Exercise for your kids

Posted on April 21st, 2021 by Andries Lodder

People all over the world are becoming more aware of how beneficial consistent exercise can be for both their physical and mental well-being. Exercise has been shown to decrease the risk of chronic diseases like hypertension or diabetes while also lowering stress levels, improving mood and helping us become less prone to depression.

We are becoming more reliant on technology which means we are also becoming less active. Inactivity increases the risk of chronic disease in both children and adults.

The benefits of regular exercise in both children and adults include the following:

Increased fitness levels
Improved posture and balance
Less stress on the body
Better concentration
More regular sleep patterns
Improvement in mood
Keeping your heart, muscles and bones strong and healthy and promoting healthy development
Providing the opportunity to socialise
Better self esteem

Make it enjoyable

Making sure a child enjoys the exercise is important as this will encourage them to stick to it.

This enjoyment is highly dependent on the child as some will enjoy team sports over individual exercise or vice versa. Exercise doesn’t always have to be revolved around a sport; playing in the garden with family or riding a bike with friends is more than enough for children to do some exercise that they will enjoy.

Start them young

Children can start engaging in exercise before they can even walk. No, this does not mean making a baby go for a run.
Simple movements such as tummy time, rolling over and reaching for toys is seen as adequate forms of exercise for small children and babies.

Physical activity from such a young age promotes the development of bones, muscles as well as social, cognitive and motor skills and proprioception.

Keep them going

As children get older, their abilities begin to increase. Encouraging children to be active for most parts of the day will greatly improve their overall health.
This exercise can be done through sport or just regular playing on bikes or in parks. If a child has developed a good base of movement skills form a young age, it will greatly improve their balance and coordination as they get older.

Progress as they get older

Children and teenagers should be aiming to do at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every day.

These exercises can range from moderate intensity exercise like walking the dog or riding a bike to more intense exercise like running or taking part in a sport.

Resistance exercise, either body weight or in the gym, will help greatly with bone development as well as overall strength and flexibility.

Children should always be monitored when exercising or playing a sport in order to avoid any unnecessary injury.

For any tips on getting your children active, or any other fitness related questions you may have, please do not hesitate to contact us.

(NHS, 2013)

Home-style HIIT workout.

Posted on April 6th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Sean Pickup

“These workouts are designed for individuals that are currently physically active and not for those who are inexperienced in these kind of high intensity exercises. If you are at risk, it is advisable to get clearance from your doctor before engaging in these types of high intensity workouts.”

Bored of always doing the same form of exercise? Don’t feel like going for that early morning lonely run? Why not try something new? Why not try some high intensity cross training?

High intensity cross training is a form of strength and conditioning exercise which is made up of many different functional movements performed at high intensities.

The good news is that you don’t have to join a local gym in order to do these kinds of workouts. You can do it from the comfort of your own home. All you need are every day items lying around your house like a broomstick, water bottles and some sort of chair. Most at home cross training workouts don’t require any kind of equipment at all and instead rely completely on bodyweight movements.

The basic theory behind the workouts done at home is using standard functional movements you would see in the gym like squats, lunges or shoulder press, and doing them at a much higher intensity. Although the weights are light, the high repetitions make the workouts just as difficult.

High intensity cross training workouts are usually prescribed as a lot of exercises performed one after the other and then repeated for a certain number of sets. Some examples of at home workouts are as follows:

Workout 1:

7 Rounds:

7 Burpees
7 Air Squats
7 Push ups
7 Jumping Lunges
7 Crunches

Workout 2:
100 Mountain Climbers
90 Air Squats
80 Jumping Jacks
70 Chair Dips
60 Static Lunges
50 Broom Squat Shoulder Press
40 Russian Twists
30 Push ups
20 Crunches
10 Burpees

https://www.foodspring.co.uk/magazine/how-to-do-air-squats-right-way

Workout 3:

Three 7-Minute AMRAP (As Many Reps As Possible)

AMRAP 1:

Push Ups x10
Squat Jumps x15
Crunches x20

AMRAP 2:

Shoulder Taps x20
Mountain Climbers x20
Static Lunges x20

AMRAP 3:

Burpees x10
Bag/Bottle Swings x10
Up Up Down Downs x20

Rest for 2 minutes before starting the next round.

