Deep Oceanic Breaths (Ujjayi Pranayam)

This yoga pose could be performed at any place and at any time and involves protracted, gradual deep breaths to be taken that instantaneously relax tensed body and mind.

• Closing the throat and breathing in from the back of one’s throat for a minimal of 4 counts.
• Now doing strong breath exhalations via the nose.

The warmness and regularity of the manner in which such breaths are taken during this yoga pose would soothe the mind and body for bracing oneself for any highs and lows during one’s day at work. This breathing method could be ideally practiced the moment one is seated at the rear of the car wheel as a preparatory move for the commuting ahead. These are again to be done prior to getting off the wheel or while stuck in a traffic jam. This breathing method to be carried out five to eight times should ideally be done prior to starting the below mentioned tension-allaying exercises.

Gyratory Head Rolls

• During a traffic snarl when matters don’t seem to budge, one could use that time for working out the cricks in the neck area by doing gradual head rolling moves around in broad circular motions.
• Keeping the shoulders down and on spotting a knotted or tensed area, holding the head in that position and taking 5 deep breaths.
• Letting every exhalation undo some rigidity of that area.
• Rolling the head very gradually two times during clockwise and anticlockwise circular moves.

Torso-shoulders Unwinding Moves

• When stuck in a jam, try being seated in an erect pose and placing feet hip width apart and knee area direct on top the ankle area.
• Interlacing fingers at the back of one’s head and relaxing shoulder and elbow areas till they feel floppy.
• Now, after lifting trunk and tucking chin, the elbows are to be stretched backwards.
• One would sense the shoulders loosening up and the trunk swell up. Taking 5 breaths, relaxing for a couple of breaths and then repeating the above moves. A slight cracking sound could be felt during exhalation.

Back-Bending Moves

• When engulfed in a jam, reaching the hands over one’s head.
• Inhaling deep and during exhalation folding the body ahead till arms and torso are dangling over the thighs or the car wheel. Taking 5 deep breaths.
• During the subsequent instant, folding forwards and grabbing either elbow using the opposing hand.
• The arm weight would help in opening up the lower portion of back and allow the stretch move stealthily till the hams.

Hip-Relaxing Moves

• On reaching workplace, prior to starting off with the day’s routines try this move for unwinding the hips.
• Stand against a barrier or fence for balancing oneself, placing left foot on the inner side of the right thigh or calf and then balancing by pushing the foot on the standing leg.
• For opening the hips, pressing the leg of the bended knee backwards. Though it would not be able to reach far, yet the endeavor would help in relaxing and loosening the hip joints.
• In case one finds that the foot slides downward from where it was placed on the leg then holding the ankle.
• Standing tall by raising rib cage and flatten the back. Taking 5 deep breaths and switching sides.

Twists

• A basic big bathing or beach-use towel would be needed to start off on these exercises for losing weight.
• This exercise when done correctly would target areas of the arm, leg and core muscles.
• Standing in a position by placing feet close to one another and right foot to be placed on a towel and the two ends to be held in each of the hands.
• Now pulling on the towel and straightening the right foot ahead of oneself.
• Grabbing the tips of the towel using the left hand and then twisting trunk towards one’s right, extend right arm outwards to the side at shoulder height.
• Holding this pose for ten seconds and then lowering, switching sides and then repeating.
• Doing five such repetitions on both sides.

Half-Lunar Moves

• One starts off by standing in position such that the feet are a couple of feet away from one another, bending knees to some extent, turning right foot to sides and left foot placed forwards.
• The towel to be held at the back of oneself, one of the tips held in both hands and extending arms outwards to one’s sides at shoulder height.
• Keep arms outward and backwards straight, hinging from hip region to one’s right, raising left leg till it is parallel to the ground.
• Straightening right leg and holding for fifteen seconds. Lowering and switching sides and then repeating.
• Doing five repetitions on either side.

