All you bring is your body

The world might say you need a gym membership to get fit… that you need all kinds of fancy equipment and fitness gear…

On the contrary all you need is your body! With Dubai well into the 30×30 challenge, we bring you simple ways in which you can slip in simple exercises throughout your day. As they say, where there’s a will, there’s a way.

But first, we insist you check out Yoga.

Obviously being a Yoga studio, we are biased towards this ancient Indian discipline. And it’s a full body-mind-spirit experience with few pre-conditions and requirements. It would be ideal if you have a good mat — the ‘good’ referring to the grip you can feel when you plant your hands and feet firmly on top of it.

If you plan on a medium-to-intense Yoga routine, then make sure it’s about an hour and half after a meal.

The reason why we recommend that you learn from a guru is because as a beginner it’s important to get a solid foundation on small details such as the angle of the knees, the tilt of the neck, the full body breath… as well as the macro details on the postures that suit various body types.

So, if you as a beginner see yourself getting deep into Yoga, then do yourself a favour and find a teacher.

Now let’s move on to some simple exercises that do not require any equipment.

First warm it up

Be it Yoga, or any other exercise make sure you complete a set of warm-up exercises. This prepares the body as you raise the intensity of your exercises. Ensure you gently stretch and flex all parts of the body beginning with a few neck rolls, followed by shoulder twists, wrist and ankle flexions, side bends and hamstring and calf stretches.

3 simple exercises

Here we highlight just three simple moves.

1. This one is for your toes and calves.

Stand up, chest out, shoulder blades retracted. Plant your feet hip-width apart. Pull in your navel.

Now raise your heels so that all your weight is on your toes. Hold, before lowering your heels to the floor. Repeat at least 10 times, gradually increasing the length of time you balance on your toes.

2) Squats are excellent to build up your thigh muscles. This helps with the pain caused by injuries — or just age-related wear and tear — of the knee.

Stand straight, pull in your navel. Feet are hip-width apart.

Hold up your arms, perpendicular to the ground.

Inhale and exhale before bending the knees so that they are at right angles to the floor; your thighs will be more or less parallel to the floor. Take care that your knees do not move beyond your toes. You look like you are about to sit down. Hold. Come back to a standing posture, inhale and exhale and repeat.

3. Wall Sits

This one’s great for your thigh muscles and your posture.

Stand with your back to the wall, and your feet about hip-width apart.

Now slide down as though you are about to sit — only as far as you are comfortable. Press against the wall for grip. Hold the squat. Feel your thigh muscles engage. Hold for a few seconds and come back up.

Repeat, lengthening the time you hold the squat by a few seconds with each repetition.

There are many more simple exercises.

If you are finding it difficult to make the time to exercise then try for 3 slots of 10 minutes each every day. If you cannot decide on an exercise regimen, then choose on-the-spot jogging or some brisk walking in the corridor. The important thing is to move. That’s what this fitness month is all about.

We would love to help you.

Call us at  971-50-395-5613 to find out about our customized Yoga classes that keep you safe and injury-free.

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