Living in Texas you never really know what kind of weather you are going to have, but you can bet that at some point the weather is going to get hot and you are going to want to be able to throw on your swim suit and head to the beach, or the lake, or even the neighborhood pool. When that time comes we want to you feel strong and confident. Greater Therapy Centers has more than 20 locations spread throughout DFW and though we typically work with patients who are overcoming an injury or illness, we know quite a bit about getting a body in tip top shape. In this blog post we share 5 of our favorite exercise tips which focus on getting the body swim suit ready.
Start with both your hands and knees on the floor. Gently lower your forearms to the floor making sure to position your elbows directly under your shoulders and keep your hands shoulder width apart. Now step your feet back forming a straight line from your heels to your head. Tighten your abs. Your head should be facing the floor with your gaze slightly in front of your face. Hold for 1 minute.
With your feet a little wider than hips width and your toes facing forward, sit back and down. Imagine you are sitting in a chair. Keep your head straight and forward the entire time. Repeat 20 times.
Start with a straight upper body, shoulders should be back and relaxed with your chin up. Step forward using one leg and lower your hips until both knees are bent. Your goal is to get to a 90-degree angle. Keep your front knee above your ankle and don’t let your other knee touch the floor. Push back up to the starting position keeping the weight in your heels. Repeat 20 times.
Place one of your feet on a bench or chair and press through that same foot as you step up on the bench, bringing your other foot up on the bench so you are standing on the bench. Return to your starting position by stepping down with one foot and then the other. Repeat 20 times.
Similar to the plank position start with both hands and knees on the floor. Hands should be directly under the shoulders or slightly wider. Kick your feet back one at a time. Slowly lower your body down to the ground keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle to your body. Repeat 20 times.
One of the great things about the five exercises mentioned above is that they can be done without specialized equipment and can really be performed anywhere. If you aren’t quite ready to start your own exercise program at home or if you or someone you love has been dealing with pain related to an injury or illness, physical therapy might be able to help. Talk to your physician and ask them if physical therapy could be beneficial for you. Greater Therapy Centers has more than 20 locations, offering physical therapy in Rockwall, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Alliance as well as other cities throughout Dallas/Fort Worth. Just search “physical therapy near me” to get started or call us at 972-420-6605 or email us at info@gtc-pt.com.