Crunching Tucks or Pikes

• This is one of the firming exercises for losing weight which works the abdominals, legs and core muscles.
• One starts off by lying flat on the ground and extending legs over the hip area and arms over one’s head. Crunching upwards and reach both the hands towards the feet.
• Keep the legs straightened and bringing arms back over one’s head as one lowers the upper portion of the back and right leg towards the ground.
• Now crunching upward, lift right leg over the hip area and reach hands towards the toes. Switching legs and repeating.
• Doing twenty repetitions and swapping sides.

Push-ups

• This move works on the areas like bicep, triceps, torso, upper portion of the back and core muscles.
• Starting off in the up-phase of a push up pose.
• Now, hugging the elbow area to one’s sides and bending them straight backwards, lower the body till one is approximately five inches off the ground, keep the abdominals engaged, neck erect and lifting hip area.
• Holding for three seconds and then straightening arms for returning to beginning stance and then repeating.

All that is needed to get started on this fantastic workout program is a jump rope (like the one from Reebok costing just twelve dollars). Circuit is to be repeated thrice.

Foot-Firing Combos

• One starts off by straightening the jump rope on the ground, straddling the rope with feet placed apart from each other.
• Bending the elbows by shank and forearm placed out on one’s sides in parallel to the ground and hands to face forwards.
• Moving the feet upwards and downwards as quickly as doable (soccer drill-types) to be done for twenty seconds.

Squat Jacking

• Standing with feet placed close to one another, hold each of the handles in either hand.
• The areas of the arm, abdominals, buttocks and leg are targeted in this exercise.

Jump Rope Interchanging High Knee Moves

• Standing with feet placed slightly apart and hold one knob of the jumping rope in either hand.
• Jumping rope and bringing left knee upward ahead of us as near the hip level as doable while the right left is skipping as normal.
• Switching the leg on the subsequent jumping and bring the right knee upward.
• Continuing swapping the knees for sixty seconds.

Jump Rope Running

• Standing with the feet about shoulder width placed at a distance; hold one knob of the jumping rope in both hands.
• Jumping the rope and attempt touching the left heel to the buttocks while right leg is skipping as normal.
• Switching the legs on the subsequent skip, bring the right heel towards the buttocks.
• Doing six skips in totality, alternate the legs every instant, then jumping straight upwards with both the feet at one time and repeating the combination for sixty seconds.

Zig-Zagging Move

• Straightening jump rope on the ground. Standing with feet in concert to left of the jump rope at one end, facing the converse end.
• Jumping in a diagonal manner to right side of the jump rope, place feet close to each other, then swiftly jumping obliquely to left side of the jump rope.
• Continuing skipping forwards in zig-zag manner till one reaches the other end and reversing the skips back to beginning.
• Continuing skipping forwards and backwards for sixty seconds.

This cheap yet vastly effective workout program targets key areas like abdominals, buttocks, legs, arms and torso with promising results.

To add the zest back into the 5 or 10K or for those marathon trainers, here’s a lowdown of the light and tech-savvy sophisticated gadgetry that is bound to make sprinting less monotonous.

Although not being among those thingamabob hogging ones, test running one of them would be all the rekindling one would require to set sprinting into top gear.

• Try the New Trainers

  Sneaker manufacturers (Nike Free 5.0, New Balance, Newton Running) have come up with sprinting shoes that have such an innate feel to them that it feels that one is not having any shoes on, with no compromise on the steadiness of robust yet bendable soles. The deep-set furrows alongside the base, the ultra lightness felt on wearing these shoes not just facilitates free movement but also the sole moulds itself in accordance to one’s innate movements. The projections on the front portion of the foot supports fore and mid foot striking rather than land on the heels thus lowering injury.

• Wrist-donning heart-rate monitors

  Having handy a good quality heart-rate monitor would give an edge to any runner as the ocular prompter of one’s heart rate helps one in developing a constant speed and perceiving when one has to press on or dawdle the pace. The presently obtainable wrist-donning heart-rate monitors are GPS-enabled and have pace- computing sensors (foot pod) and data-examination devices could be the answer to enhancing one’s sprinting and inspirational constancy, as one could keep tabs on each aspect of one’s performance variations over spans on time. Great choices are the novel Garmin Forerunner 310XT, Polar RS800CX that constantly measure tread length (the amount of land being covered in every step, tempo, distance from the ground, pace and even averaging all these. The GPS facility is functional irrespective of which part of the globe one is in.

