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August 31, 2024

5 Best And Easy Exercise Tips For Seniors With Arthritis

For the unbeknownst, arthritis is a common condition among seniors – characterized by inflammation and pain in the joints. While it may seem counter–intuitive, staying active is crucial for managing arthritis symptoms and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As such, regular exercise can help reduce pain, improve joint function, and enhance overall quality of life. So, if you are or you know a senior with arthritis, do let them know of the benefits of these exercises for them.

1. Low-Impact Aerobic Exercises
2. Strength Training
3. Flexibility Exercises
4. Balance Exercises
5. Listen to Your Body

1. Low-Impact Aerobic Exercises

Walking, swimming, and cycling are low-impact aerobic exercises that are ideal for seniors with arthritis. These exercises promote cardio health without putting too much stress on the joints. They can also help increase stamina, improve heart health, and support weight management – which can reduce the strain on joints.

Besides, low-impact aerobic exercises like walking, swimming, and cycling, helps keep the joints flexible, improves circulation, and provides resistance to strengthen muscles without putting pressure on the knees and hips.

These exercises are beneficial as they keep the joints flexible, which is crucial for maintaining mobility and reducing stiffness. They also improve blood circulation – delivering nutrients to the joints, and promote muscle strengthening without placing undue pressure on the knees and hips.

2. Strength Training

Looking for something else to do? Why not try your hand at strength-training? Crucial for building muscle mass, strength-training helps support and protect the joints. Hence, it’s important for seniors with arthritis to focus on exercises that strengthen the muscles around the affected joints like using resistance bands, lifting light weights, or using weight machines.

By building muscle mass, it provides better joint support and reduces the likelihood of injury and improving overall joint function. Strength-training also increases bone density which aids in the prevention of osteoporosis. Ultimately, it gives you stronger muscles which helps to absorb more of the stress that’s often placed on joints by reducing pain and improving mobility.

3. Flexibility Exercises

Maintaining flexibility is essential for seniors with arthritis to prevent stiffness and improve joint mobility. Stretching exercises and yoga can be particularly helpful to maintain range of motion in the joints.

Flexibility exercises also helps to reduce stiffness, improves seniors’ range of motion, allowing for greater freedom of movement, and acts as a huge stress relief. Yoga, particularly, not only improves flexibility but also promotes relaxation, and that lessens the stress that often accompanies chronic pain conditions like arthritis.

4. Balance Exercises

Improving balance is important for preventing falls – which is a common concern for seniors with arthritis. Exercises like Tai Chi and Heel-to-Toe Walk are particularly effective for improving balance and reducing stress.

Balance exercises are important because they strengthen the core muscles to provide better stability and reduce the strain in joints during movement. Exercises like Tai Chi, with its slow and controlled movements, not only improves balance but has a calming effect which can help reduce the perception of pain.

5. Listen to Your Body

It’s essential for seniors with arthritis to listen to their bodies and avoid pushing through pain. Exercise should be done at a comfortable pace, and it’s important to rest if the joints feel sore or inflamed. So, one must ensure to modify exercises to accommodate any pain or discomfort. If a particular movement causes pain – it’s advisable to stop and try a different exercise.

Who knows you best other than yourself? By listening to their bodies, seniors can prevent overexertion and injuries that could worsen their condition. Hence, it’s crucial to be ope nt modifying exercises to ensure seniors can stay active without exacerbating their arthritis symptoms, and easing their mental well-being.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, consistency is key to managing arthritis symptoms. And it’s better to engage in regular, moderate exercise than to do intense workouts sporadically. If you don’t know where to start, you can always get a personal trainer to curate a workout plan for you. Remember to stay active and enjoy a healthier lifestyle!

August 8, 2024

Chocolate Muffins Steals Spotlight at Paris 2024 Olympic

screengrab of Paris Olympic's resident muffin man, Henrik Christiansen

Do you know the (Olympic) Muffin Man? Amid the intense competition and athletic brilliance displayed at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a surprising star has emerged… Chocolate muffins from the Olympic Village dining hall. These delectable treats have captured the hearts and taste buds of athletes, sparking a viral sensation on TikTok.

