General Excercise | Health Hub

BALANCE – WORK IT IN THE GYM OR LOSE IT IN LIFE

Balance is defined as ‘an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady’. It can also be said that if you don’t use it, you lose it. But that doesn’t mean you can’t regain it with a progressive training program, like Sylvia did.

Balance is something you take for granted until one day you try to do something you haven’t done in a while and you realise it’s harder to balance than it was 1, 5 or 10 years ago. Balance is something you learn as a child as you learn to walk, play hopscotch and run along the top of walls. The active part of childhood cultivates great balance and gives you lots of practice. With the onset of ‘technological childhoods’ this may now be on the demise – but that’s another story.

In adult life you rarely do things that further cultivate or indeed maintain this ability, unless you opt for a balance related sport, or dance on tables in high heels on a regular basis. Balance is a skill you can and should, work into your exercise program, early and always. But if you haven’t, it’s never too late to start.

FITNESS TIPS FOR BUSY PARENTS

The start of a new financial year may have you reviewing the family budget, among other things. What better time to also take a look at how you can improve your family’s health. Here are some helpful hints that you can put into practice today.

Keep your values in mind

Goal setting may be something you leave to athletes and company bosses, not do around the dinner table with your kids. However, equally effective is regularly reminding yourself that health and fitness are intrinsically linked to your core values – ‘I go running twice per week, so I have the energy to be a great parent’. You can also pass this important message on to your kids – ‘I play ball with my kids in the park, so they improve and can enjoy the game more with their friends’. Living by a value of health and fitness can enhance the physical and mental wellbeing of every member of the family.

FITNESS BALL CURL UPS – A FUN SWISS BALL ABDOMINAL EXERCISE

fitness-ball-curls General Excercise | Health Hub

A fitness ball is a great tool for making your exercise routine just a little more varied and fun.

The most popular use of an exercise ball is to do ab crunches laying back over the ball. But there are many other ways to work your abdominals with the swiss ball. Try this exercise – fitness ball curl ups are a favourite at The Health Hub and check out Natalie putting her own signature on it in the video below.

Lie down on your back, holding the swiss ball over your head. Knees bent, feet off the ground.

Lift your shoulders in a ‘crunch’ bringing the ball forward – This works your upper abdominals giving you a strong torso and flatter tummy.

MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS WON’T STOP THIS MAN DOING TRX SQUATS

ms-trx-squats General Excercise | Health Hub

You Tube is full of clips of amazingly athletic people performing feats of strength and agility with the TRX. The TRX is however also an incredibly useful tool not just for the general population, but for those who are fighting long-term, crippling illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis.

Hugh is 69 and was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis 5 years ago. Whilst it was no doubt present many years earlier, it was when he noticed changes in his movements that he sought medical advice, only to be given the unwelcome news.

Quite the athlete in his youth, Hugh continued to keep active into retirement with tennis, golf and regular gym visits. As the multiple sclerosis progressed he had to modify – but not give up his gym workouts. Over the years we have changed how he performs squats, an exercise he has always been proud to excel at – and in fact baits his wife Deb that she does not go low enough in her squats compared to him.

TRX V UPS AND TIPS FOR MUMS WITH LITTLE ONES

Sometimes it’s hard to get a good workout when you are a busy mum with young kids. TRX V ups offer a time efficient core exercise – and your little one can join in.

Heidi, mum of 3 loves the TRX, especially when it comes to working her core. Heidi has always been an exerciser and still regularly goes to the gym and plays hockey. But time is short when you are juggling the needs of a partner, 3 kids, 2 dogs and a guinea pig. Her workouts need to be fast and effective. The TRX allows her to get a great workout in minimum time, with a few intense exercises done to ‘failure’.

One such as exercise is the TRX V up. Whilst highlighted as a core exercise, the TRX V up actually works your whole body, with particular focus on supporting your own body weight and activating the deeper muscles of the torso.