• Tuning In while Calorie Burning

  The much adored Nike + Sport Kit despite not having the GPS facility employs a sensing device placed into an attuned Nike shoe for tracking pace and distance covered. The sensing device then transmits that data via wireless medium to an iPhone and is even compatible with the former version iPod Nano through a tiny receiving device connected to the MPEG3 player. Thus it is easy to view the distance covered, speed and the calories burnt when one listens to an eclectic blend of music to keep you revved up while running. The Nike slender sport bands (appearance similar to a watch) offers data about the distance, speed and the calories burnt and with capacity to hold thirty hours worth information.

• Gratis Application worth its while

  In case one is apprehensive about sprinting with no GPS facility fearing landing into risky terrain, a gratis intelligent phone application ‘RunKeeper’ maintains track of the essentials of how far, pace and time. The plus point being one has a GPS facility phone, pulsating music and a handy sprinting register. One could even keep pals informed via twittering and Facebook about your sprinting rank. The cons are the slightly unwieldy nature of it, plus the profuse perspiration slathering all over the phone, hence remembering to have it encased in a waterproofing cover.

• Running the net

  All-inclusive websites like the Polar, Nike+ sprinters could craft sprinting and fitness targets, record information, keep tabs on their improvement and even dare others to beat them.

The faddish health gadget is also among the key reasons for the aging Madonna’s fabulous curves. With just ten minute spared for three times in a week on the vibrating platform of the Power Plate will aid in toning, weight loss and raise stamina.

The gadget benefits the body by including vibration to the workout by contracting the muscles 25-50 times more every second that tremendously enhances the efficacy of the workout with negligible impact on joints and ligaments.

By just standing on the power plate with knees bent will accelerate the burnout of calories. A proper warming up and cooling down session is of utmost importance in any workout. The vibrations of the power plate can be used to massage the quads and hamstrings while resting the remaining part of the body on the support pad. This posture needs to be followed for one minute at the commencement and conclusion of the workout.

By just balancing the leg stretched on the power plate will increase the effectiveness of the vibrations.

Novices can start with standing tiptoed with the knees slightly bent. The arms can be worked by holding the machine handle and bending the elbows to a posture wherein one can maintain control of the body while keeping a balance on the toes and hands, doing both the postures for half a minute and relaxing the other half minute.

If weight loss is intended, then lunges can be undertaken by bending the leg on the plate, staying in the posture for half a minute, slowly escalating the held time to one minute. The triceps can be targeted by raising the hips off the edging of the power plate while holding the handle and bending the elbow.

Using this resourceful fitness machine, varying body parts are placed in touch with the platform in different exercise steps like squatting, lunging, push-ups, ab-crunching, tricep dunk or bicep twists for a time span hold of one minute during which various muscle sets get stretched, toned and strengthened collectively.

Power plates also decrease stress by lowering cortisol levels, increasing the feel-good neurotransmitter, serotonin and improving lymphatic flow. It causes a surge of the Human Growth Hormone and raises bone mineral density. It facilitates collagen production leading to taut, beautiful skin. It also raises blood circulation and oxygen supply leading to effective flushing out of toxins from the body, thus reducing cellulite, summing up to an absolute spa experience.

Pole Walking:

• As simplistic as inculcating a pair of sticks, preferably a set of Nordic poles to your daily walking ritual will not only bolster upper body strength and fortitude, really engaging the core muscles, decreases the stress on the knees and makes the workout effectual by burning 20-45% more calories than the regular walking routine alone undertaken at similar speed.
• The lighter weight, grip-able, cushioned rubber-tipped Nordic poles are the idyllic and potent additives to your daily walking ritual. This can be done by firstly holding the poles attempting not to grip the handles too tightly, keeping vision straight ahead, head up with neck relaxed, one need to lean forwards very slightly from the ankles and not the hip area. The front foot should land heel-first while pushing off the toes of one’s back foot.
• Now swinging one arm forwards from one’s shoulder, not the elbow until completely extended similar to reaching out for a handshake. In the meantime, driving the opposite arm back past the hip area while pushing back on the pole till it is totally extended behind us.
• With the right pole and shoulder swinging forwards, the right foot and hip should drive backwards, repeating this on the left side. The poles should land in line with the opposite heel angled forwards forming a 45degrees angle.

