One question we constantly encounter in our exercise programme is: at what age should one start exercising?

The answer is so-o-o joyously, naturally obvious, isn’t it? Life is activity. You were swimming in your mom’s womb before you drew your first breath. You continued exercising as you shadow-boxed and kicked lying down. Soon, your first toddling baby step was a coach’s delight. It set you in a direction that you still follow every day.

So, think… Swimming, breathing, walking… they aren’t mere exercises. They are the breath of life. Ergo, you’re never too young to start.

And start you must, if you haven’t already. In life’s journey, as you go, you grow. As the Irish proverb states: “You’ve got to do the growing, no matter how tall your grandfather was.” Yeah, life is what you make of it. And your lifestyle is the making of you.

So, make fitness your foundation now with this golden wisdom: strengthen two key areas—the back and stomach.

BACK

Standing long, sitting wrong cause fatigue and achiness.

Do this: Shift from foot to foot while standing. Sit comfortably straight-spined but not rigidly. If possible, sneak in a small pillow at the base of your spine during long hours of studying.

Exercises: Lying on back on floormat, bring both knees to chest, press down with hands. Hold that position for 10 seconds. It stretches and relaxes the spine. *Do backstroke swimming – it’s a great back strengthener.

Posture: When walking, lift your chest and each step becomes an effortless glide.

STOMACH

Frequently, the tummy protrudes due to poor posture. For that, employ the same posture given above. Additionally, the abdominal muscles hold all organs in place. So, it’s important to enhance its holding power with crunches.

Exercises: Lie on floormat, knees bent, feet flat on floor, hands behind neck. Now, raise shoulders from floor, employing tummy muscles, then lower. Raise and lower 30 times.

Caution: Don’t push your neck up with hands. Remember, fitness is about taking easing, regular steps that make massive, magical differences.

(The writer is the author of Fitness for Life.)

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