ACTIVE LIVING
Home exercise with resistance bands TRISTAN HALL explains the details of a simple and effective means of exercise that has the ability to maintain your range of motion, build strength and improve blood circulation.
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esistance bands are a fun alternative to weights. They are simple to use and inexpensive. There are two types, those with handles and those without. The ones without handles allow you to adjust your hold to anywhere on the band. They are all you need. Bands come in different levels of tension. Start with a low resistance or medium resistance band. Used regularly these bands help you maintain your range of motion, build strength and improve blood circulation. Here are a few exercises to get you started. Keep a medium tension on the bands throughout. You should be able to do 10 repetitions of an exercise with some effort for the last few reps. Oblique Twist – stand and hold the band in two hands with your arms out in front. Turn arms and torso to one side, lifting the heel of the opposite foot. Turn to the other side. This warms up your lower back. Repeat for a few minutes. Lateral Raises – sit on a stable dining chair. Sit on the resistance band and hold the ends. Start with your arms down at your sides. Then lift them until they form a T with your body. Then slowly lower your arms to the sides. Do not lock your elbows during this exercise. Adjust the band as needed. Repeat 5 times. Add in some single arm lateral raises. Finish with 5
more lateral raises with both arms. This exercise strengthens your shoulder muscles in particular. Posture Pull – this exercise helps your posture by strengthening your upper back. Sit upright in a stable dining chair. Hold the band with both hands. Put your arms out in front of you at shoulder width. Inhale and slowly open your arms out to the sides. Exhale and return your arms to the relaxed position. Keep your torso, neck and head upright as you do this. Repeat 10 times. Rowing – Sit on the floor with your legs out front and your band around your feet. Hold the band firmly in both hands. Pull your elbows back until they are slightly behind your body. Do not raise your arms up. Repeat rowing action 20 times. Work slowly, keeping the resistance on the band at all times. Rest and repeat another set. Tristan Hall is an exercise physiologist with Full Circle Wellness. Call 0431 192 284 or visit fullcirclewellness.com.au
FIT HAPPENS With Tom Law If you did some research on exercises for the elderly you would find many books, publications and studies on the positive effects of exercise. As we age the importance of exercise increases rather than decreases I believe. When you think about movement and younger active working people it makes sense that the younger generation are much more active generally. Naturally you may not be able to do the things you did when you were younger but that does not mean that you should eliminate exercise, you just need to adapt. My older exercise classes involve people from 49 years of age to 84 years. It is a difference of 34 years and because of the exercise capability range I have to ensure I grade the exercises to suit all in the group. Those of you who exercise by yourself will do the same. Our speed, dynamic power, endurance, strength and flexibility suffer as we age, so exercise needs to be appropriate and achievable In my exercise classes mentioned above I see the older group being encouraged and in some instances the occasional competitive edge
coming out when matched with younger participants. It is my belief that keeping people of all ages in the same exercise group benefits everyone. My father told me years ago when I was trying to master golf: “Always play the game with a better player, that will help you raise your game” I think having a variety of ages in our exercise group encourages the older participants while the younger attendees get a better understanding of the possible restrictions imposed by aging attendees. A win-win situation I like to call it. In my case, once again we have a few exercisers who do their absolute best to participate in all activities. We provide some alternate options for them but some of them are determined to try to negotiate the same exercises I give the younger group. I encourage the older participants to do just that, but ask them to listen to their bodies and apply common sense. Tom Law is the author of Tom’s Law Fit Happens. Visit tomslaw.com.au
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