Entry tags:

exercise, fitness, happiness, health

Core strength, back strength, happiness
Being fit and healthy is important to me, but something that I haven't worked on consistently. Core and back strengthening are especially important - I have a computer-based lifestyle, and a long back that's prone to problems.

Recently I've been doing exercises:

• A sit up routine of sorts, every 2-3 days in theory. (More sporadic in practice, but I do notice the strength in my abdomen and the protection that gives my back.)
• Back exercises. "Alternating superman" is great for the lower back, which is my biggest weakness. It can actually be a bad thing if done without the abdominals held very strong firm, but I learnt this under the instruction of a very good yoga teacher/physiotherapist:
  • They need to be done carefully, to not let the lower back arch and pinch. I press my hips into the floor, and keep the abs held firm and in, which makes the exercise harder work (and I think much more effective at working the lower back muscles). This works for me, but seek advice from a qualified physio or instructor to make sure you're safe.
  • I notice my shoulders want to hunch as well, so I keep them rolled outwards away from the ears as well (a common refrain of Simon, my yoga teacher, during classes).

I aim to work each muscle group every few days. As I understand it, leaving a period of 2 to 7 days between working a muscle group hard gives the muscles time to grow. I aim for about 5 days - no need to work harder than what I need for optimal results. But the main thing is just to do something, so I base it just on approximate timing, and when I find a good  opportunity to exercise. 

bdominals can be done more often, as a longer period means more bulk, and bulk is certainly not an aim for stomach muscles - 3 times a week is ideal.

Those are the main ones, but there are various other exercises which give a bit of help to both. Lots of yoga positions are good for both abdomen and back. Push ups help strengthen the core, I think. Walking is great for the back (if your posture is good, anyway), and I do a lot of that - it's my default mode of transport.

Of course, if I did yoga several times a week, this would all be taken care of. The reality is I don't always make time, and there's also benefits from doing more focused strength exercises (mostly bodyweight - I don't go to a gym) which can be performed in a very short time. When you're coming from a low base, it's amazing what a few minutes of hard exercise will do - and it might only be 10 minutes, if I start after I've been walking, and end by doing a couple of minutes of gentle stretches as a cool down (largely yoga movements, for me). I've even been known to do squats or dips while waiting at the bus stop - but that's me, with my general disregard for what passers-by might think.

A big change I've made is choosing what I spend time on, rather than letting it be dictated by what comes into my inbox or shows up on my screen. I can't do every good thing, so I choose what I will and won't do, and make sure I have time for myself. As a result I'm getting out more, being more active, thinking about doing things I've been putting off for years (learn to surf?), and it feels good.

Prompted by Tools for hands on Mel Chua's blog.