Prime Time (54 page)

• This exercise can be done standing or seated.
  
• Hold the weights in front of your body, with your palms facing down and your elbows very slightly bent. Your knees should also be softly bent.
  
• Exhale and lift your arms out to the sides, only to shoulder height—no higher!
  
• Inhale and slowly lower your arms to your sides. Repeat 15 times.
  

Exercise 6 /
SEATED TRICEPS LIFTS

These work the triceps muscles, in the back of the arms.

• Sitting up tall in your chair, without letting your back touch the back of the chair, hold the weights with your palms facing inward.
  
• Lift your arms so they are straight up alongside your ears. Do not hunch your shoulders while doing this.
  
• Keep your back pulled up tall, stomach in, shoulders back.
  
• Now bend your elbows so that your forearms slowly move back and down.
  
• Do
  not
  let your back arch as you do this, and do
  not
  let the weights drop. Keep the movement controlled, so that you don’t hit yourself with the weights.
  
• Then lift the weights back up so that your arms are straight overhead again. Repeat 15 times.
  

Exercise 7 /
BALANCE ON ONE LEG

Maintaining or improving balance is critical as we age. Every thirty-five minutes an older person dies from a fall!

• Stand behind your chair. Don’t hold on to it unless you have to. It’s okay if you need to, but the goal is to do these without having to hold on.
  
• Stand tall on your right leg. Lift your left foot slightly off the floor and try to balance. Keep your hands on your hips.
  
• Don’t forget to breathe, and keep your shoulders pulled back, your stomach pulled in, your head lifted, and your spine long.
  
• Hold for 15 seconds and repeat with the other leg.
  

Exercise 8 /
STANDING HAMSTRING CURLS

These work the hamstring muscles, in the back of the thighs.

• Standing behind your chair, balance on your right leg as you bend your left leg. Try to get your heel up to your buttocks. That’s hard, but that’s what to aim for … it’s almost like you’re kicking yourself in the butt!
  
• Make sure the thigh of the leg you are bending remains parallel to the thigh of the standing leg—only the lower part of the leg should move.
  
• Do this 15 times with one leg and then repeat with the other leg.
  
• As you get stronger, try doing this exercise without holding on.
  
• Make sure your abdominal muscles are engaged the entire time and that you keep breathing.
  

Exercise 9 /
STANDING ELBOW TO KNEE

This exercise works the muscles in the pelvis and the back, the obliques (the sides of the abdomen), and the thighs.

• Holding on to your chair with your right hand, reach your left arm straight up.
  
• Bend your left elbow and bring it down to meet your right knee as it lifts, squeezing the muscles in your side as you do.
  
• Do this 15 times with your left arm and right leg, and then repeat with your right arm and left leg.
  

Exercise 10 /
STANDING SIDE LEG LIFTS

These work the back, the hip, and the thigh muscles. They help with hip mobility.

• Stand up tall behind your chair, exhale, and lift your right leg out to the side as high as you can without moving your torso.
  
• Inhale and slowly lower your leg. Repeat 15 times and then repeat with the left leg.
  
• Do
  not
  let your torso rock from side to side as you do these lifts.
  

Exercise 11 /
ISOMETRIC SQUATS

These will strengthen your thighs.

• Stand behind your chair. Place your feet wider than hip width and turn your toes slightly out.
  
• Bend your knees and come down into a squat.
  
• Your knees
  must not
  stick out beyond your toes. If they do, move your feet farther apart.
  
• Do not lean forward—keep your back straight.
  
• The goal is to lower your hips so that they are level with your knees. Getting there and holding the position may take a while. In the meantime, lower as far as you are comfortably able to and then hold the pose for one minute.
  
• Your thighs will begin to burn. This means you are really challenging these muscles … not to worry. The burn is a good sign. But if you must come back up for a moment, do so and then return to the squatting position.
  
• I like to keep my hands on my hips, but if you need to (until you are stronger), you can softly hold the back of your chair. Do
  not
  hold your breath!
  

Exercise 12 /
FLAT BACK BEND-OVERS

These stretch and strengthen your hamstrings and strengthen your gluteals.

• Stand up tall, inhale, and slowly walk your fingers down your thighs as far as you can go until your flat back is parallel with the floor.
  
• Keep your head and neck aligned with your back. Do
  not
  let them either drop down or crane up, as that will strain your neck.
  
• Keep a slight bend in your knees.
  
• Exhale as you come back up to standing, squeezing your gluteal (buttock) muscles as you reach the full standing position.
  
• Repeat this move—up and down—10 times.
  

Exercise 13 /
SEATED ANKLE CIRCLES

Ankle mobility is important for balance.