The Muffin Hype
Quotes from the Athletes
A Unique Culinary Highlight

The Muffin Hype

Athletes from various countries have taken to TikTok to share their love for these chocolate-filled delights, with Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen leading the muffin mania. Christiansen’s playful obsession with the muffins has not only brought smiles but also widespread attention to what might have been just another menu item. His series of videos, where he humorously indulges in the muffins, underscores a universal truth: sometimes, it’s the simple pleasures that bring the most joy.

The chocolate muffins at the Olympic Village are no ordinary pastries. According to athletes, these muffins stand out because of their gooey chocolate center and perfect texture. Aleah Finnegan, a Filipino-American gymnast, mentioned on her TikTok, “I understand the hype of these chocolate muffins in the village,” highlighting the universal appeal of these treats among athletes looking for a comforting snack.

Quotes from the Athletes

The enthusiasm for the muffins is palpable in the comments and videos posted by the athletes. Team USA’s Brody Malone also praised them, saying, “They’re really good. They’re so gooey.” Ah, the simple joy of a well-made muffin seems to provide a delightful respite from the pressures of competition.

A Unique Culinary Highlight

While the Olympic Village is known for its comprehensive and health-focused menus catering to athletes from around the world. It’s the chocolate muffins that have unexpectedly stolen the culinary spotlight this year. This phenomenon highlights how food can be a powerful connector, and is able to bring people from diverse backgrounds together.

FInal Thoughts

TikTok has played a crucial role in amplifying the chocolate muffin craze. The platform has allowed athletes to share slices of their daily lives in the village, including their culinary adventures, providing fans a glimpse into the lighter, relatable side of the Olympic experience. The viral nature of these posts not only enhances the athletes’ relatability but also adds an extra layer of excitement around the games.

As the world tunes in to watch their favorite athletes compete, the chocolate muffins have provided a sweet subplot to the narratives unfolding at Paris 2024. This muffin craze underscores the joy of finding comfort in food, even for those at the peak of physical fitness, and continues to endear the Olympics to a global audience through shared, viral moments of joy.

July 26, 2023October 11, 2024

9 Best Core Exercises at Home or Gym for Beginners

Building a strong core is not only essential for achieving a chiseled midsection but also for maintaining overall physical health and stability. Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast or just getting started on your fitness journey, incorporating core exercises into your routine is a great way to enhance your strength and balance.

You can do core exercises from the comfort of your own home and also at the gym. In this article, we’ll explore the best core exercises for beginners; both men and women to kickstart their journey to a stronger and more stable core.

What Are Core Muscles?
Why Is Core Training Important?
Top 8 Core Workouts At Home Or Gym For Strong Abs

What Are Core Muscles?

Core refers to the muscles around our trunk and pelvis i.e. the abs, chest, back and down to the pelvic floor. Our functional movements are highly dependent on this part of the body. Lack of strength in these areas, affects our stability. Core stability is very important to protect our spine and surrounding musculature from injury.

Why Is Core Training Important?

Core muscles are important as they serve as a base for strength, power, endurance and coordination. Attaining core strength means acquiring proper posture and saving the back from injuries while doing rapid movements or while lifting weights.

In order to evaluate our core strength, we must check our static core strength, dynamic core strength and posterior core strength. Exercises like plank, side plank helps to understand the static core strength while the knees to chest and toes to bar, hanging leg raises analyses the dynamic core strength. The dead lifts are for the posterior core stability.

Top 8 Core Workouts At Home Or Gym For Strong Abs

1. Planks

The plank is a fundamental core exercise that targets your entire core, including your abdominals, obliques, and lower back. Plank helps to develop strength in the core, shoulders and arms. Here’s how to do it:

Do Plank at home for strong core muscles

Start in a push-up position with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
Engage your core muscles and hold this position for as long as you can.
Aim for 30 seconds to start and gradually increase your time as you get stronger.

2. Side Planks

Side planks are great for strengthening the obliques and improving overall core stability. Here’s how to do them:

Start by lying on your side with your legs straight and your feet stacked on top of each other.
Place your elbow directly beneath your shoulder, forming a 90-degree angle with your forearm.
Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
Hold this position for as long as you can, maintaining proper form.
Repeat on the other side.

