| Exercise Program for Very Overweight People | |||
| Over the years I have received several e-mails from people who wanted to effect a positive change in their lives by adopting a better diet and initiating an exercise program. Many of the determined ones were able to stick with the diet I suggested, but several had a difficult time with an exercise regimen because of their large size. Any of you who are very overweight know what I mean. It is virtually impossible to perform a basic exercise such as push-ups, and even when one is able to do an exercise, it is often with much strain. I therefore came up with a series of exercises which are especially designed for those of you who are very overweight. If you follow this routine together with a proper diet, you should lose a considerable amount of fat, and build some muscle, within a few months. Once you achieve a more manageable weight, you should have no problem incorporating more challenging exercises into your routine. The basis of your routine will be brisk walking. You should walk for at least 20 minutes at least four days a week, at a brisk pace. You should walk fast enough so that you are somewhat exerting yourself, but not so fast that you can hardly breathe. Walk in good shoes which provide support, and it is generally preferable to walk on grass, sand, or a track rather than asphalt or concrete. In addition to your walks, perform the following exercises 6 days a week. You can perform them before or after your walk, or you can split things up, performing the exercises in the morning and your walk in the evening, or vice versa. Anyway that works for you is fine. Try to do all of the exercises without resting between them – simply move on to the next exercise as soon as you finish the previous one. If you are sore from a previous day’s workout, do the exercises anyway, just do them fewer times for a lighter workout. Exercise #1 – Start in a standing position, feet about shoulder-width apart, arms hanging at your sides. Proceed to swing your arms forward up to the level of your chest, and then back as far as possible. Keep your legs, trunk and head straight and relaxed. Continue swinging your arms until tired. Aim for a pace of 150 or so swings per minute. Breathe naturally, taking care not to hold your breath. This exercise works the muscles of the shoulders and arms. Exercise #2 – Lie down on the floor on your back with your knees bent, feet a few inches apart and flat on the floor. Your arms should be lying relaxed alongside your body. Proceed to raise your butt and lower back off of the floor while keeping your feet flat. Pause, and gently return them back to the floor. Continue until tired. Breathe naturally. This exercise works the muscles of the thighs, butt, and lower back. Exercise #3 – Start in a standing position, feet about shoulder width apart, toes slightly out, knees slightly bent, hands clenched into fists at the level of your chest. Proceed to extend your right arm out in front of your body as if throwing a punch. Don’t fully extend your elbow. Rather, stop just short of full lockout. Return your right arm back to the starting position while simultaneously extending your left arm. Again, don’t fully extend the arm. Continue alternating punches with the left and right arm until tired. Punch at a relatively fast pace, and breathe naturally during the exercise. This exercise works the muscles of the arms, back, chest, and shoulders. Exercise #4 – Start in a standing position, feet about shoulder width apart. If you need to, hold onto a sturdy object for balance. Proceed to raise your right knee towards your chest as high as it will comfortably go. Gently lower it back down, and repeat until tired. Now repeat the exercise with the left leg until tired. Perform the exercise at a moderate pace, not in slow motion. Breathe naturally. This exercise works the muscles of the hips, lower abs, and thighs. Exercise #5 – Start by facing a sturdy wall. Stand far enough away such that when you extend your arms in front of your body, your hands just touch the wall. Proceed to place your hands against the wall, palms flat against it. Now bend your elbows such that your entire body leans towards the wall until your nose gently touches the wall. Return back to the starting position by straightening out your arms. Your entire body should be rigid throughout the exercise, with your arms doing all of the moving. Continue until tired. Inhale when moving towards the wall, exhale when pushing off of the wall. This exercise is sort of like a vertical push-up. Exercise #6 – Do this one in front of a sturdy chair or couch. Start by sitting down on the chair. Now proceed to stand up without using your hands in any way. Sit back down, and repeat until tired. Breathe naturally during this exercise, which works the muscles of the legs. That’s it. When you finish, walk around for a couple of minutes to cool off. |
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