The muscles in the legs (yeah, I know I keep harping but stay with me) are the longest, and strongest in the body. They are also some of the easiest to stimulate for growth. If they get used, they stimulate the circulation, and that is a good thing right? Good blood circulation tends to make everything else work as best it can too. But if these muscles are just taken for granted, and not stimulated they will take the lazy way out!
When older leg muscles have been given the choice of working or lazing, and settle on being lazy, they will go along with the program as long as they are allowed to. As the muscles lose their strength, keeping balance becomes a very real issue.
To get the leg muscles out of their comfort zone is easy. Change the way they are used by doing repetitious things out of the comfort zone these muscles have slipped into. There may be an outcry from such an undignified prod to work in the form of tightness, and soreness at the onset, but these muscles rebound quickly. If there is actual Pain, please stop and consult someone about why. There should not be outright pain!
The second exercise of this series will again utilize a straight back chair, and will begin to build strength both upper and lower leg muscle groups. Other muscle groups will be affected, but we are focusing on the leg groups now.
Enough Blathering for now and on to the Fun!
- Begin by filling a glass with water and drinking some of it.
- Walk over to the chair and sit in it. (Pretty easy huh) Sit forward though, not all the way back. The goal is to stand back up.
- To stand back up comes next, but before you do, take a nice full breath of air and exhale as you slowly lift off the chair, back to a standing position. Remember to use your legs muscles to do this, and lean a little forward while lifting. Please use the chair for support if you need to.
- Take another full breath and sit back down taking care to keep your legs in contact with the chair legs, and lean over a little bit as you exhale.
- Drink a little bit more of the water, and try to finish the glassful by the end of the exercises. The water and air help feed the muscles as they work.
Repeat this exercise as many times as you feel it is easy. If the motions become difficult, Stop.
If you begin to be sore for a couple of days, you may just want to quit. Not good! Remember why you started in the first place.
So in summary;
- These squat like exercises are going to shock your leg muscles into a growth pattern.
- Growth brings added strength.
- Strength aids with balance.
- Balance allows you more freedom and confidence in everyday activities.
That is all I have for this post. I hope you find your own special value in it. I will have another exercise for you in a couple of days in The Continuing Quest for Balance.
Mr Hook