Safety & First Aid - Activity for Health and Fitness

Do you realize that you can exercise many muscles in your body without moving them? You can if you use a system of exercises called isometrics. Isometrics is a method of exercising the muscles by pushing or pulling hard against a stationary object or against another part of the body. The exercises you will learn from this book will help you strengthen the muscles of your legs, neck, chest, and shoulders. You will find that daily practice is very helpful. From time to time you will be able to review these exercises so that you will continue to perform them properly.

Front and side neck muscles. This exercise will help you to strengthen the front and side neck muscles that rotate and nod your head.

Position. Turn your head to the right. Place the palm of your left hand on the left side of your head.

Action. Press your hand against your head as you press your head against your hand. Hold it for ten counts. Repeat the action on the right side. Repeat the exercise.

The chest. These exercises help to develop various muscles in your chest.

Position. Sit on the floor in the middle of a doorway. Extend your legs and keep your back straight.

Action.

1. Place your hands on the sides of the door frame at hip level, palms outward. Press hard against the frame with both hands. Hold this pressure for ten counts. Repeat the exercise five times.

2. Place the palms of your hands on the sides of the door frame at shoulder height. Press hard for ten counts. Repeat this five times.

3. With arms fully extended above your head, place the palms of your hands against the door frame and press hard for ten counts. Repeat this five times.

Elbow and shoulder muscles. The purpose of this exercise is to increase the strength of the muscles that help to bend and flex the elbows and shoulders.

Position. Lie face down with your legs fully extended. Place your hands at the hip-waist level with your palms against the floor. Your elbows will be bent and your fingertips placed at about your hips, fingers pointing towards your feet.

Action. Press your hands hard against the floor. Hold this position for ten counts. Repeat the exercise.

Inner and outer thigh muscles.

Position. Sit on the floor in front of a straight chair. Extend your legs toward the chair and place the inside of your ankles against the outside of the chair legs.

Action. Keep your legs straight and attempt to close them against the chair leg. For your outer thigh muscles, place your ankles inside the chair legs and push outward. Do each exercise for ten counts. Repeat this exercise five times.