Reverse Raise
Tones triceps
1 Stand with your feet about
hip-width apart with your knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, allowing your arms to hang naturally by your sides, palms facing in.
2 Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise them behind you as high as is comfortably possible, rotating your palms so they face the ceiling. Pause, then slowly lower back to start.
PULLOVER
Tones chest and back
1 Lie
on a mat on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat (if this is uncomfortable, you can do this exercise on a bed). Grasp a dumbbell by the ends with both hands and raise it above your chest.
2 Keeping your elbows straight, lower your arms back and over your head as far as is comfortably possible (don't arch your back). Pause, then return to start.
routine 1 Easy does it
Day 1 Stretches
Easy
WALL TWIST
Stretches chest and shoulders
Stand with your left side at rightangle to a wall, then reach out with your right arm, and place your hand against the wall. Gently turn your torso towards the left, away from your arm, as far as is comfortably possible. Hold, then switch sides.
NECK STRETCH
Stretches neck and upper back
Sit up straight in a supportive chair and drop your chin towards your chest.
Slowly drop your head towards your right shoulder, trying to touch your ear to your shoulder as you let your shoulders drop. Hold, return to centre, then switch sides. Put your right hand over to your left ear to help with the stretch.
HAND PULL
Stretches hands, wrists and forearms
Sit up straight in a chair and extend your right arm with your wrist flexed and your fingers pointed towards the ceiling. Using your left hand, pull your right fingertips back towards your body as far as is comfortably possible. Hold, then switch sides.
BLACK STRETCH
Stretches upper back
Stand with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart. Extend both arms straight in front of you and lace your fingertips together, turning your hands so your palms face outwards. Press your palms away from you, straigthening your arms and rounding your back as far as is comfortably possible.
routine 1 Easy does it
Day 2 Strength exercises
Easy
SEATED LEG EXTENSION Strengthens quadriceps
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and hold onto the sides of the seat for support. Slowly lift your left leg until it's straight in front of you. Pause for 1 or 2 seconds, then slowly lower your leg. Repeat with the oppoiste leg. Alternate ten times for one set.
STANDING LEG CURL
Strengthens hamstrings
Stand facing a wall with your feet about hip-width apart and place your hands against the wall for support. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend your right leg at the knee, raising your heel towards your bottom until your shin is parallel to the floor. Pause for 2 seconds, then return to start. Complete a full set with one leg before switching to the other.
MARCH AND SWING Strengthening legs, bottom and back
1 Stand with your left hand on your hip and the other on a chair back or tabletop for support. Raise your left knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor, with the foot flexed.
2 Straighten your left leg, pressing the heel forward and towards the floor as you lean your torso slightly backwards.
3 Return to the knee-lifted position, then straighten your left leg behind you, leaning forward with your torso. Complete a full set with one leg before switching to the other.
TIP-TOES Strengthens calves
1 Stand behind a chair with your feet hip-width apart and one hand planted on the chair for support.
2 Using your calf muscles, slowly rise onto your toes as high as is comfortably possible. Pause, then slowly lower your heels back to the floor.
routine 1 Easy does it
Day 2 Stretches
Easy
HAMSTRING STRETCH
Stretches hamstrings
Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. Raise your right leg towards the ceiling, then clasp your hands round the back of your right thigh and gently pull it towards your chest (use a towel if you can't reach). Hold, then switch legs.
SEATED FIGURE 4 Stretches glutes, lower back and hips
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Cross your right ankle over your left knee so your calf is parallel to the floor and your right knee is pointing to the right. Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch deep in your right glute muscle. Hold, then switch legs.
SEATED CALF STRETCH
Stretches calves
Sit on the edge of a chair with your left foot flat on the floor and your right leg extended with the
foot flexed. Loop a towel around the ball of your right foot and, keeping your back straight, gently pull your foot towards you as far as is comfortably possible. Hold, then switch legs.
KNEE DROP Stretches groin and inner thigh
Lie on a mat on the floor (or, if more comfortable, on a bed) with your knees bent and your feet flat. Place your hands on the inside of your legs and gently let your knees fall out and down towards the floor or bed. Then gently press down to deepen the stretch as far as is comfortably possible Hold relax, then repeat.
