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Get a Total Body Workout in Bed
Who knew staying in bed could get you in such great shape?

What if I told you that today's workout can take place in bed? Sound too good to true? It isn't because the bed can actually be an effective place to perform both cardiovascular and strength protocols.  

 

Go ahead, stay in the sack and enjoy these 5 exercise that will strengthen your core, develop leaner muscles, and provide your joints with greater stability (which, will come into play when you are out on the town in your heels)!

How it works:

  • Perform each protocol for 30-60 seconds. 

  • There is no rest in between each protocol. 

  • You may repeat the routine 1-3 times. 

 

The plan: 

 

1. Planks: This exercise is performed with your forearms and toes on the bed. It is important to keep your torso straight, with your head relaxed. Hold this position for as long as possible.

 

2. Push Ups: This exercise is a staple of P.E. classes across America and can truly help sculpt your arms, while adding strength to your core and mid-section. Start by placing your knees (for modified) or toes and hands (directly, under shoulders) on the bed, while keeping your back straight. Next, lower your chest to the bed, then return to starting position. Perform as many reps as possible.

 

3.Tic Taps: From the push up, simply take your right hand and tap in front of your left elbow. After you make contact with the elbow, quickly retract the hands to the original position and perform with the opposite hand. Continue tapping back and forth with each for as long as you can.

 

4. Table Tops: Begin by sitting on the bed with your legs extended in front of you and your arms resting at your sides. Next, bend your knees and place your feet flat on the bed. Both your hands and feet should be flat on the bed pointing in opposite directions of each other. Then, in a smooth action, press firmly into your hands and feet. Straighten your elbows, and lift your hips up toward the ceiling in order to form a straight line with your hips, while making your body appear like a table. Hold the position and squeeze your glutes. Retract, and repeat.

 

5. High Fives: You have just performed the table top and are ready for the grand finale! Bring you body back to the table top position with your hips in a straight line and quickly take your right hand off of the bed and reach towards the ceiling. Continue alternating between your right and left hand.

 

So, next time you cant get out of bed, wake up and work out right then and there.

 

Good luck

Exercise your Brain

Dr. Morley recommends the following exercises to sharpen your mental skills:

 

  1. Test your recall. Make a list — of grocery items, things to do, or anything else that comes to mind — and memorize it. An hour or so later, see how many items you can recall. Make items on the list as challenging as possible for the greatest mental stimulation.

  2. Let the music play. Learn to play a musical instrument or join a choir. Studies show that learning something new and complex over a longer period of time is ideal for the aging mind.

  3. Do math in your head. Figure out problems without the aid of pencil, paper, or computer; you can make this more difficult — and athletic — by walking at the same time.

  4. Take a cooking class. Learn how to cook a new cuisine. Cooking uses a number of senses: smell, touch, sight, and taste, which all involve different parts of the brain.

   5. Learn a foreign language. The listening and hearing involved stimulates the brain. What’s more, a rich vocabulary            has been linked to a reduced risk for cognitive decline.

   6. Create word pictures. Visualize the spelling of a word in your head, then try and think of any other words that begin        (or end) with the same two letters.

   7. Draw a map from memory. After returning home from visiting a new place, try to draw a map of the area; repeat              this exercise each time you visit a new location.

   8. Challenge your taste buds. When eating, try to identify individual ingredients in your meal, including subtle herbs          and spices.

   9. Refine your hand-eye abilities. Take up a new hobby that involves fine-motor skills, such as knitting, drawing,                  painting, assembling a puzzle, etc.

   10. Learn a new sport. Start doing an athletic exercise that utilizes both mind and body, such as yoga, golf, or tennis.

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