It's all about the abs!
Jane Arlow • June 5, 2020
Only got ten minutes a day to workout? Here are five exercises for you!
What can you do, if you only have ten minutes a day and still want to work pretty much all of the muscles that constitute your core? I have five exercises for you to do - try them every day for a week and let me know how much stronger you feel and how much better you're moving!
By the way, you can add foam rollers (lie along it or with it under your pelvis); a small squishy ball (under your pelvis); or bands (round feet) to any/ all of these for variation as you'll see in the linked videos.
PS - the cheesy grin is optional!
The Hundred
The very first Pilates exercise if you do them in the "classical order" - the aim of this exercise is to prepare you for all the other work that you'll do.
You can do this with your feet on the floor, your legs in table-top or with your legs straight and extended at anything from 90 (easiest) to 60 (hardest) degrees. Focus on keeping your belly pulled into your spine throughout the exercise.
If your feet are off the floor, use your hip flexors to maintain the legs still and steady. When you start pumping the arms, focus on isolating the movement into the shoulder joints, so the upper body and head stay still while your work the muscles that run just below your armpits.
Remember, we are not at home to Mrs Spaghetti Arms! F
or some breathing variations, try either one hundred sharp exhalations or breathing in for five counts and out for five counts for a total of one hundred.
Not sure what it looks like? Check out this video
Single Leg Stretch
Now you're warmed up after The Hundred, let's crack on and add some more movement.
Single Leg Stretch
is a really valuable exercise that teaches stability and emphasises your abdominal muscles. They've got multiple roles here: they keep your upper body lifted off the mat; they support the weight of your legs; and they stop your pelvis rocking from side to side.
Throughout the exercise, focus on keeping the belly button pulled in and notice what's happening with your lower back (should be lightly imprinted into the mat) and the hips (your butt should be stable on the floor with weight evenly distributed through both cheeks throughout).
Remember that the lower you drop your straight leg, the harder your abs have got to work to keep everything stable. This is one of my favourite exercises and I have so many variations that you can check out here. Perform ten stretches with each leg
Single Straight Leg Stretch
Now you've managed to keep stable with one leg straight....let's add make them both straight! Woohoo, so much more weight for your abs to hold up when you straighten both the legs. Once again, the lower you drop you legs, the harder your abs have to work.
Also, if you have tight hamstrings, you get a bonus hamstring stretch into the bargain. Win.
Focus on keeping the upper body still and on keeping your shoulder blades in neutral. Ten stretches with either leg. Watch the video here
Double Leg Stretch
Now we are cooking with gas! Both legs, at the same time, from bent to straight. Your abs and hip flexors will be so grateful to finish off with ten of these.
As with the other two stretch exercises above, keep your belly button pulled in, your spine lightly imprinted and your butt cheeks still on the mat. If you want double trouble, you can extend the arms in the opposite direction to the legs.
This set of variations goes from easiest (with a band) to hardest (upright on a foam roller which works the hip flexors like a beast and on a ball on your elbows which works the abs hardest). Whichever option you choose, please do ten of them.
Double Straight Leg Stretch
For this exercise, we start with legs directly above the hips and head and shoulders lifted off the mat, with hands behind the head. Turn the toes out so that the heels are together, but squeeze the thighs and calves together. Check out some variations here.
Once again, keeping belly button in, lower back imprinted and butt still on the mat, inhale to drop the legs as low as you can go without the spine lifting; exhale to bring them back up. Guess how many times?
If you want to make this a whole lot more fun, let me remind you of my favourite torture of "The Interrupted Hundred" - do twenty breaths of The Hundred; 10 x Single Leg Stretch; twenty more breaths of The Hundred; 10 x Single Straight Leg Stretch; twenty more of The Hundred; 10 x Double Leg Stretch; twenty more breaths of The Hundred; 10 x Double Straight Leg Stretch; and finish with twenty final breaths of The Hundred. Your abs and hip flexors will be burning.