Try and do any of these workouts 2-3 times a week and focus on keeping your form correct in order to avoid injury. Focus on starting slowly and progressing as you feel stronger. As you get fitter, the more you will be able to do, so don’t beat yourself up for not finishing a workout.

For help with injuries attained from high intensity cross training or any guidance on form correction, please do not hesitate to contact us.

At home stretching

Posted on March 23rd, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Daniel Sauer

Working from home still? Feeling stiff at your desk? Well, there is a simple, quick, and efficient solution: Stretch!

Why should I stretch you may ask? Well, stretching keeps the muscles flexible, strong, and healthy, and we need that flexibility to maintain a range of motion in the joints. Without it, the muscles shorten and become tight. Then, when you call on the muscles for activity, they are weak and unable to extend all the way. That puts you at risk for joint pain, strains, and muscle damage.

For example, sitting in a chair all day results in tight hamstrings in the back of the thigh. That can make it harder to extend your leg or straighten your knee all the way, which inhibits walking.

What are the key benefits of daily stretching is often the next question one may ask. Here are just a few of the benefits of adding stretches into your daily routine:

Reduces Pain and discomfort
Increases one’s flexibility and range of motion.
Improves your posture.
Decreases your risk of injury or pain.
Stress Management
Reduces Tension Headaches
Increases your blood flow to your muscles.
Improves your overall performance in your daily activities.

What stretches can I do daily? [Hold each stretch for 20 Seconds per side; It will only take 6 minutes of your day!]

If you need assistance with any stretches or at home workouts contact us now and let us help you.

Quarantine home workout

Posted on March 11th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Nicole Harran

Keeping physically active is a very good way to de-stress and keep the immune system going strong. Staying motivated when trying to exercise from home can be the challenging part and so we will send out some programs this month to help you get to where you need to be.

Quarantine Strength training

Starting with a brisk warm-up is always advice to get the blood flowing and muscles warm to prevent any injuries. A 5 min walk around the house, jogging on the spot or some jumping jacks for 3-5 minutes will get that heart pumping and you ready for your workout.

Lower body workout

3 to 5 rounds of the following exercises (hyperlinks are attached to each exercise for demonstrations):
- 10 – 12 x Sit to stands / squats
- 10 x static pulse lunges
- 30sec – 1min wall sit
- 20 x surrenders (10 each side)
- 10 x squat into reverse lunge
- 15 x hip lifts

Upper body workout

3 to 5 rounds of (hyperlinks attached to exercise names):
- 10 x push ups
- 10 – 15 x tricep dips
- 20 x up up down downs (10 per side)
- 20 x bear crawls
- 20 x shoulder presses (using either weights/ cans/ water bottles)
- 20 x bicep curls (using either weights/ cans/ water bottles)
- 20 x lateral raises (using either weights/ cans/ water bottles)

Core workout

3 to 5 rounds of (Hyperlinks of exercises attached to names):
- 10 x crunches
- 10 x single leg crunches
- 10 x cross-crunches
- 30sec – 1 min plank
- 30 sec side plank each side
- 10 x roll ups

For any other training or rehabilitation advice, please do not hesitate to contact us. We have plenty to offer:group sessions, individual sessions, rehabilitation, weight loss, general conditioning and many other training aspects.

Return to exercise after COVID-19

Posted on March 1st, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Nicole Harran

As we are all aware COVID-19 is affecting every individual differently and everyone’s return to activity can vary.

The American College of Sports Medicine along with various other institutes have developed guidelines on returning to activity.

The guidelines have been split up into 5 phases.

Phase 1: Preparation for return to exercise.
Phase 2: Low intensity activity.
Phase 3: Moderate intensity aerobic and strength challenge.
Phase 4: Moderate intensity aerobic and strength challenge with co-ordination and functional skills.
Phase 5: Return to regular exercise.

Phase 1:

Breathing exercises, flexibility/stretching , balancing and gentle walking all form part of our baseline return to exercise.

