When you look at your body, are there certain areas that displease you? A spot of flab here, a sag there? Here are some spot-exercises worked out by expert Barbara Pearlman exclusively for Bazaar, 3 each for 5 specific problem areas. If you follow them faithfully every day, you’ll shape up not only in spots, but all over as well—and in only 2 months.
1. ARMS
“Upper arm flab is a common body problem, but correctable,” says Barbara Pearlman, who usually goes to clients' houses and offices to give private exercise lessons. This time she went to the beach to pose for these photographs. (Some of her exercises use a beach ball, but if you don’t have one, do without—the exercise will still be effective.)
-1- Sit with legs wide apart, bend elbows and rest one hand on top of the other—palms down—at chest level. Maintaining this position of the hands, raise arms up, then behind your head, keeping head still. Return to first position. Repeat 10 times.
-2- Lie on your stomach with knees slightly apart and bent. Reach back and grasp ankles, arch the back gently for the count of 3, then slowly release and lie flat. Repeat 5 times. (This is fairly difficult, should not be done if your back is weak or has been injured.)
-3- Sit with legs straight in front of you, toes pointed, back straight. Grasp a ball firmly behind you (or clasp hands), then bend forward from the waist, pulling arms up as high as you can, for the count of 3. Return to straight back position. Do this slowly, 8 times.
2. WAIST & HIPS & BUTTOCKS
These are a spreading problem for anyone who sits a lot. Barbara’s tip for sitters: “Sit straight, don’t slouch back in your chair. Then hips wont spread as much.”
-1- Get down on hands and knees, bend elbows down. Extend the right leg back, then lift and lower this leg, keeping it straight. Do 8 times, then 8 with the left leg.
-2- Lie flat on stomach with arms stretched out in front, hands holding ball (or clasped). Lie on stomach. Arch body slowly, lifting head, arms, and legs. Contract buttocks. Return to first position. Do 5 times, work up to 10.
-3- Lie on floor with knees pulled up close to chest, hands on waist. Keeping shoulders flat, knees together, rotate knees in big circles—clockwise, counterclockwise. Do each 5 times.
3. ABDOMEN
This is the easiest area to slim. And since abdominal muscles work with back muscles to support the spine, these exercises also help to build a strong back.
-1- Sit with legs extended as far apart as possible, toes pointed. Arms extended. Lean and stretch from the waist to the right side, palm up, keeping buttocks on floor. Return center, then lean over and stretch to left. (be sure you lean directly to right or left, not forward toward legs.) Do 5 times, each side.
-2- Sit with bent legs extended in front, toes pointed, arms straight forward, hands holding ball (or clasped)/ Lean halfway back, pulling in abdominal muscles and tightly contracting buttocks. Hold for count of 3. Don’t let shoulders touch the floor. Return to first position. Do 8 times.
-3- Balance on buttocks, bend elbows, put one hand on the other—palms down. Rhythmically bend and straighten legs, letting only toes touch floor. Do 10 pairs of kicks. (If you cant balance on buttocks alone, steady yourself with hands on floor at your sides.)
4. LEGS
These exercises are for the lower legs, knees to heels, to make them firm, strong, well-proportioned. They will also help fight against cramps in feet and legs—which often happen, because of lazy muscles. Barbara’s advice on ankles: “Legs can appear slim if the ankle is slender; flexing and rotating the ankles definitely helps.”
-1- Sit on floor with left knee bent, left foot close to body. Clasp hand around right ankle, then straighten and bend right leg, pointing toe and keeping right foot off the floor. Try to keep your back as straight as possible. Do 10 times with each leg. (To slim ankles, rotate the ankle while leg is straight up.)
-2- Lie on your back with right leg straight down, left leg up. Clasp hands behind your left leg at knee-level. Pull the left leg toward you while lifting your head and shoulders off the floor. Release the leg and lower head and shoulders. Do 8 times. Then repeat with right leg 8 times.
-3- Lie on back with knees bent up toward chest. Lifting legs straight up and supporting hips on hands, do a shoulder stand. Then bend legs back, keeping them straight, to touch the floor with toes, over your head. (This, is yoga, is called The Plough.) Hold this position for a count of 30, then slowly lower hips and legs to starting position. Do twice.
5. LEGS
If your thighs are heavy, do these in addition to the leg exercises—they will speed up good results. “Heavy thighs can be firmed and slimmed only through diet and exercise; diet alone won’t work,” says Barbara. “jogging, swimming, brisk walks—all are great thigh toners. Lack of exercise and poor diet habits will show up quickly in the thigh area with flabb fat deposits. The entire leg, including the thigh, reponds well to muscle-toning.”
-1- Kneel with knees and feet apart, body erect. Slowly reach back and gradp ankles with your hands. Keeping body straight (try not to arch your back), push yourself forward from the knees, then back—this places all the stress on the thighs. Do 3 times. (This one is difficult, may take some working up to. Don’t strain but keep trying; after consistent effort, it will come.)
-2- Lie on back, with legs extended overhead, the ball held between feet (if you’re using one.) Rotate legs from the hip joint, keeping knees straight, holding the ball between the sides of the feet. Rotate 10 times.
-3- Lean back on elbows, with knees bent toward chest. Alternating leg-directions, kick up and down from the knees. Do 15 pairs of kicks.
No comments:
Post a Comment