Don’t burst firecrackers, sow flowers. Walk the ever-fresh fitness path on swift feet. You don’t have to join a gym to be counted. You can exercise at home and be numero uno. First, be committed and consistent to a daily no-excuses plan. Second, eat healthy food. And feel the massive positivity pour in!
Follow this basic 28-minute fitness plan:
Crossovers: a) Lie on back, legs together, arms extended at right angles to body. b) Raise right leg to 90 degree angle. c) Keeping right leg straight, lower it to floor on your left side – a crossover. Touch right toe to left hand without straining. d) Return leg to 90 degrees, then to starting position. e) Repeat crossover 4 times. f) Do crossovers with left leg 4 times.
Crunches: a) Lie on back, knees bent so that legs look like inverted Vs, feet flat on floor, hands at back of neck. b) Tighten abdominal muscles. Lift head and shoulders up off the floor. c) Return to starting position. d) Repeat 30 times.
Standing bends: a) Stand with feet wide apart for rock-like stability, left hand on hip, right arm extended shoulder-level to side. b) Bend trunk to left, simultaneously reaching slowly over and beyond your head with right arm. c) Pulsate there 50 times. d) Return to starting position. e) Repeat bending trunk to the right.
Torso twist and cool-down: a) Stand with arms at sides. b) Twist upper torso to left, swinging both arms smoothly to your left as you do. c) Then twist torso to right, swinging both arms smoothly to right. d) Do this left-right twist 20 times.
Gyaan: As in cricket where every run counts, so in exercise every rep counts. It’s what makes you unbeatable.
(The writer is co-author of the book Fitness for Life.)