Personality & Family - Activity for Health and Fitness
Is your body as healthy as you would like it to be? You can help keep it healthy by eating a variety of foods, getting the rest you need, and by exercising regularly. Here are a few good exercises that will help strengthen your body. After you have learned them try to practice them daily. You will be able to review them from time to time in other Activity for Health and Fitness pages.
Tortoise and Hare. This exercise will assist you in developing a more agile body.
Position. Stand at attention.
Action. Jog slowly in place. On the command, "Hare," double your pace, lifting your knees high and pumping your arms vigorously. On the command, "Tortoise," slow the tempo to the original slow jog. Alternate between the tortoise and the hare for one minute. Practice daily and slowly increase your time to two minutes.
Bouncing Ball. This exercise will challenge your coordination and strength. It is an excellent conditioner for many sports.
Position. Assume the pushup position by lying face down and extending your arms straight out with your hands directly beneath your shoulders. Keep your body straight and rigid, and support your weight on your hands and toes.
Action. Bounce up and down by a series of short upward springs with your arms and legs. Try to clap your hands while your body is in the air. Repeat this exercise five times.
Leg Extension. The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen your abdominal and trunk muscles.
Position. Sit on the floor with your legs extended and your feet together. Keep your body erect and place your hands on your hips.
Action. On the count of one, raise and flex your knees with a quick vigorous motion. Slide your toes back along the floor as far as you can. On the count of two, extend your legs back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise five times.
The Coordinator. This exercise is a difficult one. It will develop your coordination and body control.
Position. Stand at attention.
Action. On the count of one, hop on your left foot, swinging your right foot forward and touching your toe to the floor in front of your left foot. At the same time, bring both arms forward and upward to your shoulder level.
At the count of two, swing your arms to the sides at shoulder level, and hop once again. At the same time swing your right foot out to the right
side and touch your toe to the floor.
On the count of three, hop again on your left foot and return your foot and arms to the position taken on the first count.
On the count of four, return your foot and arms to the starting position. Repeat the exercise by hopping on the right foot. Alternate feet and increase the tempo. Repeat the exercise ten times.
