Simple Physical Activities To Strengthen The Body

It’s a 24/7 world and small wonder that finding just that little bit of time for exercising just seems to get harder and harder for some of us than it was back in the not so busy days and according to recent statistics more than fifty percent of the adult population worldwide simply doesn’t get anywhere near the recommended amount of exercising or physical activity that they need to lead a healthy and quality filled life.

So let’s look at a couple of easy and simple physical activities to strengthen the body, get the heart pumping and blood flowing, as even a small amount of stretching or exercise built into your day will yield results in the long term

Stretching:

Stretching on the toes is a very useful and good physical activity for most people, especially for those with weak backs and arthritis or other joint conditions. Stretching and proper ergonomic techniques has been proven to help decrease and/or prevent back pain and many other injuries.

Try this simple stretching exercise:

Raise yourself up on your toes, stretch up your arms way up over your head, stretch your fingers, strain your muscles so you can feel every one of them, stay in this position for about 10 seconds, and then slowly return back to the starting position, with your feet flat on the floor. Do this several times in the morning – it’s a great start to the day.

Just be sure that when stretching – it shouldn’t cause any pain, especially joint pain. If it does, you are stretching too much and need to reduce the stretch so that it doesn’t hurt.

Strengthen Leg Muscles with Balancing

This exercise helps to strengthen leg muscles as well as coordinate and adjust balance:

Stand on one leg for 30 seconds, using the back of a chair or a table or desk to help you balance and keep you steady if necessary. Repeat on opposite leg. Do this simple exercise any time i.e. when you answer the phone, wash your hands or wait for the bus or elevator. Once you feel steady on one leg, use this time to stretch your neck, moving your head up and down and then from side to side.

Exercises that strengthen leg muscles for example, can also lower the risk of knee injury and other problems. Walking is a low impact exercise, putting little stress on the body if you’re walking at a regular pace, but it’s a great way to get out and about in the fresh air and clear your head. A good brisk walk of about an hour or so in the morning and evening is a great leg strengthening exercise, as well as taking you outdoors, where vitamin D a la natural is provided by nature.

One of the main obstacles for integrating exercise into your day, is simply remembering it. While it is easy to remember setting aside an hour regularly for a formal exercise program for example at the gym, it’s possible you need some help in getting into a routine that makes the most of your time i.e. a lunch-break at work or other available time you have during the week that you can set aside and schedule for some physical exercises.

If you don’t want to exercise or walk alone – go with a friend, your spouse, a family member, or a good neighbour – they’ll benefit from it too. There’s absolutely no need to exercise hard to get the benefits, but you do need regular exercise and activity to keep your body and mind sharp and healthy for a better and quality filled life.

Related articles

• Part 2: Preventing Youth Sport Injuries
• A Presidential Fitness Test For Grown-Ups
• Living Fit Part I: Squat with balance
• Solutions for Post-Workout Pain
• The Claim: Stretching Can Prevent Soreness and Injury

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