3. Russian Twists

Russian twists are great for targeting your obliques. Here’s how to perform them:

man doing Russian twists with weights — Russian twists with weights

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
Lean back slightly and lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your sit bones.
Hold a weight or a household object (like a water bottle) with both hands.
Twist your torso to one side, bringing the weight towards the ground beside your hip.
Return to the center and twist to the other side.

4. Leg Raises

Leg raises are excellent for working the lower abdominal muscles. Here’s how to do them:

Lie flat on your back with your legs straight and your arms by your sides.
Keep your lower back pressed into the floor as you lift your legs off the ground.
Slowly lower your legs back down without letting them touch the ground.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

5. Crunches

Crunches are a fantastic exercise to target your upper abdominal muscles. Here’s how to do them:

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
Place your hands gently behind your head, without pulling on your neck.
Engage your core and lift your head, shoulders, and upper back off the ground.
Exhale as you perform the crunch.
Lower your upper body back down without fully resting your head on the ground.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

6. Bicycle Crunches

Bicycle crunches engage both your upper and lower abs while also working your obliques. Here’s how to perform them:

Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent.
Lift your head, shoulders, and upper back off the ground.
Bring your right elbow towards your left knee while straightening your right leg.
Switch sides, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee in a pedaling motion.

7. Superman

The Superman exercise strengthens your lower back muscles and complements your core workout. Here’s how to do it:

Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight.
Lift your chest, arms, and legs off the ground simultaneously, engaging your lower back.
Hold the position briefly before lowering back down.

8. Hanging Leg Raises

Hanging leg raises are excellent for targeting both your lower abdominal muscles and hip flexors. To do them, you’ll need a pull-up bar or a sturdy horizontal surface that can support your body weight, like a set of parallel bars.

Here’s how to perform hanging leg raises:

Find a sturdy horizontal surface, such as a pull-up bar, and hang from it with your arms fully extended.
Engage your core and keep your legs together.
While maintaining control, lift your legs straight up in front of you, trying to reach a 90-degree angle with your upper body.
Lower your legs back down to the starting position without swinging.

9. Deadlifts

Deadlifts are a compound exercise that can help strengthen your entire body, including your core. Here’s how to perform them:

Equipment Needed: A barbell or dumbbells (adjustable weights), and if available, a weightlifting belt for added lower back support.

Procedure:

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with the barbell or dumbbells placed in front of you.
Bend at your hips and knees to lower yourself down to the weights. Maintain a neutral spine and keep your chest up.
Grip the barbell or dumbbells with both hands, using an overhand grip (palms facing you) or a mixed grip (one palm facing you, one palm facing away).
Engage your core and begin to lift the weights by extending your hips and knees simultaneously. Keep the weights close to your body as you stand up.
Stand fully upright with your shoulders back, maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels.
Lower the weights back to the ground with controlled movement, keeping your core engaged throughout the exercise.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

However, it is very important to correct our postures while training ourselves with the above mentioned core exercises. There are many professional personal trainers in Singapore who can train the correct form and guide us to attain the stronger self.
So without any more delay, let’s focus on building core stability first and then, proceed to build our core strength!

October 26, 2022August 31, 2023

Elderly Functional Fitness | Everything you need to know

senior citizens doing functional training in a group class

As per various studies, significant health benefits are seen in adults aged 65 years and older who participate in regular physical activity. Even people with some existing illness can exercise which will definitely improve the condition.

Some of the many benefits of Functional Fitness:

Proper exercising also slows the ageing of the brain.
Exercising at this age helps to improve your strength and thus stay independent.
Exercising adds up to one’s energy level too.
Diseases like as diabetes, osteoporosis or diseases related to heart can be to avoided by regular exercising too.
It also improves your balance thereby preventing accidental falls.
Moreover emotional fatigue, depression or anxiety can also be checked.

Common Function Fitness Exercises

The types of exercises you can do are many to choose from. However, it is always better to understand your body and accordingly select them where personal trainers play a very important part.

