SEC-S25W4: Core And Cardio
Hello fitness lovers, it is yet another great week to stay fit. This week fitness is going to focus on our core and cardio.
@ngoenyi have selected the best exercises that will help us achieve our target, which is strengthening our core and cardiovascular system. The programmes that will enable us do so are:-
- Dumbbell chest press
- Body weight jump squat
- Russian twist
- Burpees.
Warm Up
As usual there is need to do warm-up parts. This prepares your mind and helps it to focus on what you about to do. Apart from that, it lightens the feet and the muscles preparing them for the main programme. After the warm-up I now started with the first of the programmes.
Body Weight Jump Squat
This would have looked like jumping jack but is different. It involves jumping and squatting.
How is it done?
First you assume a squatting position with your arms outstretched in front of you and then you will jump up with the arm above your head and then return to the original squatting position.
It is required that you jump 8 times repeatedly for 3 good times, totalling 24 in all.
I did the programme in 3 sets of 8 each.
Experience
I noticed it requires stamina and balance to jump at the same time. It is also beneficial for the strengthening of the muscles in the thigh. It is also good for the lower body and helps with cardio too. Your breathing rate speeds up a little to supply more oxygen in the body.
Dumbbell chest press
This is another programme designed to help the cardio. It involves the use of two dumbbells, which I already have at the gym place.
How to do it
You are expected to lie down on your back on top of the step board, then place the sole of your feet on the floor, bring your heels almost to the point of touching your butts with your knees up above your torso. Then carry the two dumbbells on both hands, raise them up and down to your chest level.
We are expected to do a 3 sets of 12 repetitions each.
How I felt
The impact of this programme is on the chest, it brings the chest out, if a person continually do it. It also have an effect on the muscles in the arms and shoulders. It also requires endurance especially towards the end of each set. This triggers need for more oxygen in the body,
Russian Twist
This programme can be done with or without the use of dumbbell. For me, I did it without dumbbell. I personally think it looks like rowing a boat with two oars on both side, constantly switching and rowing both oars.
How is it done
You will sit on a flat surface leaning backwards, then raise your knee up to almost be at the same level with your chest and finally lift your foot up from the floor. The positioning will look like a sine wave.
Then move both hand to one side twisting the waist and then to the other side doing the same thing. I did 10 repetitions of this for 2 sets.
Experience
Its impact is on the lower part of the torso, particularly, the abdomen. I think it is also good for those with big tummy since it will help to trim it down. It requires endurance and stamina to hold still in that position for the period of the programme.
Burpees
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This is perhaps the most difficult of all the programmes this week. It involves the entire body and consist of about 3 different programmes.
How is it done
You will jump up with your hands stretched above your head, then come down, letting your hands touch the ground, then stretch your legs backwards assuming plank position, do a push-up, take back your foot to standing position and jump up again.
So you jump, squat, do push-ups and plank. This is four-in-one programme and I successfully carried it out 8 times in a set for 3 sets.
How I felt
The whole body felt the strain this time, the arms, thighs, chest, shoulders, all felt the pain. The cardio was also involved. There was need for constant oxygen in order not to tank out.
But overall the experience was a good one.
Cool Down
After engaging in all the main programmes for the week, I had to do the cool down stretches. This one involves stretching the neck, back, arms, shoulders and legs, to eliminate some tingling pain sensations in those parts of the body even though it will not totally remove but reduce them.