Exercise Tips
See videos near the end of this page.
To answer question received!! Yes, exercise is recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for all ages including children. Click on the following link for the WHO recommended levels of physical activity for children 5-17 years and for adults 18-64 and 64 and above years. http://www.who.int/dietphysicalactivity/factsheet_recommendations/en/
We need daily exercise to maintain good health. Any general exercise is good, including walking (Why not take the back pack with rice for weight bearing) around the park, up a hill, climbing stairs or the exercises below or going to a gym where they charge fees.
We were fortunate to meet a couple C and Z in Sydney, Australia , whilst they were travelling around the world on their boat. They left the United Kingdom mid 2015 and arrived in Sydney late 2016. We farewelled them in march 2017 as they sailed to Queensland.
Current update on C and Z as at 2022 – They are happily living in the United Kingdom.
Images of C and Z whilst in Sydney Australia February 2017 and a friend M.
“We never thought that we could do a Triathlon on our boat until we read about the exercises on this website.” See items 12 & 13 below in “Exercises without rice” .
Exercising with or without RICE
Health HAZARDs – Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs (not medications) are an absolute NO!
These three are worse than weight to your general health.
WHY EXERCISE? Exercise improves bone strength and increases muscles which burn calories.
Remember – a healthy level of muscles helps to rip up calories.
Also a healthy level of muscles helps to maintain a good quality of life.
What is exercise?
Any bodily activity that enhances or maintains physical fitness and overall health and wellbeing.
Includes dancing, brisk or regular walking, golf, yoga, Tai chi or other activities.
How much exercise?
Weight bearing exercises: 20-30 minutes most days of the week.
Muscle strengthening exercises – 2- 3 days a week. Arms, legs or trunk or all.
Balance, Posture & Functional exercises – every day – to overcome bad habits.
Do I need a GYM?
NO – you don’t. Gyms and personal trainers might motivate you but they are not essential for exercise. Use No Fees Gym! Gyms provide a social environment but you can exercise at “No Fees Gym” anywhere.
In Fact, I do mine immediately after I get out of bed. Whether it is 4.00am or later. I also do my exercisis beside my bed or in a hotel room regardless of the size of the room. This ensures I do them daily with no excuse that I ran out off time. Also I have no travel time that can become a reason to miss today or the next day. Plan a routine with variety and do DAILY – NO Excuses – Do Your Plan Daily!
Refer to our suggestion exercises below.
Why RICE?
Not as messy as sand and both have no edges, therefore no cuts and little damage when they slip and fall on your feet. Rice also comes prepacked in the sizes mentioned below. Rice is also not as expensive as “Hand weights” or “strap on weights”.
Don’t carry the rice in your hands when you go walking as you tend to grip onto the item, be it Rice or Hand Weights, and this is not good for blood flow.
All day EXCERCISING with rice – Yes – Weight bearing exercises
What do I need:
- The motivation to exercise.
- The following packs of rice:
2 each of 1kg, 2kg and 5kg packs of rice,
total of 16 kilos that you can mix and match to your fitness level. And, - a backpack that you can carry the rice in.
Hand/Arm exercises – no back pack
You can start hand exercises with 1 or 2 Kilo in each hand and raise and lower in sets of 5, 10, 15 and more.
You can do this whilst watching TV (in Ad breaks) or sitting in the garden watching the birds.
Do with both hands or alternate, but don’t just do with only one side.
Carrying the backpack with 1 kilo or more and up to 16 Kilos
Start with I or 2 kilos and add packs as you feel comfortable until you reach 16 Kilos.
Carry the backpack whilst walking around the house or in the garden or when taking a walk.
This will provide weight bearing exercises and thus maintain/improve your bone density.
All day EXCERCISING without rice
I prefer to do these straight after getting out of bed and before I have breakfast. This way it is all done at the start of each day – NO EXCEPTIONS!
These exercises include stretches, half crunches, push ups, etc
Some are weight bearing others assist with circulation.