Vesting Way:

• Including the weighted vest into one’s wardrobe is the best decision one can take towards a trimmer you. This outfit rather than concealing the flab will actually accelerate its burning.
• Available from Nordic Track, it weighs near twenty pounds and is easily modifiable to fit varying body shapes, fitting snugly over the shoulders, facilitating one to burn additional calories while engaging in any form of sport from pull-ups to walking.

Wii-Fi Fit Kit:

• How about a video fitness game to raise one’s activity levels and help boost physical well-being? The solution lies in the Wii Fit game programme that fits to the television and offers an assortment of potent choices from yoga to aerobics, strength building and balance based exercises.
• The regular use of this game is bound to give one the extra edge towards achieving optimal fitness levels.

While positioned on an oval-shaped board placed atop a roller or an inflatable cushion known as the IndoFLO, one is required to stay balanced on top of it. This prudent Indo Board technique was invented by a surfer Hunter Joslin in 1975, as a means of practising his sporting skills away from water who believes that its surpasses all sport forms due to its effectual integration of core fitness and balancing skills. But Indo Boards have since then have successfully managed to garner significant popularity, finding its way into several gym classes across the United States.

A usual session would comprise of three to four sections of balance exercise involving both the legs, followed by one-legged and upper body movements concluding with core- targeting exercises.

It is a complete mind-body workout mostly involving the application of the easily usable IndoFLO cushion in comparison to the roller for novices, with an additional body bar being incorporated for better balance and workout.

This workout has a plethora of benefits wherein staying atop the board during the one-sided and multilateral movements pumps up the heart rate while concurrently developing balance, lower body conditioning of the joints and muscles and creating a sense of self in space that is the crucial component to averting injury and recuperative sessions.

Spending more time on the board helps in getting those sculpted abdominal muscles and could imply lesser time engaging in weight training. As one steps up on the board, one’s core muscles are instantly engaged and with each shake they will only grow stronger.

These sport-specific indoors moves will not only assist one in mastering the Zen of surfing but also increase vigour, stamina, balance and the best cardiovascular workout while on land. So, what stopping you? Hop on board and be a glide-ator.

Exercise IV- Dive like a Swan

Lying down on the stomach pointing toes outwards, outstretching arms above your head, one is needed to lift the arms and the legs close to six inches above the ground. Now to a single count, visualize one’s legs being pulled out and back away from the hips. The next step would be circling the arms out to the sides and at the back then exhaling while reaching the arms as close to the toes with palms directed in. One has to stay in the position for a single count followed by getting the arms to the initial pose and relaxing the whole body to the ground. This has to be followed for close to eight times and is great for upper body conditioning.

Exercise V- Sideways incline with an upper body twist

Lying on one side with forearms directly underneath the shoulder and the hand should form a 90-degree angle with the body and legs being piled one on top of the other. Now, one needs to lift the hips off the ground so that the body forms a straight line from head to toe and at the same time extending the other arm upwards towards the ceiling. Next step would be scooping the extended arm in front of the body reaching the space underneath the chest and the floor, maintaining the twist solely from the waist upwards. Now, coming back up, following for four times and then touching the body to the floor, repeating this exercise on either sides.

Exercise VI- For washboard abs

In a seated position with feet placed forward, the upper body needs to be leaned backwards whilst contracting the abdominal muscles. With arms straightened out, interlocking all fingers except the index finger, the knees need to be lifted up the ground till a position where the knees form a tabletop with the shins. With arms pointing forwards, the knees need to be moved in clockwise circles to the right and going down, followed by circling the knees to the left and up in anti-clockwise circles, completing four circles in either direction. The knees need to be maintained at a 120-degree bend, straightening out as one makes a circle through to the 6 o’clock pose, while constantly constricting the abs to avert any back injury. This has to be done close to four times. The palms can be placed behind on the floor for support if one finds keeping arms outstretched a challenge.

