Classroom Workout

Sitting at a desk in a classroom can be a strain on the mind and body.  Doing a couple quick exercises once an hour will boost circulation, build muscle and relieve tension.  Here are a few good exercises that teachers can pick and choose from to get their pupils moving throughout the day.  They employ the desk a chair and for the floor-work you can use a yoga mat or some other pad.  This post is dedicated to Tressa, who is dedicated to educating your children.

Air Squats

Air Squats are a great leg and hip exercise that you can do anywhere, anytime.  Here are the cues: feet shoulder-width apart; heels glued to the floor, back straight, bum back, head up.  Squat as deep as you can comfortably go.  Return to erect position.  Do 12.  Gradually increase each day or week.

Step-Ups

 

Step-ups require stable chairs to step on to.  To perform a step-up: stand in front of the chair, lift one foot onto the seat of the chair and step-up on to the chair.  Do five step-ups on one side and then five with the other leg.  This exercise works glutes, hamstrings and quads.  Gradually increase the amount prescribed each week.

Heel Rocking
Prolonged sitting causes blood and other fluids to pool in the lower legs.  Heel Rocking works the calf muscles, forcing the blood out of the lower legs and back to the rest of the body. 

To perform Heel Rocking: start on your tip-toes then rhythmically rock back on to your heels...then back to toes.  This exercise works most of the major calf muscles, including key muscles that run along the shin-bone.

Upper Body Exercises

Add one or two upper body exercise to each mini-session.  Here are a few good ones:

Arm Circles
This is a good warm-up and exercise combined into one.  Feet shoulder-width apart.  Hands out to the sides.  Palms down.  Start with tiny circles to the front.  Slowly go bigger and bigger until arms are circling at full range.  Then reverse direction and go smaller and smaller until hands are hardly moving.

Chair Lift
If you have the space to allow participants to safely lift chairs you can use this exercise:

Chair Lift is a arm and shoulder exercise.  Feet wide apart.  Arms extended.  Slowly raise chair straight overhead then lower to bottom position.  Start with 10 and keep building over time.

Bench Dips
If your classroom has stable chairs that won't slide easily you can try Bench Dips.

Place the heels of your hands on the edge of the seat.  Feet straight out front (the farther - the harder).  If the chair wants to slide, get a partner to hold it in place then switch.  Using the power of your triceps, let your bum dip down toward the floor.  Then push straight back up. 

 

Go for 10 Bench Dips to start with.  Work your way up over time.

 

Floor Work

Time to drag out the mats.  Its time to do some cool core work.

 

Low Plank

Low Plank is an excellent exercise for abdominal muscles.  Adopt the prone position.  Place elbows on the cushy mat, right under your shoulders.  Dig your toes into the floor.  Now - pretend that a snake is trying to slither underneath you - so you have to push your body up off the floor.  Only forearms and toes should be touching the floor.  You can make the participants go up and down or up and hold for a prescribed period of time (start with 5 seconds and work your way up).

Bird Dog
This exercise is like a bird dog pointing at a pheasant.  It works several muscles on the back, shoulders and glutes.  Start on your hands and knees.

Now, raise your right leg and left arm simultaneously.  Lower them into start position.  Then raise the opposite limbs.  Do 12 in total the first time and build from there.

Bridges
This exercise is a great glute/hamstring workout.  Start on your back with heels tucked-up close to buttocks.

Now - push your hips up as far as you can.  Hold for a second and then lower.  Repeat 10 times for starters and build numbers from there.

Cardio

If you don't mind sweaty, panting students, you can get them to do a really cool exercise called Mountain Climber.  Start in the High Plank position (up position for Push-ups).  Place one foot forward.

 

Now, switch your feet back and forth.

 

Really fast...continuously.  Take a count each time a foot comes forward.

Aim for 15 Mountain Climbers the first time and progress from there.

