Keep your body toned up and your spirit tuned up
HERE ARE SOME PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS FOR FUN EXERCISE ACTIVITIES THAT ONLY REQUIRE A SPARK OF MOTIVATION AND A LITTLE TIME TO BOOT. APART FROM THE OBVIOUS PHYSICAL ADVANTAGES IT IS ALSO A GREAT STRESS BUSTER. FOR MAINTENANCE 30-45 MINUTES OF ACTIVITY 3 TO 4 TIMES A WEEK IS RECOMMENDED AND FOR IMPROVEMENT 45-60 MINUTES 4-6 TIMES A WEEK. AT LEAST ONE DAY A WEEK SHOULD BE FOR COMPLETE REST FROM EXERCISE.
Tennis – Toning your arms
Slamming or lobbing a ball over a net, works your arms. Your forehand swing is also good for your chest, and your backhand for your shoulders. Tennis has another advantage: While not primarily aerobic, it can still help burn calories together with fat. Less fat gets your muscles noticed, no matter what activity you do. But be careful with your ankles.
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Swimming laps is good for everything above your waist. Pulling against the water provides resistance for your arms. Doing freestyle, back stroke, or butterfly uses the deltoid muscle in your shoulders and pectoral muscles in your chest. Swimming is not as beneficial for the legs purely because people tend not to kick very hard. So if you want to work your legs harder, use a kickboard.
Elliptical cross trainer – For whole body workout
By fusing the motions of stair climbing and cross-country skiing, the elliptical cross trainer gives your thigh and gluteus (butt) muscles a rock-solid workout. Hold on to the push-pull resistance handles and you'll also strengthen your upper body, including your back and arms. The gliding motion is much easier on your joints than running while it burns fat. Best of all, you can do it indoors so weather is no excuse.
Cycle – For leg muscle and stamina
Cycling is great for your leg muscles: quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. You can make the workout more intense by using toe clips, which let you pull the pedal up, as well as push it down, which gives you some extra resistance and more power. If you're a beginner, skip the toe clip on a moving bike, as it can make it tricky to get your foot out of the pedal. Or challenge yourself on a stationary bike by adjusting the resistance. Try spinning class, it’s fun fun fun.
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Like biking, running and jogging are good for your calves and thighs. Because they're weight-bearing exercises, they strengthen bones to help protect against osteoporosis. They are high-impact activities, so they may be banging on your joints. So start off slow, especially if you're overweight. It's fine to switch between walking and jogging, too. That's easier on your joints, and varying your pace (interval training) is a good challenge. Good running shoes is a must.
Walking – For gentle joints
Walking is the gentler, kinder option for running and jogging. It gives you many of the same benefits, including building strength in the leg muscles and stronger bones. At the same time, it puts less stress on your joints. If your objective is to run 5k, or a marathon, walking is a good start.