Tones triceps
1 Stand with your feet about
2 Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise them behind you as high as is comfortably possible, rotating your palms so they face the ceiling. Pause, then slowly lower back to start.
PULLOVER
Tones chest and back
1 Lie
2 Keeping your elbows straight, lower your arms back and over your head as far as is comfortably possible (don't arch your back). Pause, then return to start.
routine 1 Easy does it
Day 1 Stretches
Easy
WALL TWIST
Stretches chest and shoulders
Stand with your left side at rightangle to a wall, then reach out with your right arm, and place your hand against the wall. Gently turn your torso towards the left, away from your arm, as far as is comfortably possible. Hold, then switch sides.
NECK STRETCH
Stretches neck and upper back
Sit up straight in a supportive chair and drop your chin towards your chest.
HAND PULL
Stretches hands, wrists and forearms
Sit up straight in a chair and extend your right arm with your wrist flexed and your fingers pointed towards the ceiling. Using your left hand, pull your right fingertips back towards your body as far as is comfortably possible. Hold, then switch sides.
BLACK STRETCH
Stretches upper back
Stand with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart. Extend both arms straight in front of you and lace your fingertips together, turning your hands so your palms face outwards. Press your palms away from you, straigthening your arms and rounding your back as far as is comfortably possible.
routine 1 Easy does it
Day 2 Strength exercises
Easy
SEATED LEG EXTENSION Strengthens quadriceps
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and hold onto the sides of the seat for support. Slowly lift your left leg until it's straight in front of you. Pause for 1 or 2 seconds, then slowly lower your leg. Repeat with the oppoiste leg. Alternate ten times for one set.
STANDING LEG CURL
Strengthens hamstrings
Stand facing a wall with your feet about hip-width apart and place your hands against the wall for support. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend your right leg at the knee, raising your heel towards your bottom until your shin is parallel to the floor. Pause for 2 seconds, then return to start. Complete a full set with one leg before switching to the other.
MARCH AND SWING Strengthening legs, bottom and back
1 Stand with your left hand on your hip and the other on a chair back or tabletop for support. Raise your left knee until the thigh is parallel to the floor, with the foot flexed.
2 Straighten your left leg, pressing the heel forward and towards the floor as you lean your torso slightly backwards.
3 Return to the knee-lifted position, then straighten your left leg behind you, leaning forward with your torso. Complete a full set with one leg before switching to the other.
TIP-TOES Strengthens calves
1 Stand behind a chair with your feet hip-width apart and one hand planted on the chair for support.
2 Using your calf muscles, slowly rise onto your toes as high as is comfortably possible. Pause, then slowly lower your heels back to the floor.
routine 1 Easy does it
Day 2 Stretches
Easy
HAMSTRING STRETCH
Stretches hamstrings
Lie on your back with your knees bent and both feet flat on the floor. Raise your right leg towards the ceiling, then clasp your hands round the back of your right thigh and gently pull it towards your chest (use a towel if you can't reach). Hold, then switch legs.
SEATED FIGURE 4 Stretches glutes, lower back and hips
Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor. Cross your right ankle over your left knee so your calf is parallel to the floor and your right knee is pointing to the right. Keeping your back straight, lean forward from the hips until you feel a stretch deep in your right glute muscle. Hold, then switch legs.
SEATED CALF STRETCH
Stretches calves
Sit on the edge of a chair with your left foot flat on the floor and your right leg extended with the
foot flexed. Loop a towel around the ball of your right foot and, keeping your back straight, gently pull your foot towards you as far as is comfortably possible. Hold, then switch legs.
KNEE DROP Stretches groin and inner thigh
Lie on a mat on the floor (or, if more comfortable, on a bed) with your knees bent and your feet flat. Place your hands on the inside of your legs and gently let your knees fall out and down towards the floor or bed. Then gently press down to deepen the stretch as far as is comfortably possible Hold relax, then repeat.
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