Start with say 5 to 7 minutes and increase to 12 to 15 minutes a session.
Yes, you can do more, but remember that – Enough is Enough.
- Standing straight up with feet firm, clasp fingers together in front of chest then twist fully to right then left as far as possible. Do this in sets starting with 20. up to 100
- Still standing pretend your doing breast stroke. Raising both hands over the top of your head and down again. Start with a set of 20 and increase to 50
- Still standing, now stretch both arms out and back as far as possible and bring forward to meet directly in front and centre of your chest, repeat for 20 and increase to 50
- Still standing – Do exercise in 2 above but in reverse. Start with 20 and increase to 50
- Still standing, repeat No 3 above.
- Still standing, Place hands downwards by your sides, then bend out in front at the elbows, with hands open ready to clap, move arm from elbow back as far as possible but leave elbow at sides start with 20 and increase to 50
- Still standing, facing forward, stretch out both hands, with one thumb pointing up & the other down. Now turn you head from neck and eyes as far to the right and behind you as possible and twist thumbs in opposite direction. Then twist head from neck and eyes in the opposite direction and thumbs. start with 20 and increase to 70.
Now a change in pace - Push ups which provide some weight bearing exercises
We all know the push up. Not easy to start, so begin with 2 to 3 and increase daily by a few. Now the thing is to keep your body straight and only bend at the elbows as you go up and then slowly go down. The full body from ankles to shoulders. Start with a few and aim for 50. - Enough push ups, now get onto you knees and two hands. The all fours position (Knees & Hands). Then lean back towards your heels exhaling fully and then forward as far as possible inhaling. Do this for 20 increasing to 50. Excellent for your lungs.
We leave the best till last! This is the part that I like. You can’t fall any further & you can relax… - Now roll onto your back and stretch out fully – add 2 centimetres to your height. Then, place both hands by your hips. Now lift I hand up and back behind you whilst raising 1 leg up to 90 degrees and back down, then the next arm and leg. Do this for 20 increasing to 50.
- Still on your back, bring your feet to your butt and place hands under head in position for half crunches (Full sit ups can damage your back). These will improve your stomach muscles. Do this for 20 increasing to 50.
Finally, for a TRIATHLON, yes a TRIATHLON but No falling off a bike, no dogs chasing you or getting wet! - Whilst on your back and hands behind your head, you can raise your legs into the air and begin to cycle and run at the same time. That saves time and dogs chasing or flat tyres, etc. Do this for 30 – stretching out and at a good speed for 40 and increase to 100.
- Finally get back on our feet for the last leg of the Triathlon, the swimming, but no water needed.
Stand up straight with feet firm and start the swimming motion – freestyle. Raising each arm fully and following through and let the other do the same – stretching as far as possible and at a set speed. Do this for 40 and increase to 100.
If you are doing all sets to the maximum, then at least 15 minutes is needed. THIS IS NOT A LOT but, it is manageable DAILY. And you can do all these exercises without a change of clothes after you get out of bed. It’s a great start to your day!
Don’t make excuses! just get up AND do these exercises or any others that suit.
At Home
In a Motel Room
On a Boat
Trim is our next port!
It’s hard to exercise on a boat,
The skipper of the Adrenalin wrote.
Yet upon viewing No Fees Gym,
The Skipper plans to eat & drink less and exercise to be trim.
This boat, the Adrenalin, participated in Game Fishing Tournaments in 1980s and 1990s.
Next is a Healthy breakfast, washing and work.
ENJOY and Donate!
Worthy organisations that you can donate to are:
World vision helps communities overcome poverty & injustice – www.wvi.org
You can buy a family a chicken which will provide eggs or a goat for milk. Visit World Vision!
Compassion International – sponsor a child (That also helps their community) – www.compassion.com
Fred hollows foundation – Give them sight to find food – $25 per person – www.hollows.org.au
Oxfam International – supporting communities abroad – www.oxfamamerica.org
Thank you for your generosity.
The No Fees Gym Team
🙂