Arden Health’s Anti-Ageing Mini-Morning Workout & Video

Preparation

Find a nice cosy, private, safe place where you feel happy to exercise.

Start by stretching and loosening up.

Stretching is just what the body wants in the morning – it is so natural to want to stre-e-e-tch!

Stretching

  1. Stand tall!
  2. Both arms straight above your head.
  3. Stretch your fingers towards the ceiling one hand at a time.
  4. Reach up, feel the pull in your waist – and hold it for a slow count of 8.
  5. Repeat each arm 8 times

This is a lovely stretch and feels so good.

Head & Neck Relaxer

  1. Stand up tall, looking straight ahead.
  2. Tip your head forward to rest your chin on your chest. Feel the stretch at the back of your neck and hold it for a slow count of 4.
  3. Put one hand on the crown of your head and pull down – hold it for a slow count of 4.
  4. Relax
  5. Tip your head to the left – keep shoulders down.
  6. Put your left hand on your head and pull down gently. Feel the stretch in the right side of your neck – hold it for a slow count of 4.
  8. Tip your head to the right – keep shoulders down.
  9. Put your right hand on your head and pull down gently. Feel the stretch in the right side of your neck – hold it for a slow count of 4.
  10. Relax
  11. Very gently, tip your head back so you are looking up at the ceiling. If you feel your head needs support, put your hands behind your head.
  12. Feel the stretch in the front of your neck – hold it for a slow count of 4.
  13. Relax

Chest Support & Tone Exercise

  1. Stand tall.
  2. Arms straight out in front, then criss-cross your arms across your chest in a scissors action.
  3. Start with your arms down near your feet and keep criss-crossing them, to a slow count of 8, until your arms end up near your head.
  4. Repeat 8 times.

The Warm-up

Always start with some gentle warm up exercises to prevent muscle damage.

Calf Stretches

  1. Stand facing a wall with your right foot close to the wall and your right knee bent.
  2. Place your hands flat against the wall at shoulder height.
  3. Now stretch your left leg out behind you as far as it will go without lifting your toes or heel off the floor and lean towards the wall.
  4. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds and relax. Switch legs.

Quad Stretches

  1. Stand with your right hand holding on to the back of a chair or pressed against a wall.
  2. Bend your left knee and bring your left heel up to your bottom grasping your foot with your left hand.
  3. Your back should be straight and your shoulders, hips and knees should all be in line.
  4. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Switch legs.

About Breathing

Always breathe in on the resistance part of the exercise and breathe out on the relaxing part of the exercise. I’ll tell you where to breathe with each exercise.

The Workout

Those of you who are a bit fitter might like to double the repetitions of each exercise – but always remember not to overdo things to avoid injury.

Elbow Presses

  1. Bend arms at elbows with your lower arms upright.
  2. Squeeze your arms together in front of your chest so that they meet (breath in).
  3. When your arms touch, hold it for a slow count of 2.
  4. Breathe out.
  5. Repeat this 8 times.

Shoulder Lifts

Lovely for strengthening the upper back!

  1. Stand tall.
  2. Lift both shoulders up towards the ears (Breath in) – hold it for a count of 2.
  3. Gently drop the shoulders back down (Breath out).
  4. Repeat this 8 times.
  5. Now one shoulder at a time.
  6. First the left shoulder – lift up (Breath in) – hold it for a count of 2.
  7. Gently drop shoulder back down (Breath out).
  8. Repeat with the right shoulder.
  9. Repeat both shoulders 8 times.

Makes you feel so relaxed!

Waist

  1. Feet wide apart.
  2. Bend your knees slightly.
  3. Arms at shoulder level, bend at elbows and let your fingertips touch.
  4. Keep hips facing forwards.
  5. Turn from waist to face behind you to the right (breath in).
  6. Feel the stretch and hold it for a count of 2.
  7. Turn back to the front (breath out).
  8. Turn from waist to face behind you to the left (breath in).
  9. Feel the stretch and hold it for a count of 2.
  10. Turn back to the front (breath out).
  11. Repeat this 8 times each side.
  12. TIP – put a bit of a swing into it!

Buttock Clenches

Now to keep that bottom high and firm and stop it going south!

  1. Stand tall, arms by your sides.
  2. Clench your buttocks tight – hold for 2 seconds and release.
  3. Repeat this very important exercise 50 times.
  4. TIP – top Hollywood film stars do this daily!

Pelvic Floor (Women Only)

All women and especially those who have had babies should do this every day. Keeps you nice and toned and prevents bladder problems.

