Age strong and gracefully with this circuit

BY NICHELLE LAUS

An active life is extremely important as you grow older. As you age, getting regular exercise can help improve muscle mass, reduce the chances of diseases, and manage symptoms of some illnesses and pain. Weight training will also make a difference in your well-being.

Any activity is better than none, so start with something easy and enjoyable. Exercising will help improve your quality of life and help you age gracefully.

The following workout should take about 20 minutes. It can be done anywhere. All you need is a light pair of dumbbells (3 to 5 pounds to start, 8 to 10 pounds as you get stronger) and a good pair of shoes.

It is important for you to warm up before you exercise, especially as you age. A warm up helps dilate your blood vessels, which will help supply oxygen to muscles. Warming up also raises your heart rate slowly, while minimizing stress on your heart.

WARM-UP EXERCISE

MARCHING OR WALKING IN PLACE (upper body, core)

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your hands by your side. Engage your core, lift your left knee toward your chest, bending your leg to 90°. At the same time, swing the right arm forward, and the left arm backward

Perform this warm-up exercise for 60-90 seconds at a pace that is comfortable to you.

WORKOUT EXERCISES:

BASIC SQUATS (quads, hamstrings, glutes)

Stand facing forward with your feet hip distance apart. You can hold dumbbells at your side to make it more challenging.

Bend your knees and extend your butt back as if you are going to sit back into a chair. Keep your weight in your heels. Rise back up to starting position and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions.

SHOULDER PRESS (shoulders, back, biceps)

Stand with your feet hip distance apart. Bring your elbows out to the side, creating a goal post position with dumbbells at the side of your head. Keep your abdominals tight.

Press both dumbbells slowly up until arms are straight and return to starting position. Repeat for the a total of 10 repetitions.

BIRD DOG (lower back, core, glutes)

Kneel in a quadruped position with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.

While maintaining a neutral spine and keeping your abs braced and stomach in, raise your opposite arm and leg straight out keeping your whole body in one straight line from head to foot. Alternate sides and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions on each side.

HAMMER CURLS (biceps)

KNEELING PUSH-UP (chest, shoulders)

Start in a kneeling plank position with hands on the ground below shoulders and back extended long to the knees.

Lower chest to the floor keeping abs tight and push back up to starting position. Repeat for a total of 10 repetitions.

Stand with feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms facing in. Curl both the weights up towards your shoulders while keeping your elbows stationary.

Slowly lower the weights back down to starting position and repeat for a total of 10 repetitions.

Nichelle Laus is the owner of Optimum Training Centre in Toronto, Ontario. A fitness and cover model, figure and bikini competitor, competition preparation and transformation coach for Team Laus, she is a certified personal trainer and kickboxing and kettlebell instructor. www.otctoronto.com www.nichellelaus.com