Bridging – for spine articulation, breath control and strengthening the pelvic floor

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet still flat on the floor.
2. Keeping your arms on the floor, and palms facing down, gently lift your spine off the mat (or the floor) until you’re holding your weight on your shoulder blades and shoulders. Hips and knees should be aligned.
3. Inhale in this position, and, as you lower your body back to the floor, exhale.
4. Repeat this movement pattern 5-10 times, depending on how you’re feeling.

Book openings – for shoulder mobility, rib rotation and to release tension in the body

1. Place a small cushion under your head and lie on the floor or on a mat, on your side with your knees bent.
2. Extend your arms out in front of you, at 90 degrees to your body, with palms together.
3. Lift and rotate the top arm towards the ceiling, allowing eyes, ribs and spine to follow.
4. Keeping your legs in the original position as much as possible, continue to rotate as far as you can.
5. Exhale to return to the original position, initiating the movement from the ribcage and the back.
6. Complete the same movement pattern on the other side, and repeat this 4 times on each side.

Please note these exercises are not suitable for those with spinal problems. Please consult your GP before doing any exercise. Stalwart Wellness is a pilates studio based in Tenterden. To get some advice, or to find out more visit stalwartwellness.co.uk or phone 07779 670502.

Less is More

Paul Burnside from Sencio Community Leisure explains that endless hours in the gym don’t always achieve the desired results, and that there are more options available to suit different people.

Make it fun – If you’re not the biggest gym fan, then fear not! Exercise classes and team sport can be fun and sociable, and even going for a walk can be hugely beneficial. Doing something you enjoy means it doesn’t become a chore, increasing the chances of keeping it up.

Step by step – It’s better to start small, especially if you’re not used to exercising regularly. It’s far more effective to take small steps and gradually build from there. For example, try a 10 or 15 minute workout and increase the time gradually. If you haven’t exercised for a long time, visit your GP first.

Make it happen – Lack of time isn’t an excuse. Try to think of exercise as an integrated part of your lifestyle, not something you’re doing because it’s a certain time of year! Once you have kick-started a fitness regime, you’ll feel confident and comfortable to progress.

Ask the experts – Don’t be afraid to ask for advice. Gym instructors are around to help.
Here are a few of Paul’s favourite exercises. Give them a go!

• Take to the bike or rowing machine for 10 minutes.
• Press-ups for 30 seconds followed by a 60 second rest, repeated four times.
• The plank is a great exercise for developing core strength; hold the position for 30 seconds followed by a 60 second rest and repeat four times.
• Ask an instructor about kettle bells. They come in various weights and can be used for several really effective exercises to build upper and lower body strength.

Paul is a Wellness Manager at Sencio Community Leisure in Sevenoaks. For further information go to sencio.org.uk call 01732 865665.

Feel The Burn

Personal Trainer Meg Raraty-Squires gives us an intense mini workout to get you up off the sofa. No equipment is necessary – just some music to get you going.

Roll down & walk out – Standing tall, begin by rolling your body down through the spine one vertebra at a time until you are able to start walking your hands along the floor. Keep going until you end up in a plank position (the clue is in the name here – don’t let your hips drop to the floor, think plank of wood). Keep your tummy pulled into your spine and shoulders directly over your wrists. Then slowly walk your hands back towards your feet until you can roll back up to standing. Repeat this five or six times to get warmed up.

Start to fire it up – Continue with the same exercise, however, start to pick up the pace. When you arrive in plank position take it into a pushup. Elbows stay as close to the side of the body as possible as you lower your chest to the floor. Exhale to push back up. Take this movement onto your knees if you need to. Then continue rolling back up to standing but this time add a jump at the top. Repeat 10 – 15 times.

Mountain Climbers – It’s time to get that heart rate up. On your last repetition of the above exercise stay down in a plank. Then bring one knee at a time up towards your chest gathering pace. It should feel like running vertically up a mountain but be sure to keep in a perfect straight line from shoulders to ankles and tummy sucked in. Do this three times for 45 seconds each time being sure to rest in between.

Squats – A super simple yet super effective exercise. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your weight in your heels (imagine lifting your toes up to the ceiling). As if about to sit down, take your bottom down towards the floor so that your legs are at 90 degrees. Exhale to push back up. The biggest secret to doing a squat correctly is to start squeezing your bottom at the lowest point of the squat and continue as you stand up. Repeat 20-25 times.

Plyometrics – Exactly as above but this time, rather than just stand up, try and jump up from the squat position and land softly back into the squat and repeat. Think as if you’re trying to hit your head on the ceiling with each jump. Use your arms for momentum. Plyometrics (jumping) is a great way to get the heart rate up.

Isometric hold – On your final squat jump, when you land try and hold the squat position for 30 seconds then do little pulses up and down for another 30 seconds to finish.

Meg Raraty-Squires is a Personal Trainer offering health, fitness and nutritional advice. To get in contact visit megraratysquires.co.uk or phone 07815 503661.