How to get started on a basic exercise programme

Here are some suggestions for a basic exercise programme that will begin to improve your strength and flexibility. Your stamina will improve with any activity that makes your heart beat faster and stronger, e.g. climbing stairs, walking uphill, washing the car, or sweeping the yard. It helps your heart become fitter if it beats faster and you become slightly breathless.

Note: Before thinking about doing these exercises, make sure you read all the sections above.

You will need:

•   A chair

•   Floor space and a mat or blanket

•   Loose, comfortable clothing

•   Some time!

HOW DO YOU ‘WARM UP’ AND ‘COOL DOWN’?

A ‘warm up’ means using gentle, relatively slow movements to prepare your body for exercise – for example, walking for 5 minutes, going up and down the stairs a couple of times, or anything that makes you breathe a little faster and gives you a warm feeling.

A ‘cool down’ means using gentle movements or stretches to help the body recover from exercise. An example of a ‘cool down’ may be walking on the spot and letting your arms swing by your sides for 3–5 minutes.

All the exercises overleaf marked with an (S) can be used as stretches.

TIP

Remember that, initially, the warm up may be enough.

Illustrations of the following exercises can be found in the Appendix pages 298–304.

Strength exercises – do slowly

NECK

Starting position: Sit down, face forwards

1   Bring your chin down towards your chest and then up towards the ceiling. (S)

2   Look over to your left shoulder, return to facing forwards, then look over to your right shoulder. (S)

3   Bring your ear down towards the shoulder on the left, and then do the same to the right side. (S)

SHOULDERS AND ARMS

Starting position: Sit or stand, arms down by your sides

4   Bring your shoulders up towards your ears. (S)

5   Push your shoulders down towards the floor. (S)

6   Bring your shoulders forwards to meet each other at the front of your body. (S)

7   Pull your shoulders backwards to meet each other at the back of your body. (S)

8   Lift your arms forwards and up above your head. (S)

9   Lift your arms sideways and up above your head. (S)

10   Place your hands on top of your head and slide them down the back of your head towards the floor. (S)

11   Place your hands on your bottom and slide them up towards your head. (S)

12   With arms down by your side, bring your hands up to touch the front of your shoulders. You may add a small weight, like a can of beans in each hand for any of the arm exercises.

LOWER BACK

Starting position A: Sitting on a chair with legs straight out

13   Let your hands slide down the front of your legs towards your feet.

14   Let your back slouch into a C shape and then sit upright again.

Starting position B: Lying on your back with your knees bent up and feet flat on the floor or bed

15   Keeping your knees together, let them roll from side to side. Keep your shoulders flat on the floor. (S)

16   Place your hands on the front of your thighs and let them slide up towards the tops of your knees, keeping your chin tucked in.

HIPS

Starting position: Standing up and facing forwards

17   Take 3 steps to the left and then 3 steps to the right.

18   Take 3 steps backwards, then 3 steps forwards.

19   Face up a flight of stairs or a step. Step up onto the loweststep, then bring the other foot up onto the same step.

KNEES

Starting position: Sitting in a chair

20   Straighten one leg out, then return and straighten the other. (S)

21   Stand up from a sitting position, trying not to use your hands to help. The lower the chair, the harder it is!

ANKLE

Starting position: Standing up, facing a windowsill or a kitchen work surface

22   Push downwards through your hands into the surface and move up on to tip toes, as if looking over a high fence.

Note: Everybody can become more physically active. However, it may be sensible to inform your doctor that you plan to do more activity. You must tell your doctor that you plan to do more exercise or activity if you have any heart condition, such as severe angina or a previous heart attack, or diabetes, or dizziness or blurred vision when you turn your head.