Get fit, feel fit - Day 2
Keep on shakingFlexi-Bar workout by Jennai Cox, Fitness Editor
CORE stability is an important physical attribute, the mechanics of which can be hard to grasp. Because the muscles in the core (torso) are activated almost immediately when using the Flexi-Bar, it helps those trying it to understand exactly which muscles are being worked, Dean Hodgkin, who teaches classes with the bar, said.
This thin fibreglass pole with weights at both ends is light and easy to hold but provides a more challenging workout than at first might appear. “The first step is to get the bar shaking and the second is to keep it shaking, which is harder than it sounds,” Hodgkin said. “It draws attention to any muscular imbalances users have but, by using it regularly, the core muscles become stronger.”
DAY TWO
EXERCISES (For both, perform one set of 12-15 repetitions without shaking the bar, then two sets of 12-15 repeats while shaking it).
SQUAT (left): Standing with feet hip-width apart, hold the bar down in front of the body with both hands. Squat down by bending your knees and sitting back as you would into a chair. Ensure that your chest remains lifted and your knees do not project over your toes.
LUNGE: Take your right foot one stride-length in front of the left and balance on the toes of the back foot. Keep your feet about hip-width apart to assist balance. Hold the bar at chest level with both hands as you slowly lower the torso by bending both knees.
Tomorrow: sit-ups and oblique twists
Exercise provided by Dean Hodgkin, international fitness presenter who teaches Flexi-Bar classes at Ragdale Hall (www.ragdalehall.co.uk). For more information on the Flexi-Bar, which comes complete with a total-body workout video, visit www.flexi-bar.co.uk
Talk to your GP before embarking on a new exercise regime and do not undertake any physical activity if you feel unwell or are recovering from injury.