Strength Training for Inner and Outer Beauty - Part 2
Okay, you can sit down now!
The next sit of exercises should be done in a firm chair without arms. A kitchen chair, or a folding chair (the kind we use with card tables) will be sufficient.
BACK
You are going to loop your stretchy band through something or wrap it around something. You can use a door handle, the leg of a solid (immobile) table, a pillar, etc.
1. Wrap or loop your stretchy band.
2. The chair should be placed far enough away so when holding the bands with slight resistance, your arms are extened.
3. Grip the handles of the bands and your palms should be facing each other.
4. Keeping your elbows next to your body, pull the handles of the bands back until your hands are next to your chest.
5. IMPORTANT - Keep your back straight. You don’t want to bend forward.
6. Do one set of 10 and work up to three sets of 10, resting 1-2 minutes between sets.
7. If 10 becomes too easy, you need a band with stiffer resistance.
SHOULDERS
You can do this exercise either with or without a stretchy band.
1. Hold your arms straight out in front of you.
2. Pushing from the shoulders, push your arms forward, then bring them back to neutral.
Keep your head neutral, do not extend your neck forward.
You can also do this with the stretchy band. With the band behind your back, hold each end for added tension as you extend your arms forward. You will be gripping the band at a point where you feel slight tension in the band in arms forward, neutral position.
ANKLES
Increasing the flexibility and strength in your ankles is very important. This is especially true if you are a plus-sized woman or a baby boomer. When you walk, be conscious of whether you are doing a heel-to-toe gait or a foot planting, flat-footed gait. The former is better than the latter. Keeping your ankles flexible and strong is very important for balance.
1. While still sitting, extend one leg forward so it is comfortably high and just above the ground.
2. Write an imaginary alphabet in the air with your foot. Start with capital letters, then do lower case letters - in cursive. Repeat with the other foot.
The next blog entry will move you onto the floor for the final exercises. Keep dancing!