Cool Down
If you did a challenging cardio exercise like Mountain Climber, try to follow it with a more sedate exercise in a supine position.  Here's a favourite twist on the Bridge that will fit the bill:
Single Leg Bridge

 

Start on your back like you would for the regular Bridge described above.  Now place an ankle across a knee.  Next - push your hips up.  This exercise is relaxing after the cardio routine and does a nice job of working the often-neglected muscles on the upper sides of the hip.

 

Do 10 one one side and then 10 on the other.  Everyone should be more relaxed and ready to focus on their studies after that.

 

Programming

Teachers can select one exercise to do between each class if you just have a minute or two.  If you have several minutes you can choose 2-3 leg, 2-3 arm and 2-3 core exercises.

 

Tom

 

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Fenugreek Seed

Fenugreek seed is really weird.  Grown on the sub-continent, it is known as methi in India and is featured in many south Asian dishes.  While the leaves are also used, this article will focus on the seeds.

They look like toffee but they're disgusting.  I mean that in a good way.  They are hard and bitter.  Apparently, you can roast these to make them less bitter but I confess that I didn't really try that.  They were pretty cheap.  I found them in the "exotic/imported food" section of the grocery store.

You gotta grind them first.  I tried just sprinkling the cursed kernels on my cereal.  Gross.  Don't try it.  Could break a tooth.  Grind them up in a coffee grinder.  Even that takes a while.

Bzzzzz.  Keep grinding.

Mix with protein powder.  I like the cheap whey protein isolate powder that my wife buys me at Walmart.

Sprinkle in the ground fenugreek.  Note that I didn't grind this batch long enough. Fenugreek seed is loaded with fibre and protein.  Holistically, it is thought to boost milk production in lactating women and libido in men.  Good source of iron too.

Pour in some skim milk and shaker-up.  I mixed this combo with skim milk and shook really well.  Legend has it that fenugreek makes your urine smell like maple syrup and its true.  I intend to try fenugreek in other things like greek yogurt.

Tom - trying gross food; so that you don't have to.

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New Year's Resolutions

1.  Use that Home Fitness Gear

Ok.  You got a bunch of fitness stuff for Christmas.  What were they trying to tell you???  Never mind.  Just use it.  Even the most worthless of gear can be used for overhead presses.  Don't go gonzo and burnout by Valentines Day though.  Slow and steady.

2.  Eat Clean(er)

This is what its all about.  If you live on pizza and ice cream, you will be fat and unhealthy (sooner or later).  Even worse, you will spoil your appetite for healthy food.  Shop for fresh fruit and vegetables and lean meats like beef and chicken breast.  Avoid fast food.  All the exercise in the world will do you very little good if you go home and pig-out.

3.  Get Maximum Sleep.

Get as much sleep as possible.  Aim for 8 hours.  Discipline yourself to go to bed early.  Cut caffeine by the late afternoon.  Get your room nice and dark and cool.  Sleep is when your body repairs itself.  Most fat people are sleep-deprived.

4.  Drink Lots of Water.

Water is one of the most important nutrients used by your body.  You could easily be walking around dehydrated and not know it.  Have a big glass of water when you get up in the morning and sip water regularly throughout the day.  Even if you enjoy coffee or tea throughout the day...have some water too.

5.  Tap into the Energy

Call it jealousy.  Call it envy. Call it frustration, anger, whatever.  You can look like that.  You want to look like that.  Why not make yourself look like that?  Why should she get the all the compliments?  Why should he or she be proud of the way they look, while you're ashamed?  COMPETE!  Tap into that dark negative emotion and turn it into something good.
6.  Set Some Definitive Goals

Set a realistic goal and give yourself a deadline.  Next - figure out how you're going to get there.  Then focus on it.  Winners keep going.  Losers go home.  Be shrewd and tough on yourself.

Tom

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Winter Home Workouts

Cabin Fever

Gone are the warm glorious days of summer.  No more box-jumps in the park while swatting mosquitoes.  Brace yourself for the ice and slush and the gloom of winter.  Fight the winter blues and stay slim and trim with a simple home work-out plan.  This workout is for my friend and client Mary-Beth.  I hope she enjoys it and I hope you do too.