Just as the other name of Aerobic activity i.e. ‘endurance activity’ suggests, older adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week in order to stay fit for longer time. You can choose to go for brisk walking, jogging, water aerobics, dancing, cycling, swimming or play tennis – there are ample options of aerobic activities.
Many such exercises that older adults should do every day to improve strength, flexibility, and balance are Abdominal Contractions which will help to increase strength in the abdominal muscles.

It is very important for all age groups to strengthen your muscles like of the hips, back, legs, chest, shoulders, arms and abdomen and particularly older adults must do some Muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week. You should continue to carry the grocery bags home or go for some yoga classes, do some body weight exercises. You can also get personal trainers to guide you with weight training exercises using exercise bands or weight machines.
You can do Wall push ups to increase the strength in the chest and shoulders

Wall push-ups — Make your chest and shoulder stronger with wall push-ups

Toe taps are good for strengthening the lower legs and Heel raises are important to strengthen the upper calves. On the other hand, knee lifts strengthens the thighs and the Ankle rotations strengthens the calves.
Another very important thing for older adults is Balance Boosters. It is very common that accidental falls leads to injury for many elderly people. To avoid such situations, you should incorporate balance exercises in your exercise regimen. Doing balance exercises, such as Shifting Weights or Single leg balance or Tai chi orYoga will make it easier to walk on uneven surfaces without losing balance.

However, it is always advisable to talk to your doctor if you have any chronic health condition or even any symptoms before starting a physical activity program.

So cheers to long and healthy living with functional exercising! Get a personal trainer to help you with your functional fitness.

October 26, 2022August 31, 2023

Top 3 exercises with UGI ball for best results!

One of the hot favorites in the world of fitness is the UGI Ball. It is a great buddy for workout as it does not restrict us to exercise only in the gym. We can work out with it at home or carry to a hotel or beach while on vacation!

Since it is a hybrid of a medicine ball and stability ball, we can kneel on it, stand on it, and do our planks or crunches. However the trick is, the softness of the ball makes the surface unstable and thus our body has to work harder. In the process it helps to lose more!

It is a 30-minute full body workout routine but it makes workouts fun. Using UGI is awesome to work on our body balance, to build our core strength and also helps to strengthen and stabilize our muscles. It is recommended by various fitness trainers or personal trainers as well to their clients who look forward to achieve that dream body but in a fun way.

This UGI Ball can be used variously for various exercises like –

1. Dips

Dips with UGI Ball — Dips are great to get our upper body toned!

Dips are a very good workout if our target is to tone Upper Body. We should start in a bridge position, keeping our hands on the ball and feet should be flat on the floor. One thing very important here is that we should keep our lower back close to the UGI Ball. Now all we need to do is to bend our elbows in order to lower our butt without touching the floor. After this we need to extend our elbows to return to the starting position. Now repeat.

2. Right & Left Leg Lifts

This Right and Left leg lifts are good when we target to lose fat and tone our Lower Body. It is quite easy too. All we need to do is to balance our right/left knee on the UGI ball. Now we need to extend our other leg straight out with toes pointed to the side. We must remember to keep our leg straight and toes pointed and then raise our extended leg up and down. Throughout the workout we must focus to keep our Abs tight and maintain a flat back. Now we have switch sides and repeat the same on the other leg.

3. Plank Mountain Climbers

Girl doing mountain climbers on UGI ball — Plank Mountain Climbers using the UGI Ball

Another great way to use this ball is to do Plank Mountain Climbers. This is a great Cardio workout that helps to get our heart rate up. We should always begin in a plank position keeping our forearms resting on the ball. We need to keep our legs straight and feet on floor. After this position is set all we have to do is to alternately drive our knees towards chest. Our back should be flat throughout the exercise.

The UGI Ball enables us with so many various forms of exercises UGI Caterpillar, Toss and catch UGI, UGI Swing, Side Lunge Jumps with UGI, V-Ups, Reverse Lunges with Shoulder lifts, UGI Push ups to Jump Squats etc.