Read more: The 20 Minutes Pilates Workout For A Toned Body – Part I

By simply setting aside 20 minutes thrice a week, within a month one is bound to notice a leaner self and tighter butts, belly and legs one could ever possess.

Exercise I- Circular movements in the air

For this one needs to lie down on a flat surface, putting the hands clasped together behind the head. Now, contracting the abdominal area, lift the upper part of the body to some extent off the ground. Now, with one leg raised just five inches off the ground, lift the other leg up perpendicular and straight up pointing towards the ceiling. With the core abdominal muscles engaged and hips in steady position, attempt to make 4 circular movements in the air, in first clockwise and then anti-clockwise directions. One needs to lower both legs switching sides and repeating the above said instructions.

Exercise II- Slant board

Be in a sitting position with feet placed forward. Now, one needs to place hands with fingers forward facing a little behind the waist area on the floor. Now, straightening both the legs, one needs to compress the heels of the feet and the palms onto the floor, contracting the abdominals while raising the hips off the ground till a position where in a straight line is formed from top to the toes. Now looking forwards, shoulders pressed down to the floor not allowing the elbows to lock at any instant, one needs to lift one leg straight upwards till as high as possible and then lowering it gradually, taking care to note that the other hip does not slump. This has to be done four times and then following it up on the opposite side.

Exercise III- Kicking back

Now going down on one’s knees, with hands on the floor, back in neutral position and toes placed under, suck in the belly inwards as much as possible while contracting the abdominals and raising both the knees close to two inches above the ground. Now, with abdominals engaged, drawing one knee close to the nose and then kicking it straight outwards behind you. The butts need to be squeezed; the lower abdominals in contracted position and the hips must face the floor to avert any back injury. One needs to follow this up for eight times with either leg.

Read more: The 20 Minutes Pilates Workout For A Toned Body – Part II

The key is adopting the following moves in slow, precise and consistent manner on a daily basis with just ten minutes of high intensity workout, wherein one is breathing heavy but not totally breathless  for optimal results. If one is targeting a specific body part, then the specific exercise for that part should be followed religiously with the specified time for each move can be increased if one needs to perform the move accurately. One can start off with donning a close to five pound vest for additional benefits when carrying out this exercise routine.

• Commence with thirty seconds of jumping. If one is outside, a bench can be used to do step ups with the starting with the left foot for thirty seconds and repeating for the same amount of time with the right foot.
• Now, one needs to place hands to the ground keeping a distance of six inches from the feet while bending without slouching the shoulders, knees bent and back to be kept as straight as one can possibly manage to. Now, with the hands placed on the ground, one needs to jump up one’s legs and land in a way that the right feet is in front of the left one, repeating the move with jumping once more to land with the left feet in front and the right feet in back. This mountain climbing move needs to be followed for thirty seconds.
• This can be followed by sprinting for four minutes that could involve either running fast for half a minute, jogging for a minute, repeating for three sets.
• Inclined push-ups on a bench need to be done for half a minute, followed by squatting for thirty seconds, releasing and then doing it for another half a minute.
• Standing with feet and shoulders wide apart, one needs to jump up with arms vertical up and landing on the ground with hands touching the floor similar to the above mountain climbing step. Next step is putting the feet back into a push-up posture, then returning to the mountain climbing position. Now, jumping up and standing with hands vertical up to return to the initial position. This needs to be done for thirty seconds.
• Now, coming back to the bench,  one needs to perform a front plank by bracing one’s abs, while maintaining an erect spine, shoulders loosened up and away from the ears, one needs to hold the plank for about a minute, repeating with side planks by doing half a minute on either sides.

Religiously following the above routine for just ten minutes a day, one can get a toned and fit body.