Surrey Homes | SH27 | January 2017 | Health & Beauty supplement inside

Take Ten
WT Health & Beauty Supplement sponsored by
Feel the burn
Personal Trainer Meg Raraty-Squires gives
us an intense mini workout to get you up
off the sofa. No equipment is necessary
– just some music to get you going.
Whether you’re looking to feel energised or hit a
new workout routine, here are a few ideas, each
lasting under ten minutes, for a fitter New Year
Stretch and breathe
Genevieve from Stalwart Wellness talks us
through some simple steps to gently introduce
exercise into our daily routine.
Bridging – for spine articulation, breath
control and strengthening the pelvic floor
1. Lie on your back with your knees bent
and your feet still flat on the floor.
2. Keeping your arms on the floor, and palms facing down,
gently lift your spine off the mat (or the floor) until
you’re holding your weight on your shoulder blades
and shoulders. Hips and knees should be aligned.
3. Inhale in this position, and, as you lower
your body back to the floor, exhale.
4. Repeat this movement pattern 5-10 times,
depending on how you’re feeling.
Book openings – for shoulder mobility, rib
rotation and to release tension in the body
1. Place a small cushion under your head and lie on the
floor or on a mat, on your side with your knees bent.
2. Extend your arms out in front of you, at 90
degrees to your body, with palms together.
3. Lift and rotate the top arm towards the ceiling,
allowing eyes, ribs and spine to follow.
4. Keeping your legs in the original position as much
as possible, continue to rotate as far as you can.
5. Exhale to return to the original position, initiating
the movement from the ribcage and the back.
6. Complete the same movement pattern on the
other side, and repeat this 4 times on each side.
Please note these exercises are not suitable for those with
spinal problems. Please consult your GP before doing
any exercise. Stalwart Wellness is a pilates studio based in
Tenterden. To get some advice, or to find out more visit
stalwartwellness.co.uk or phone 07779 670502.
Roll down & walk out – Standing tall, begin by rolling
your body down through the spine one vertebra at a
time until you are able to start walking your hands
along the floor. Keep going until you end up in a
plank position (the clue is in the name here – don't
let your hips drop to the floor, think plank of wood).
Keep your tummy pulled into your spine and shoulders
directly over your wrists. Then slowly walk your hands
back towards your feet until you can roll back up to
standing. Repeat this five or six times to get warmed up.
Start to fire it up – Continue with the same exercise,
however, start to pick up the pace. When you arrive
in plank position take it into a pushup. Elbows stay
as close to the side of the body as possible as you
lower your chest to the floor. Exhale to push back up.
Take this movement onto your knees if you need to.
Then continue rolling back up to standing but this
time add a jump at the top. Repeat 10 – 15 times.
Mountain Climbers – It’s time to get that heart rate
up. On your last repetition of the above exercise stay
down in a plank. Then bring one knee at a time up
towards your chest gathering pace. It should feel like
running vertically up a mountain but be sure to keep
in a perfect straight line from shoulders to ankles
and tummy sucked in. Do this three times for 45
seconds each time being sure to rest in between.
Squats – A super simple yet super effective exercise.
Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your
weight in your heels (imagine lifting your toes up
to the ceiling). As if about to sit down, take your
bottom down towards the floor so that your legs are
at 90 degrees. Exhale to push back up. The biggest
secret to doing a squat correctly is to start squeezing
your bottom at the lowest point of the squat and
continue as you stand up. Repeat 20-25 times.
Plyometrics – Exactly as above but this time, rather than
just stand up, try and jump up from the squat position
and land softly back into the squat and repeat. Think
as if you’re trying to hit your head on the ceiling with
each jump. Use your arms for momentum. Plyometrics
(jumping) is a great way to get the heart rate up.
Isometric hold – On your final squat jump,
when you land try and hold the squat position
for 30 seconds then do little pulses up and
down for another 30 seconds to finish.
Meg Raraty-Squires is a Personal Trainer offering
health, fitness and nutritional advice. To get in contact
visit megraratysquires.co.uk or phone 07815 503661.
19 wealdentimes.co.uk