All posts tagged: fullbody

I swapped walking for swimming and it’s helped me fall in love with cardio and build full-body strength

I swapped walking for swimming and it’s helped me fall in love with cardio and build full-body strength

Published by Jenni Sidey

Apart from cooling off in the sea on holiday or lounging at my local lido in summer, swimming never really interested me. However, I recently spent two weeks on the south coast of Sri Lanka, where I stayed in a villa with a pool. With temperatures regularly reaching over 100℉, it felt wrong not to be in said pool as much as possible—especially as the heat also made walking, which I usually like to do, more difficult. Instead of walking, I decided to start swimming lengths of the 25-meter pool. I started with 20 lengths and found that I enjoyed it, so I challenged myself to do 30, then 40. By the end of the trip, I was doing up to 60 lengths per day. Article continues below You may like I’ve found swimming to be meditative and relaxing, and it’s quickly become my favorite way to do cardio, as I don’t enjoy running and get bored of cycling. Below, I’ve shared some of the reasons I’ve come to love swimming, along with some of …

This quick seven-minute full-body circuit will leave you feeling energised

This quick seven-minute full-body circuit will leave you feeling energised

Published by Jenni Sidey

When my energy is low, I like to head outdoors for a brisk walk in nature, but I can’t always spare the time. That’s when I turn to a quick, at-home circuit which always gets my body feeling energised. And, that’s exactly the thinking behind this seven-minute workout from midlife personal trainer Kate Rowe-Ham, founder of Owning Your Menopause, and author of The Longevity Solution. Article continues below You may like The trainer designed this full-body circuit—which incorporates strength, stability and cardio—to help you feel fired up in less than 10 minutes. The workout can be done with or without dumbbells and focuses on moves to raise your heart rate and boost energy levels. The benefits of this full-body circuit Combining dynamic exercises with strength training, this full-body circuit is a great all-rounder. Exercises like side shuffles and mountain climbers elevate the heart rate, while core movements like reverse crunches and planks build strength, improve posture and can support pelvic stability. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your …

Scientists Recruit Undergrad to Step Into Room Filled With Ravenous Mosquitoes for “Full-Body Massacre”

Scientists Recruit Undergrad to Step Into Room Filled With Ravenous Mosquitoes for “Full-Body Massacre”

Published by José Betancourt

Sign up to see the future, today Can’t-miss innovations from the bleeding edge of science and tech Some dedicate their lives to science. Others, like Georgia Tech student Chris Zuo, give their bodies. A bizarre three-year study run by Georgia Tech engineering and biology professor David Hu sought to identify how mosquitoes choose their prey. As explained by Hu in the Conversation, mosquitoes are the world’s most dangerous animal, causing over 700,000 deaths every year by spreading deadly disease like Malaria. In the initial experiment, Zuo stood in as bait in a chamber full of 100 hangry skeeters. Though he had a mesh suit, it failed to stop the bugs from reaching his skin, causing him to suffer what Hu calls a “full-body massacre.” As the trials went on, Zuo became a graduate student. He switched out of the failed mesh suit to a basic long-sleeved shirt, washed with unscented detergent, as well as gloves and a face mask. He and a fellow student, Soohwan Kim, were then tasked with standing in the chamber while …

A personal trainer says this is the equipment-free full-body home workout she depends on when she can’t make it to the gym

A personal trainer says this is the equipment-free full-body home workout she depends on when she can’t make it to the gym

Published by Jenni Sidey

It will come as no surprise that, as a certified personal trainer, I love to work out. But between a full client schedule and raising a 10-month-old baby, getting to the gym can be challenging. On days when I can’t squeeze in a gym session, I rely on the routine below to get my daily dose of exercise. It targets most of the major muscle groups, doesn’t require any fitness equipment, and can take as little as five minutes to complete. Article continues below If you’re stuck inside but still want to break a sweat, give this five-move workout a try. Check in with your doctor before starting any new activity. All of these moves are easy to do at home, but consider meeting with a personal trainer to address your form before proceeding. How to do the full-body home workout You’ll need a sturdy chair and a stopwatch or clock for this workout. An exercise mat will cushion your forearms for the plank exercises, but you can always use a towel or cushion. You …

Too busy to work out? A trainer wants you to try this five-minute full-body routine

Too busy to work out? A trainer wants you to try this five-minute full-body routine

Published by Jenni Sidey

It’s easy to let working out fall to the bottom of the to-do list when you’re busy. But, you don’t need an hour or a gym to introduce movement into your day. Even just five minutes can make a difference, explains certified personal trainer Brandon Hultman. “I’m a big believer that consistency beats intensity,” says Hultman. “Five focused minutes done daily is better than an hour you never do.” Article continues below You may like Hultman’s five-minute full-body workout is designed to build momentum, so it can can be done anywhere, no equipment needed. “This routine trains push, hinge and lunge patterns—which means you’re hitting chest, shoulders, arms, glutes, quads, hamstrings and core in just five minutes,” he tells Fit & Well. “More importantly, this workout eliminates the mental barrier of ‘I don’t have time’.” Hultman adds. Use this full-body routine as a dose of movement on busy days, or to warm-up for a longer workout. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. How to do the …

A Pilates teacher says you can count on this full-body mobility routine to revive your body after a long week

A Pilates teacher says you can count on this full-body mobility routine to revive your body after a long week

