Strengthening your upper body can assist you with everyday activities and contribute to good posture. (Image: shutterstock)
With her perfectly coiffed hair and jewelry, Teresa is not letting her age hit her on that treadmill and enjoying using the other exercise equipment at her local facility.
Camarillo resident Teresa Moore is telling everyone that age is just a number. The 103-year-old is still hitting the gym three to four times a week.
Perhaps this is the secret of his longevity. After all, it lines up perfectly with his advice to “stay flexible and live life with no regrets.” If you find yourself retreating from your resolution to get fitter this year, that’s another sign it’s time to hit the gym. However, if you’re intimidated by all the intimidating machines, don’t worry. Here are 5 simple exercises to get you started. It doesn’t matter if you are a beginner or returning to the gym after a while.
bench press
Lie on your back on a bench. Grasp the bar with a hand position slightly wider than the width of your shoulders. It should be such that when you reach the lowest point of the exercise, your hands are directly above your elbows. Inhaling slowly lower the bar towards your chest. Exhaling, push the bar up while maintaining a strong grip and fix your gaze on a point on the ceiling instead of the bar to ensure it follows the same trajectory each time.
Benefits of this exercise include improved muscle mass and strength as well as increased stamina for daily activities. Your bones will also be strong. Furthermore, the bench press is a demanding exercise that expends calories.
pull ups
While going up, exhale and lift yourself up until your chin is parallel to the bar. Take a brief pause at the top of the movement. Lower yourself down until your elbows are fully extended. Repeat the motion without making contact with the ground. Do the prescribed number of repetitions in your exercise routine.
The primary muscle targeted by pull-ups is the latissimus dorsi (lats), a large muscle located along the back of your arms in your back. However, this exercise also works most of your chest, upper back and shoulder muscles, and your abs are involved in stabilizing your body. Strengthening your upper body can assist you with everyday activities and contribute to good posture.
squat
Stand with feet slightly wider than the width of your hips and toes. Begin to push your hips back, bend your knees and ankles, and gently push your knees outward. Lower into a squat position, keeping your chest straight and shoulders back, keeping contact with the ground between your heels and toes. Aim to eventually achieve a parallel position where your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle. Push through your heels and straighten your legs to return to standing position.
This exercise provides many benefits to the body, including strengthening the leg muscles such as the quadriceps, calves and hamstrings as well as the knee joint. It also helps burn fat and promote weight loss, strengthens the lower back and increases flexibility in the lower body.
plank
Lie on your back with your elbows directly under your shoulders and facing forward, with your forearms and toes touching the ground. Draw your abdominal muscles in toward your spine, keeping your torso straight and rigid, and your body in a straight line from your ears to your toes. Make sure that your shoulders are relaxed and not raised towards your ears. Your heels should be located on the balls of your feet. Stay in this position for 10 seconds before releasing to the ground. Over time, gradually increase the duration of the hold to 30, 45 or 60 seconds.
The plank exercise is great for strengthening the core, which is essential for stabilizing, balancing and powering the body during other activities. It can help boost calorie expenditure by engaging a variety of muscles.
static lunge
To perform a static lunge, step one foot forward and the other back, make sure your hips are square and your posture is tall. Lower your body until your front leg is bent at a 90-degree angle, while your back knee is 1-2 inches off the ground. Push off your front foot to stand back up and engage your leg muscles throughout the movement.
Static lunges can help strengthen leg muscles, improve balance and coordination, and can be done anywhere without any equipment.
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