1. Sort out your CV And … stretch
Huzzah! Bravo! You’ve done it. And look at you now! Twelve weeks of hard work have paid off and you’re looking svelter than ever. I dare say you’re feeling pretty pleased with yourself, and quite right too. Just don’t lose the momentum.
Here is one final tool to add to the regime: stretching. Flexibility is perhaps the most important aspect of any fitness programme. Though the jury is out on whether stretching before exercise prevents injury, stretching generally has a major impact on posture and performance and also tones up muscles by lengthening them.
Any joint misalignment, aches or niggles caused by tight muscles are exacerbated by the repetitive and prolonged nature of cardiovascular exercise, which can lead to postural deformity and joint pain.
What and when should I stretch?
Try to follow a daily stretching routine whether you have exercised or not. All major muscle groups should be targeted: lower legs, upper legs (front and back), hips, back, shoulders, chest and neck. Stretching should be done after you exercise or when your muscles are warm; if you’re stretching on a non-exercise day, after a bath or shower would be ideal. You can download a basic stretch routine by visiting www.mrpt.co.uk/ articlesinfo.html
The usual suspects
This week, vary your cardio activities each day. Check the website if you need reminding, but you can do your PDA circuit (alternating upper- and lower-body exercises), continuous cardio (30 or more minutes going steady), anaerobic cardio (high-intensity work for short bursts) and interval training (switching between going flat out and taking it easier). Try to make your exercise sessions longer – see if you can do up to an hour of continuous cardio or fit in more laps of your PDA circuit to build up endurance. Always listen to your body: if you feel like you can’t handle doing an hour, just do your best.
2. Tone it The dead bug
However silly this looks, it’s a great dynamic exercise that targets all the core muscles, and not just the outer abdominals.
i) Lie on your back, lift your legs up off the floor, bend them 90 degrees at the knee and point both arms up into the air (A).
ii) Then crunch up, lifting your shoulders off the floor.
iii) Keeping your abs held in the crunch position, simultaneously extend one arm back and your opposite leg out (B). Repeat this on the other side and vice versa until you have done 20 reps. Try and do one every second.
Too easy? Then perform the movement really slowly, and stretch as far as you can. Make sure that you keep the crunch held as hard as you can. Add this to the other core exercises to make your own circuit.
3. What next?
The 12-week plan is over, but you should treat this as the beginning. There’s a world of information out there for you to discover; much of it may be confusing, but just find something you enjoy, which you can do regularly and which gives you a buzz. If you feel lost, find someone to guide you, whether it’s a trainer, a family member or an experienced friend.
The final word on food
Sometimes people think too much about food. They watch TV and read magazines that publish research which conflicts itself on a regular basis (“Red wine is good for you!” “Red wine will kill you!” etc, etc). Remember that much research is paid for by food companies which want you to buy their product. If you want to follow a piece of advice, make sure it comes from an independent source.
The rules
To avoid consuming things detrimental to your health, follow these rules: 1) if it has an ingredient you can’t pronounce or wouldn’t eat on its own, skip it. 2) If you can kill it, dig it (out of the ground) or pick it (off a tree), it is probably going to be OK. 3) have unprocessed foods, avoid refined grains and only eat wholegrains where possible. 4) Avoid salt, sugar, and trans/hydrogenated fats. Follow the 80/20 rule: if you can be good 80% of the time, you can handle being naughty for the other 20%.
· Matthew Robinson is a qualified personal trainer. www.mrpt.co.uk
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