Friday, April 04, 2008
Sports & Fitness
TheBostonChannel.com
Simple Exercises Can Make Big Difference, Expert Says
QUINCY, Mass. -- Summer is almost here and it is almost time to break out the bikinis, shorts, and sleeveless shirts. A local fitness expert has some top five easy exercises to get people tight and toned.
NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported that people are shaping up for summer at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy.
"It's getting a lot busier in here. People are trying to get in shape for summer, to look good," Paul Gabrile said.
"I want to get rid of my belly," Eliani Benalion said.
Rita La Rosa Loud, associate fitness research director for the south shore YMCA, showed us how to get our bodies ready.
"We're going do the big five exercises and work all the major muscle groups," La Rosa Loud said.
Exercise No. 1: Squats are an exercise for the hips, thighs and buttocks.
"She's bending her knees, sitting back with her hips just going about hip level. Not below the knee, and then slowly rising up, squeezing the buttock," La Rosa Loud said.
La Rosa Loud also said it's important to pull in your abs, and keep your knees over your ankles.
Exercise No. 2: The chest press is an exercise for the chest and the triceps.
La Rosa Loud explained how to peform the chest press exercise.
"Wrists are straight, elbows are bent, and she's going to come up slowly though and then bend her elbows. And it's important not to go below shoulder level," she said.
Exercise No. 3: Bent over rows is an exercise for your back and arms.
La Rosa Loud said the key to performing this exercise correctly is aligning the body properly.
"Make sure that her hips are square so she bends over. She's going to place her left hand on the bench. And she's going to flatten her back like a tabletop and rotate her shoulders so they're facing parallel to the floor," she said. "She's going to bend with the elbow and pull straight back and squeeze the back muscles and slowly lower."
Exercise No. 4: Alternating dumbbell presses can help the back and posture.
"You need to slowly lift the weights up and down, alternate your arms, and keep your elbows parallel with your shoulders," La Rosa Loud said.
Exercise No. 5: The abdominal bicycle can target the abdonminals.
"Lift your shoulder blades off the floor and contract your abs. Lift and point your toes. Alternate one elbow as you turn your knee in and then the other side," La Rosa Loud said.
Experts said people should do the exercises three times a week. If they're a beginner, people should start with small weights of one to three pounds. Experts said if people stick with the workout, they will see a change.
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