November 12, 2015
The Workout You Need When Your Muscles Are Sore. Really Sore.
It is always a sign that your workout is doing what it should when your muscles hurt a day or two later. Ideally you should only experience a mild pain that reminds you of your activities but allows you to carry on with your day and your planned workout. But sometimes, we over do it. Sometimes, life is hell. You can't walk up stairs or carry anything in your arms. You ache from head to toe! This pain should happen rarely but when it does, it is important to take stock of your body and plan a workout that focuses on recovery.
We've got that workout! The body recovers best when engaged in some activity. The following gentle routine from Women's Health will increase your range of movement and get blood and oxygen to those sore parts.
The workout: Begin with 10 minutes on a stationary bike, pedaling at a speed and resistance that increases your heart rate to between 120 and 140 beats per minute and brings on a light sweat. After the warm-up, move through the five exercises below for the suggested time or repetitions. Move as fast as your body will allow.
Stand with your feet directly under your hips, and reach your arms up toward the ceiling (A). Brace your core as you bend forward at the hips as far as you can while keeping a flat back (B). Squeeze your butt as you return to the standing position, and reach overhead and backward to create a slight backbend (C). Return to the starting position, and release your arms down to your sides. That’s one rep. Do five reps.
From a standing position with feet together, take a very large step back with your left leg, and lower your hips towards the floor as you bend your right knee. Touch the floor on the outside of your right foot. Hold for three deep breaths (A). Press your right heel to come up into a high lunge, and windmill your arms so that the right reaches back toward your left foot and your left arm reaches forward. Look over your right shoulder, and hold for three deep breaths (B). Reverse the movement to return to standing with your feet together. Repeat the same sequence stepping back onto your right leg. That’s one rep. Do five reps on each side.
Begin at the top of a push up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet together (A). Press into the floor with your upper body, and lift your hips up and back into a downward-facing dog pose. Hold for five deep breaths (B). Lower your hips until you're back in a push up position while squeezing your butt. Then, continue lowering your hips toward the floor and sweep your chest forward and upward into an upward-facing dog pose. Hold this pose for three breaths (C). Push back up to the starting push up position. That’s one rep. Do five reps.
Sit with a medium medicine ball on your left side, your legs bent on the floor, your left foot touching the top of your right thigh, and your right leg bent behind you. Reach your right arm out to the side (A). Take a deep breath, exhale, and slowly reach your right arm upward and over your head while rolling the ball away from you. You should feel a gentle stretch in the right side of your torso, back, and hips. Hold for two slow breaths (B). Brace your core, and return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Do five reps on each side.
Sit with your legs extended in front of you, and hold a medium medicine ball directly in front of your chest with your arms fully extended. Sit tall with your core braced (A). Keeping your feet together and flexed, use your core to slowly roll backward and down to the floor while your arms stay directly in front of your chest (B). As you exhale, tuck your chin toward your chest, and pull yourself up using your core muscles to return to the upright position. That’s one rep. Do five reps.
Don't your muscles feel better already?
Do you have a favourite routine for those days when you can barely move? Share with us!
Source: Women's Health
Exercise 1: PORT DE BRAS
Stand with your feet directly under your hips, and reach your arms up toward the ceiling (A). Brace your core as you bend forward at the hips as far as you can while keeping a flat back (B). Squeeze your butt as you return to the standing position, and reach overhead and backward to create a slight backbend (C). Return to the starting position, and release your arms down to your sides. That’s one rep. Do five reps.
Exercise 2: LOW LUNGE INTO HIGH LUNGE WITH TWIST
From a standing position with feet together, take a very large step back with your left leg, and lower your hips towards the floor as you bend your right knee. Touch the floor on the outside of your right foot. Hold for three deep breaths (A). Press your right heel to come up into a high lunge, and windmill your arms so that the right reaches back toward your left foot and your left arm reaches forward. Look over your right shoulder, and hold for three deep breaths (B). Reverse the movement to return to standing with your feet together. Repeat the same sequence stepping back onto your right leg. That’s one rep. Do five reps on each side.
Exercise 3: HINDU PUSHUP
Begin at the top of a push up position with your hands directly under your shoulders and feet together (A). Press into the floor with your upper body, and lift your hips up and back into a downward-facing dog pose. Hold for five deep breaths (B). Lower your hips until you're back in a push up position while squeezing your butt. Then, continue lowering your hips toward the floor and sweep your chest forward and upward into an upward-facing dog pose. Hold this pose for three breaths (C). Push back up to the starting push up position. That’s one rep. Do five reps.
Exercise 4: MERMAID WITH BALL
Sit with a medium medicine ball on your left side, your legs bent on the floor, your left foot touching the top of your right thigh, and your right leg bent behind you. Reach your right arm out to the side (A). Take a deep breath, exhale, and slowly reach your right arm upward and over your head while rolling the ball away from you. You should feel a gentle stretch in the right side of your torso, back, and hips. Hold for two slow breaths (B). Brace your core, and return to the starting position. That’s one rep. Do five reps on each side.
Exercise 5: ROLL BACK AND UP
Sit with your legs extended in front of you, and hold a medium medicine ball directly in front of your chest with your arms fully extended. Sit tall with your core braced (A). Keeping your feet together and flexed, use your core to slowly roll backward and down to the floor while your arms stay directly in front of your chest (B). As you exhale, tuck your chin toward your chest, and pull yourself up using your core muscles to return to the upright position. That’s one rep. Do five reps.
Don't your muscles feel better already?
Do you have a favourite routine for those days when you can barely move? Share with us!
Source: Women's Health