Phase 2:

A somewhat more intense walk, gentle body weight functional exercises and continued stretching and flexibility.

Phase 3:

Brisk walking or any exercise that increases the heart rate. Adding some more resistance training in to your day or sessions.

Phase 4:

Moderate intensity exercises described above. Adding in some progressive functional exercises and light weight training.

Phase 5:

Return to regular physical activity.

If you have had COVID-19 and are struggling with returning to physical activity and daily activities, contact us for help and guidance towards a safe recovery!

Discovery Vitality Wellness Day – The Campus Bryanston

Posted on February 10th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

Discovery Vitality Wellness Day – Killarney Country Club

Posted on February 10th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

Strength Training for Weight Loss

Posted on January 28th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

By Sean Pickup

Lunge — `_{Full body exercises that engage large muscle groups as well as your core are ideal.}`

Many people think that strength training is only done by people that want to gain large amounts of muscle and get strong. Strength training does help with increasing muscular strength but what a lot of people don’t know is that it is also a great form of training to help with weight loss.

Cardiovascular exercise like running and cycling are often the go-to form of exercise for people wanting to lose weight. This type of training is indeed effective for fat loss but it also decreases muscle size which can lead to muscles becoming weaker. You may even feel like you have lost more weight because muscle is much heavier than fat. Adding resistance or strength training to an exercise program will be beneficial for fat loss while increasing muscular size and strength.

This body fat reduction happens due to phenomenon called Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC).

How EPOC works:

Your body requires more energy when exercising in comparison to resting.
This energy is provided to your muscles when your body breaks down fats and carbohydrates which are stored in the muscles, liver and other fatty tissues
More vigorous exercise requires more energy which in turn means more fat and carbohydrates need to be broken down.
EPOC helps the muscles recover after exercise by keeping oxygen consumption elevated and restoring those muscles to their resting state.

_{Burpees increase the heart rate very quickly which results in an increase in the effects of EPOC.}

EPOC is determined by the type, length and intensity of the exercise. Longer, more intense exercise using large muscle groups done at an intensity close to fatigue will result in a longer lasting EPOC.

Forms of exercise that will increase the duration of EPOC:

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) – HIIT training is associated with a higher level of fatigue which means the body requires more oxygen in order to recover fully and replenish depleted energy stores.
- A great example of a high intensity exercise is a box jump.
Resistance training – increases ones Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) which is simply the number of calories a person burns while at rest. An increase is muscle size leads to an increase in BMR which then leads to more sustained fat loss over time
- Weighted lunges are a great example of a resistance exercise which can increase muscle strength and size.
Strength training – uses large muscle groups, cover two or more joints and use full body exercises. This is to ensure that the whole body is constantly engaged which increases muscle size and in turn increases BMR.
- Body weight exercises like pull ups can greatly improve overall strength. These can be done with or without the assistance of elastic bands for beginners.

Rowing — _{Cardiovascular exercise cannot be ignored as it is important to maintain both cardiac and respiratory health.}

Cardiovascular exercise is still an incredibly important part of any exercise program due to the positive impact it has on both cardiac and respiratory health. That is why the ideal exercise program incorporates both resistance and cardio exercise in order to achieve the best results possible.

(David R Clark, 2020)

For training advice, one on one training or group training sessions – contact us now.

Staying Healthy during lockdown

Posted on January 20th, 2021 by Andries Lodder

As we are all very aware, 2020 and the start of 2021 has been nothing next to normal and COVID-19 pandemic has tuned a lot of peoples’ worlds upside down.

We as BIOKINETICISTS are involved in helping people improve certain aspects of their lives.

These areas include:

overcoming and preventing injuries
managing chronic conditions and illness
maintaining and improving fitness
weight management
general well-being and now COVID-19 prevention through physcial activity

It is something new to us and we are tackling it head on to try and keep a healthy and positive population.

Exercise can help assist in a variety of immune functions. For the body to function optimally, its vital organs need to be working in pristine condition.

Guidelines for exercise during COVID-19

Exercising is one of the only things we can physically take charge of to try and prevent contracting COVID-19 or to help our bodies fight the disease.