Published by Jenni Sidey

If aches and pains have been nagging away at you for days, Pilates instructor Brittni Johnson has a special routine she relies on to restore equilibrium. It involves some gentle foam rolling, mild myofascial release (gentle manual therapy to release tightness) using a massage ball, and four mobility moves you can do before bed or while watching a boxset. “After a tough week of work or training, your body needs time to recover properly,” says Johnson, who teaches at BetterMe. You may like That’s when she turns to this three-step remedy. “Foam rolling boosts blood flow to tired muscles, gentle stretching releases tension, and stability exercises help protect the spine,” she says. Combined, it will help shake off any lingering soreness you’ve been carrying with you, downregulate your nervous system to lower stress, and allow you to move, rest and recover better. How to do the routine Johnson recommends spending five minutes before the workout targeting knots or areas of tightness in your muscles with a foam roller and massage ball. “Lie on the roller …

Feel “strong and confident” with this accessible full-body dumbbell workout by coach and TV star Gabby Allen

Feel “strong and confident” with this accessible full-body dumbbell workout by coach and TV star Gabby Allen

Published by Jenni Sidey

There are many reasons people work out, for trainer and TV personality Gabby Allen it’s to feel self-assured. “Exercise is a huge part of how I look after myself,” the founder of female-focused app Shape Up tells Fit&Well. “Exercise gives me a sense of pride in how I show up: feeling strong and confident in my body, and I’m not afraid to say that training helps me feel confident in my skin. I’m proud of the work that I have put in.” You may like Allen, who rose to fame on Love Island in the UK and recently won Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, adds: “I want to set an example of what consistent hard work can achieve, and how it can positively impact your life in so many ways—physically, mentally and emotionally.” As well as her work on TV, Allen runs a personal training business, and she has created this exclusive six-move strength workout for Fit&Well readers. Allen says she moves her body daily, “even if it’s just getting my steps in,” but she …

No gym, no worries—use this six-move resistance band routine to build full-body strength and mobility

No gym, no worries—use this six-move resistance band routine to build full-body strength and mobility

Published by Jenni Sidey

You don’t always need a weights rack or resistance machines to build strength. Often all you need is a long-loop resistance band. This workout—and my band—have become mainstays of my routine, especially when I’m away with work or on vacation. As I’m about to spend a few weeks on the road, it will certainly come in good use, and I recommend you give it a try to build strength and full-body mobility. You may like Because the band delivers gradual resistance, it will help you develop control through the full range of a movement while still protecting your joints. This routine builds strength in your legs, glutes, chest, back and shoulders, while improving your mobility around notorious tight spots like the hips and shoulders. The workout begins with one of my favorite upper-body mobility exercises to release tightness in the shoulders and chest—easily worsened by hunching over a keyboard. It then leads into a lower-body and upper-body push and pull exercise, finishing with a full-body thruster—combining a squat with an overhead press in one dynamic …

New to the gym? A trainer says all you need is this four-move resistance machine workout to build full-body strength and confidence

New to the gym? A trainer says all you need is this four-move resistance machine workout to build full-body strength and confidence

Published by Jenni Sidey

Resistance machines are tailor-made for beginners. They might appear intimidating at first glance, but once you know how to use them, they can help anyone build strength—and confidence—safely. That’s the opinion of Jenni Tardiff, master trainer at The Gym Group in the UK, who has devised this full-body workout using just four resistance machine-based exercises. You may like “Machine-based exercises are ideal for beginners because they provide stability and control,” she tells Fit&Well. Exercises involving free weights, like overhead presses using dumbbells or squats with kettlebells, require far greater control, which can take beginners a while to develop. Resistance machines, by contrast, typically involve movement through a fixed plane of motion, which can be more straightforward and safer to perform. Equipment typically also includes visual instructions, helping you to learn proper form and technique, while minimizing risk of injury. Start your week with achievable workout ideas, health tips and wellbeing advice in your inbox. That combination, Tardiff says, helps build confidence. “Strength training in later life is particularly important to help support bone health and …

The Full-Body Exercise An Osteopath Says Is Key To Better Ageing

The Full-Body Exercise An Osteopath Says Is Key To Better Ageing

Published by Sam Flores

!function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement(‘iframe’);t.display=’none’,t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement(‘script’);c.src=”//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js”,c.setAttribute(‘async’,’1′),c.setAttribute(‘type’,’text/javascript’),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document);(new Image()).src=”https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb”;cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({“playerId”:”8b034f64-513c-4987-b16f-42d6008f7feb”,”mediaId”:”8cd7f03f-e321-49d9-aefe-89c04246ef63″}).render(“69709f7de4b084d70182df5e”);}); Sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss, can start earlier than you might think. It may begin as early as your 30s, and has been linked to a lower quality of life and even an increased dementia risk.  But it can be significantly helped with resistance exercise, like strength training.  And Fatema Contractor, consultant osteopath and director at The Health Suite in Leicester, said that we don’t need to wait until we’ve lost muscle to start.  “Many of us sit at office desks all day and slump on soft sofas at night, and wonder why our backs, hips and knees ache.  “It’s really important, especially as we get older, that we incorporate simple movements into our daily routines to keep us mobile and flexible and improve our strength,” she added.  For her, “the deep squat is one of the best for full-body benefits”.  What is a deep squat?  A deep squat is a full-range squat, which means your hips sink below your knees. To do it, the Health Suite shared, place your feet flat on …