Feb 10 2009
Fitness in Just Fifteen Minutes a Day
What is the minimum amount of exercise needed for health and fitness? Although it depends on the person, lifestyle, and goals, the wisdom is that 20-60 minutes per day of cardio, weight lifting, or muscle stretching is necessary.
While no one can deny that these numbers produce optimal results, it is possible to achieve great things in less time.
The truth is that most terribly out of shape individuals have lost crucial “body-mind” link, a connection that helps them to feel the hunger for natural health movement. They hate sweating, do not like to walk, and often confuse thirst or emotional pain with actual hunger.
For those of us who have to pave the way for a new exercise routine, even five minutes a day can be a door to save lives in a healthier world.
Here are the rules:
1) To get the most out of this routine, which should extend throughout the day. I recommend sixty seconds of work at 9 am, 12 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm and 9 pm. This approach is called “Grease the Groove” and has an unusually powerful effect.
2) Focus on the abdominal muscles. They are the largest group of voluntary muscles of the body. They help posture, digestion and sexual function. They are critical to athletic performance, the energy transfer from the bottom of the upper body. When it comes to appearance, the abdominals are called “the window of health”-that is judged most often by our belt lines than any other physical factor.
3) It is virtually impossible to to tone up the stomach muscles without benefiting the other muscle groups throughout the body.
What exercises are best? I would suggest a three-pronged approach: a difficult exercise, a light exercise, and one that can be done in public while walking or driving.
1) A roller wheel. These are available at any sporting goods store about five U.S. dollars and are the only ab exercise develop their money worth. Start rolling from your knees. In time you will be able to perform the exercise from a standing position.
2) Hip lifts. Lie on your back, brace your hands at your sides, cross your feet and lift your knees and feet off of the ground. Now contract the abdominal muscles and lift the hips from the floor. Relax and repeat the hip lift for sixty seconds.
3) Power breathing. Contract your stomach muscles hard while walking or driving. Combined with proper breathing techniques, this may be the perfect ab exercise. There are many yoga, Tai Chi, and martial arts teachers who can teach you the correct technique of breathing, if you have not had this training then I would suggest you find a teacher!
While the “Grease the Groove” technique is powerful (and can be used to develop strength, flexibility, or coordination) is not a substitute for your normal cardiovascular workouts. Is offered as a complement to your normal exercise session or for those days you just can not find the time to get to the gym. It will hopefully provide you with yet another avenue to lead you to greater fitness.