Remembering that caution should be taken when exercising not to over-do it and compromise the immune system further.

150+ minutes of moderate intensity exercise, and 75+ minutes of vigorous intensity exercise a week.
2-3 strength and resistance training sessions should be included, as well as 2-3 flexibility sessions
aim to do 5000-10000 steps per day

How does exercise help the immune system?

The human heart is the bodies centre of life and without it working optimally the bodies condition will begin to deteriorate.

As the blood circulates around the body, it is responsible for supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues as well as removing carbon dioxide and waste products from the body.
Just like any other muscle, exercise can increase the efficiency of the heart, strengthening the force of the hearts muscular contractions and inevitably increasing the perfusion of the tissues and organs with blood.
Increased blood flow around the body improves the body’s oxygen levels, reducing the risk of heart related diseases and creating a better environment around the body as a whole.

Not only does exercise improve your bodies immune system protecting you from everyday viruses and bacteria, but its benefits also extend across a variety of medical conditions and chronic diseases.

If you have had COVID-19 and are looking to get back into exercise, it is highly recommended to do so carefully and with supervision.

Many individuals are struggling with their hearts after having COVID-19 and having someone there who understand the human body and exercising parameters is highly beneficial.

For those wanting to try stay fit and healthy, contact us now for help and guidance.

Lockdown Core Training

Posted on April 22nd, 2020 by Andries Lodder

If you’ve been wanting to try improve your core strength but just cant get around to it due to lack of time, energy or motivation, what better time is there than now. Lockdown is your time to shine.

Pilates is a great way to do this. It is a form of low-impact exercise which aims to strengthen the entire body, improve postural alignment and flexibility. When engaging in pilates exercises, we focus on mind body connection to receive maximum benefit.

What to focus on

There are two basic rules when performing pilates exercises to ensure you are executing correctly.

Breathing – try focusing on your breathing during your pilates session. The correct breathing technique will allow you to contract the core correctly, ensuring the load is place on the core and not your back for instance.

So the secret to correct breathing is to think about moving slow and controlled, exhaling whenever you are moving, pausing and holding a movement when you inhale.

Keep the core tight – to ensure your core is tight throughout the whole movement, you want to keep the lower back in contact with the floor AT ALL TIMES!

For some feedback, place something thin under your lower back (a sleeve from a top/ theraband) and tie the other end to something that will pull on it, so if you do let you back come off the floor it will pull out from under you.

Beginners pilates program

2 -4 rounds of the following:

10 x chest lifts

Laying on your back, knees bent and hands behind the head to support back.
Push the lower back into the floor, keeping contact throughout the movement, crunch up with the chest to look through the thighs.

10 x single leg chest lifts

In the same position and movement as the crunch
When crunching up you will simultaneously bring one leg up towards the chest, keeping the knee bent at 90 degrees.
When lowering the chest back to the floor, lower the leg to the floor, tapping the heel and back up (repeat all reps on one said and then swap)

5 x 10 sec chest lifts hold legs at 90 degrees

Assuming a crunch positio
Lift one leg at a time to get both legs bent to 90 degrees at the hips and knees
Hold this position for 10 seconds
Return to start by lowering one leg at a time to the floor.

10 x chest lifts legs at 90 degrees

Assume crunch hold position
Keeping the legs in the air,
The upper body performs a crunch motion
Keep lower back contact with the floor at all times.

5 x 10 sec chest lifts hold legs straight up

Assume chest lift hold position
From here you are going to straighten then legs up towards the ceiling
Holding for 10 seconds and returning to start.

10 x chest lifts hold heel taps

Starting in a chest lift position
Keeping the trunk and upper body as still as possible, extending from the hip slow and controlled, tap one heel down to the floor, alternating legs.

10 x chest lifts with rotation

In a chest lift position
Rotate from the trunk (like squeezing out a wet towel) hold for a second and return back to the middle.
Without resting alternate sides for the required reps.

We hope your core is now on fire!!!

Don’t hesitate to get in contact with us if you have any questions!