This great exercise ball helps us to workout with versatility and thereby enables us with cardio, strength training and core training. UGI Ball thus helps us with a full-body workout.

So without any further delay, let’s get our own UGI Ball and start working out today with a personal trainer to guide us with the correct postures!!

October 26, 2022August 31, 2023

The 7 Best Types Of Yoga & Their Benefits!

The origin of the discipline “Yoga” is in India. It is not only a physical but also a spiritual practice that helps us to reduce our body weight and also stabilize our mind. Modern forms of yoga encourage exercising, focusing on our strength, physical and mental well-being and flexibility.

There are so many variations of Yoga like – Hatha yoga, Iyengar yoga, Yin yoga, Yogalates, Power yoga, Yogasthenics etc. Our fitness level determines the type of yoga class is best suited for us. So it is best to consult a doctor and have a personal yoga instructor to guide us with the right techniques.

1. Ashtanga Yoga

It is based on ancient yoga teachings. It synchronizes our breathing and movement in the asanas. Amongst many other benefits this asana helps to improve our blood circulation, removes toxins from our body and betters the joint pains.

2. Bikram Yoga –

This yoga is held in an artificially heated room of 105 degrees! This form of yoga helps to stretch our body, relieve stress, tone and detoxify our body. It also helps to heal pains like arthritis, knee pains or even back problems.

3. Iyengar Yoga

This form tries to find correct alignment in each posture by using different props like blocks, straps, blankets etc.

4. Kundalini Yoga

It is a form of yoga where we meditate to release kundalini energy. Kundalini yoga class starts with chanting and ends with singing along with meditation and pranayama.

5. Hatha Yoga

Traditionally, Hatha yoga brings peace to the mind and body thereby preparing it for deeper spiritual practices. This style is more gentle and slow. It is great for beginners.

6. Jivamukti Yoga

It traditionally means “liberation while living”. According to David and Sharon, ‘there are too many positive physical benefits to list but the main thing is “you build up a body of light” and feel more comfortable with who you are’. Jivamukti yoga, includes, meditation, chanting, pranayama etc.

7. Prenatal yoga

These are yoga for the pregnant people. This yoga is designed to help pregnant woman in all stages of her pregnancy. Moreover, it also helps to get back to shape post pregnancy faster.

The above mentioned forms are only a few of the varied typologies of Yoga. The list is really a never ending one!

Major Benefits of doing Yoga

Increases our physical strength, balance and flexibility – From ages Yoga has been a major inspiration for many across the globe. It is a safe and very effective workout style which helps to increase our physical strength, balance and flexibility.
Prevents the elderly from sudden falls and injuries – Injuries due to accidental falls amongst older people are very common and a global health concern. Yoga helps to improve our body balance and thus prevents the elderly from sudden falls.
Yoga is very good during and post pregnancy – It is even advised to pregnant women to go for yoga classes as it helps to experience fewer problems in pregnancy and labor.
Anxiety and depression – Yoga is a powerful treatment for depression and anxiety.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease – This disease also called as GERD is greatly benefited with Yoga practice. Regular practice of Yoga like Kapalbhati and Agnisar kriya improves GERD to a great level.
Yoga is like a treatment – Doing yoga is good for people suffering from Arthritis and Asthma. It is also beneficial for people with bipolar disorder. It also works significantly for patients suffering with Migraine.
It reduces cancer related fatigue and breast cancer cognitive problems – Survivors of cancer often report cognitive problems, yoga can effectively reduce cognitive problems in survivors of breast cancer.
Yoga improves chronic neck pain and chronic heart failure – Studies revealed that regular yoga practice improves chronic neck pain or any neck-related disabilities or problems. Yoga has also significant positive effects on cardiac function. People under cardiac rehabilitation Yoga programs have had markedly stable health impacts.
Flexibility- Yogacan make our body more flexible. Yoga has positions that act upon the whole body which in turn stretches the muscles as well as the joints.

However it also true that Yoga is challenging for beginners. Moreover if the postures are incorrect it will not help on the contrary we might injure ourselves. Therefore it is always suggested that we should take the help of a Yoga master or Yoga trainer to learn it properly to yield maximum benefits from it.