Equipment

The stability ball or Swiss Ball or Physio Ball as some call it is a really good workout tool.  You can do tons of exercises with this piece of equipment.  This routine will also use dumbbells.

Stab Ball Wall Sit

Stab Ball Wall Sit is an excellent exercise for your quads (front of thighs).  Find a bare patch of wall.  Sandwich the ball between you and the wall.  Feet well out in front and about 12 inches apart.  Slowly squat down, letting the ball roll up your back.  Press back up again.  Do 3 sets of 15 reps.

 



Stab Ball Roll-In

Stab Ball Roll-In is a great exercise for glutes and hamstrings.  Lay on the floor on your back.  Place your calves on top of the ball.  This is a two-phase movement.  First - lift your butt off the floor.  Second - pull the ball toward you with your feet.  Reverse the movement until butt is back on the floor.  Do 3 sets of 12 reps.



Calf Raises

For Calf Raises, go to a set of stairs in your house.  Plant the balls of your feet on the edge of the stair-tread.  Legs straight, let your body-weight push your heels down until you can feel a nice stretch in your Achilles tendons.  Now push down with your toes to go up onto tip-toes.  Do 2 sets of 25.  Yes...25.  Feel the burn!

Stab Ball Pike

Stab Ball Pike looks like a super-tough exercise but you will be surprised at how easy it is to master.  Stand in front of the ball.  Roll over top of the ball until your hands are planted on the floor.  Knees should be on top of the ball.  Now pull the ball toward you and drive your butt up into the air.  This is a great ab workout.  Do 1 set of 12.

 

Push Ups

 

Yep.  That's right.  Good old-fashioned push-ups.  An excellent compound, functional upper-body exercise and you can do anywhere.

 



 

Push-ups are sweet.  They work your pecs, triceps, and, since you're holding a plank throughout, they work your abs.  If you keep your hands in closer; you place more emphasis on triceps.  Hands out wider; more emphasis on pecs.  Go all the way up and all the way down.  Do 2 sets of your Max (ie as many as you can do...twice).  Aim for improvement each workout.

Bench Dips

Bench Dips are great.  You just need a coffee table or some other stable surface.  Fingers forward.  Heels of hands on the edge.  The farther out you place your feet; the harder it is.  Start with arms fully extended.  Bend the elbows and lower your butt straight to the floor.  You should feel this in the triceps.  You will feel a stretch in the shoulders too sometimes.  Do 3 sets of 12. 

Dumbbell Military Press

Time for Shoulders.  Dumbbell Military Press is a nice deltoid exercise that you can do in the comfort of your home to keep your shoulders in top form.

Start with the dumbbells at your shoulders.  Press them straight up until the elbows are locked-out.  Do 3 sets of 10.

Dumbbell Bicep Curls

Stand up straight.  Feet shoulder-width apart.  Dumbbells down at the sides of your thighs.  Palms facing forward.  Curl the dumbbells upward as far as you can.  Lower slowly.  Do 3 sets of 12.



Recap

Here's Mary-Beth's Wintertime Blues Workout in Summary:

Stab Ball Wall-Sit - 3 x 15
Stab Ball Roll-In - 3 x 12
Calf Raise - 2 x 25
Stab Ball Pike - 1 x 12
Push Up - 2 x Max
Bench Dips - 3 x 12
Dumbbell Military Press - 3 x 10
Dumbbell Bicep Curls - 3 x 12

Do this full-body routine 3 times per week.  Get some cardio too.  Go for a long brisk walk or ride a stationary bike.

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BOSU



Side Crunches on BOSU - great for obliques

With a little practice, anyone can do advanced core training moves safely on BOSU.



Turn BOSU over and use it for a variety of other exercises.  This is Mountain Climbers on BOSU - Very Challenging.