If you start getting too tired and find yourself shifting about, bring your feet to the floor for each set of The Hundred.
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Because movement really is medicine for your brain
And not just because it feels great!
Because no one wants the lurgy!
And the first one's a doozie!
October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and if you haven't done it recently, please let this be the nudge you need to give them a good feel up. Here 's a link to the NHS website below showing how to perform your check and what to look for. If you're one of my gentlemen readers, please don't think this doesn't apply to you. It does. Men can still get breast cancer. And if you find something that doesn't seem right, please contact your GP as soon as possible. 80-90% of lumps are likely to be benign, but for the small percentage of those that aren't, early detection and treatment are your best chances of having successful treatment and being around to annoy friends and family for a long time. Don't skip your mammogram I know having mammograms is really uncomfortable. But this is one of the best ways to check for cancers that aren't otherwise easily spotted. So if you get invited, please go. (And don't skip your smear test either!!!) Know your risk factors 1 in 7 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime. Here are some of the risk factors: - Age : older women are more likely to get breast cancer than younger women and age is the highest risk factor. - Genetics : Breast cancer risk is higher if you have first-degree relatives who've had it (although 85% of women with a relative with breast cancer WON'T get it). - Breast density (relates to the percentage of non-fatty tissue): the risk is highest for those with the most dense tissue. You can ask your radiographer to tell you whether you have dense tissue at your mammogram. - Lifestyle factors: These include having overweight or obesity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use and insufficient physical activity. - Exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: These "forever" chemicals, such as pthalates and parabens, show up in makeup and toiletries. Risk doesn't normally come from one exposure to one chemical, but from prolonged exposure to many different chemicals over a long period of time. You can read more about the risks here It's worth noting that even if you get a diagnosis, it's unlikely you'll ever know if there was "one thing" that caused it. What happens if you get a diagnosis of breast cancer? I am in no way competent to comment on the treatment plan your medical team recommend for you. Everyone I know who's had breast cancer has had a different treatment plan, depending on: the stage of cancer; whether it had spread further; whether it was hormone-receptive; whether it was due to genetic mutation; and the age of the woman. I do know that for all of us, it was a really scary time. You should be given access to resources outside of the surgical and oncology team, often via a Macmillan nurse, who can answer questions on topics from your treatment and reactions, to claiming for extra benefits. They're also great if you're not sure what questions to ask. While you're in the heat of the panic, it can be difficult to think clearly about what you need to know. Using "what should I be asking that I'm not?" is super helpful. Keep moving after your diagnosis, during and after treatment The one thing I can advise you on with all confidence, is to keep moving. Exercise is safe, possible and helpful for individuals with breast cancer, throughout the treatment cycle. In fact, international guidelines say you should try to get back to your normal activities as soon as possible. Exercise can help reduce the risk of cancer coming back; and may stop stage 1 cancers from growing further; and can also reduce treatment side effects like tiredness, cognitive impairment or lympoedema. Yes, you may need to dial back your usual activities if treatment leaves you feeling exhausted. But whenever you can, please aim for 150 minutes of exercise in every week. Many forms of treatment also lead to a higher osteoporosis risk, so please also do resistance-based and/or some impact-based exercise every week. I'd also recommend paying attention to shoulder mobility. Scar tissue and "guarding" of surgery sites can reduce your range of movement a lot. Check in with your medical team to confirm if there's any specific movements you should avoid during your treatment plan, and when you'll be signed off to go back to them. One last piece of advice someone else gave me... When you tell people you have cancer, a lot of them will have an opinion on your treatment plan. Especially if they're of the "my friend cured their cancer by just eating this one thing.." type. Unless this person is an oncologist, you can safely ignore them! So, what are you still doing reading this? Go off and give yourself a fondle!
I bet you've asked these yourself!
Because resting is revolution in a world that wants to keep you agitated!
Why should I do Pilates?
Spoiler alert...
What are "Bungalow Legs"?