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Move It, Mom!
How to Fit Exercise Into Your Busy Schedule
By Tina Schmidt-McNulty, MS, CES
The best form of resistance for strength training is "free of charge" and has been around since the beginning of time: gravity! Four great exercises that challenge the main muscle groups, use gravity as resistance and can be done at home or on the road are the "Fabulous Four": squats, push-ups, abdominal crunches and lower back extensions.
Squats (Target areas: buttocks, top and back of leg)
- Beginner: Start standing in front of a chair and slowly sit down. Return to start position.
- Intermediate: Standing squats. Both heels should remain in contact with the floor at all times.
- Advanced: Single leg squats.
Push-ups (Target areas: chest, upper back and upper arms)
- Beginner: Wall push-ups. Stand an arm's length away from the wall with both hands placed on the wall. Perform a push-up while keeping the body straight.
- Intermediate: Push-ups on the floor or step with knees bent.
- Advanced: Push-ups with legs extended.
Abdominal Crunches (Target areas: abdominal area)
- Beginner: Lie on back with knees bent and hands extended by sides of body. Exhale and reach with the hands to the heels of the feet, lifting the upper torso so the shoulder blades come off the floor; inhale and slowly return to start position.
- Intermediate: Lie on back with knees bent and hands placed behind the head. Do not pull the head with the hands! Exhale and lift upper torso so the shoulder blades come off the floor; inhale and slowly return to start position. A pelvic tilt may be added to this exercise when the torso is lifted. Concentrate on keeping the lower back flat on the floor.
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