Join our great cause: The Monday Movement, for a little motivation to get you moving ! Regularly on a Monday we will give you a move your body loves to do. All you need to do is fit it into your day as often as possible throughout the rest of the week. Try 10 reps everyday for starters. You can add it on to your existing gym workout or after your morning walk/jog or even just while waiting for the kettle to boil.

23rd March: As soon as you mention press-ups, most folk  get a shiver down their spine. but press-ups are fantastic for upper body strength and posture. Here is an easy, acheivable method to start with. Do 10  every day, keeping good form. Increase the reps slowly until you are doing 30 easily. Then start to lower the body, so do them against the kitchen counter or the dining table, again starting with 10 and slowliy buiding up..If you do this gradually enough that fullbody floor press-up will be within your grasp!

Wall Press

• STAND ARMS LENGTH FROM WALL (fingertips touching wall)
• PLACE HANDS AT SHOULDER HEIGHT
• HANDS SHOULD BE JUST OUTSIDE SHOULDER WIDTH
• KEEP ABS PULLED IN
• DON’T ARCH BACK(TUCK BOTTOM UNDER)
• DON’T LOCK OUT THE ELBOW

To make it harder, bring hands in slightly to shoulder width.

Progress slowly, patience is key. Done daily you wont even notice that you are getting strong

23rd Feb:This weeks Monday Movement looks after your back.  A really therapeutic and strengthening move for your spine health so try it out and make it part of your week

Back Extensions

Lying face down, place the arms by the side of the body.

Gently pull in the lower stomach muscles to activate the core muscles and protect the spine.

Raise the upper body off the floor.  Keep breathing throughout the exercise.

If you feel any tension in the lower back return to the start position and rest for a few breaths.

This will allow the muscles to relax before you perform a second lift.

A slightly more challenging option is to then raise the arms off the floor.  This will increase the effort of the extensor muscles of the spine.

Hold the position for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

16th Feb: magnificent but misunderstood …the great Squat. Totally functional and important for long-term health and independance

Great Squats!

• STAND STRAIGHT, KNEES RELAXED
• FEET SHOULDER WIDTH,TURNED OUT ABOUT 30degrees if more comfortable
• ARMS STRAIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF YOU
• VISUAL TARGET ABOUT 4FT IN FRONT ON FLOOR
• INHALE THEN BOTTOM OUT AND BACK FIRST,AS IF SITTING ON A CHAIR
• HINGE FROM THE HIPS
• BEND KNEES ,TRYING TO KEEP kNEES FROM COMING FORWARD BEYOND THE TOES
• ALWAYS KEEP LOWER ABS CONTRACTED
• EXHALE AND LIFT UP SLOWLY

To ramp it up, you can

• Add weights
• Do more reps and sets
• Add a jump…jump squat
• Lift your arms above your head or keep hands by your ears, elbows wide

If you are really serious about your health, BloominHealth would like to invite you to join another global movement- Meat Free Monday. A plant-based diet is known to have many health benefits and Meat Free Mondays make us think more about ways to increase our intake of vegetable. And for meat lovers, its only one day a week! You can do it.

Enjoy staying active and healthy this week.