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By Nancy Bruning
Photos by Amala Lane
‘Tis the season . . . to find excuses not to exercise. Somehow, it’s easier and more natural to do more walking, biking, or whatever in the warmer months. Easier now to sit around, eating, eating, eating. Yes, this is the season of adding a few more holiday pounds.
As the instructor of the Fitness Walking Classes in Fort Tryon Park, I’m constantly running into people in the neighborhood who are either lapsed regular participants or who say they will join the group … someday.
Often, their excuses cause me to laugh; others are just plain astonishing. For example, one of these guilt-ridden residents recently said to me, “Oh, but now it’s winter.” Winter? Not only was it not yet December 21st, but the temperature had been between 50 and 60 degrees for weeks! Yet, in her head, she was already freezing.
All of which pointed out to me that winter in many respects is a state of mind. We put seasons into boxes, just the way we put “exercise” into narrowly defined boxes.
I believe you when you say “I have to time to exercise” or “I don’t like to exercise” - if you think exercise MUST mean getting to the gym, changing into your gym clothes, huffing and puffing on a treadmill for an hour, showering, getting dressed, and getting back to home or to work.
But what if “exercise” was something much simpler and less time consuming? More fun? What if you thought of exercise as taking a 30-minute walk in one of our wonderful northern Manhattan parks? With a friend or family member? Instead of sitting around nibbling on more food after a big meal? What if you just added a stretch or two, maybe some push ups, using a park bench, wall, staircase, or railing? For example, here’s a great exercise called the Basic Dip that will both stretch and strengthen your arms, shoulders, abdomen, hips, and legs. Shhhh…. It’s a sneak preview from my soon-to-be-published book, “Nancercize”: 101 Things to Do on Park Bench.”
Action
- Sit on the bench, hands on either side of you, thumbs touching your hips.
- Place your feet together or hip width apart on the ground in front of you.
- Press down on your hands and lift your torso off the bench, elongating it and bringing your hips forward, just in front of the bench seat. You may need to adjust your feet a bit.
- Bend your elbows and lower your hips, keeping them close to the bench.
- Push back up, straightening your arms, doing as many repetitions as you can.
Tips
- Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears.
- Avoid locking your elbows when you push up, or bending beyond 90 degrees.
Nancy Bruning has a master’s degree in public health, is a certified personal trainer, and is the author or co-author of over 25 books on health and fitness. She’s hard at work on her next book, “Nancercize: 101 Things to Do on a Park Bench.” She also is the Chair of the Friends Committee of the Fort Tryon Part Trust and leads outdoor fitness experiences and weight loss workshops. Visit Nancy’s web site at www.NancyBruning.net, hear her at www.blogtalkradio.com/Nancercize, or email her at
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