Rowland posted a video of herself doing an intense workout that involved squats, donkey kicks and a wall sit.

She likes to ‘shock’ her body by switching up her workouts

Before she got married in 2014, Rowland spoke with Glamour about her pre-nuptials workout routine, saying she was “changing up” her workout routine like she’s “always done.”

“Jeanette Jenkins always says, ‘I believe in shocking the body!’ So we do different types of workouts—from weights to dancing to running our mouth sometimes. We have a good time! She changes it up on me: sprinting, boxing one day, cardio, sculpt,” she said.

She’s grown to love Pilates

After hearing about the many benefits of Pilates for years, Rowland decided to give the workout a try. In 2023, she told TODAY.com she was “obsessed” with it.

“(When I’m traveling), I will usually call my Pilates instructor and figure out a time that works for us both for me to get in a session. If I’m not doing that, then I’m walking or I’m sprinting or lifting weights,” she said.

She’s a Southern girl at heart and still enjoys her favorite foods in moderation

A nutritional diet is one of Rowland’s top priorities, but she still gives in to her cravings.

“I’m a Texas girl, and I love queso with chips,” she previously told Delish.

The star also enjoys combining waffle fries and ice cream, a combo she called “amazing.”

“You’ve got the salt with the potato and the sugar; it’s just so good,” she said.

Of course, Rowland also likes to load up on healthy options.

“I am a Southern girl. I love food but I have learned to eat what I like in moderation,” she previously told Essence. “I drink a healthy amount of water daily and I do some form of exercise daily.”

While talking with Extra TV in 2015, Rowland said she believes in the 80/20 diet rule.

“The 80/20 rule is all the way real, 80% of the time you eat those foods giving you nourishment, you’re eating clean, and 20% of the time, have guacamole, a ton of it like I do, and a margarita and maybe queso too!” she said.