This exercise trains the pelvic floor muscles which form a hammock-like structure across the base of the urinary passage. To identify them, imagine you are sitting on the toilet and you need to stop your urine flow. The muscles you contract to do this are the pelvic floor muscles. Focus on drawing the muscles up inside your body while keeping your buttocks relaxed. Perform slow, gradual movements, contracting for a count of 10 then releasing, followed by a faster action, contracting and releasing every 2 seconds.

Repeat 10 times

Quadriceps (Prevents a sag above the knee!)

Have a sit down – we are going to tighten the muscle just above the knee.

  1. Sit with your back straight and your legs straight in front of you, toes pointing to the ceiling.
  2. Lift your right leg so your heel comes off the ground about 10 cms (breath in) – hold for a count of 2.
  3. Slowly lower your leg (breath out) – feel the pull in the muscle just above your knee.
  4. Repeat 8 times for each leg.

Inner Thighs

Now roll onto your right side.

  1. Support your body with your arm.
  2. Raise your left leg towards the ceiling.
  3. Breathe in and hold for a count of 2.
  4. Gently lower (breath out).
  5. Try to repeat 8 times.
  6. Roll over onto your left side.
  7. Repeat 8 times with your right leg.

Squats (For Toned Legs & Buttocks)

  1. Stand up straight with your arms at your sides.
  2. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and your head up. There can be a slight arch in your lower back.
  3. Slowly bend your knees while pushing your rear out as though you are about to sit down. (breathe out) Keep lowering yourself down until your thighs are almost parallel to the floor. Make sure your weight is on your ankles so your knees don’t extend over your toes – hold for a count of 2.
  4. Tighten your thighs and buttocks for more of a challenge.
  5. As you come back up to a standing position push down through your heels (breathe in).
  6. Repeat 8 times.

Lunges (For Thighs & Buttocks)

  1. Stand with your back straight and feet together (you may hold light hand weights if you are advanced).
  2. Take a big step forwards, landing with the heel first (breathe out). Bend the front knee no more than 90 degrees.
  3. Keep your back straight and lower your back knee as close to the floor as possible, making sure that the front knee lines up over your ankle and your back thigh is in line with your back.
  4. Push down against your front heel, tightening your buttocks as you rise back to a standing position (breathe in).
  5. Repeat 8 times.
  6. Switch sides.
  7. Repeat 8 times.

Press Ups (For Chest & Shoulders)

  1. Kneel on the floor on all fours.
  2. Bend your arms and drop your chest forward and towards the floor (breathe out) – hold for a count of 2.
  3. Keeping your legs in the kneeling position, breathe in as you push yourself up with your arms. Control the move by counting to three on the way up.
  4. As you push up, tighten your stomach muscles to take pressure off your back. Hold for a count of 2.
  5. Repeat 8 times.

Lateral Raise (Works the Shoulders)

  1. Take a weight in each hand and hold them down by your sides, palms facing inward.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Don’t lean backwards.
  3. Raise your arms up and out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground (breathe in) – hold for a count of 2
  4. Then lower them back down (breathe out)
  5. Repeat 8 times

Biceps Curls (For Toned Arms)

  1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, arms by your sides, elbows tucked in, palms facing out and feet shoulder-width apart.
  2. Keeping your elbows stable, raise the dumbbells towards your shoulders (breathe in) – hold for a count of 2.
  3. Then release them slowly back down (breathe out). Keep the move slow and controlled and concentrate on your biceps muscles.
  4. Repeat 8 times.

Triceps Dip

  1. Sit on the edge of a bench* or chair with your hands on the edge of the bench. Your fingers should be facing forwards.
  2. Lift your bottom off the bench and lower yourself towards the floor by bending your arms. (breathe out)The closer your legs are to the bench or chair, the easier this exercise will be. If you stretch them farther out in front of you the exercise will become more difficult.
  3. Lift yourself back up by straightening your arms. (breathe in) If you don’t have a suitable bench or step or you find this exercise too hard you can do it on the floor. Sit with your hands behind you on the floor and your fingers facing your bottom. Bend your arms so that you lean backwards then push yourself back up.
  4. Repeat 8 times.

* Since benches vary in height, remember not to lower your arms past your shoulders (90 degrees) and keep your back at a right angle to the floor.

Tight & Toned Stomachs

The Curl

  1. Lie on your back on the floor.
  2. Knees bent, feet flat on the floor about 30 cms apart.
  3. Place your hands at the sides of your head.
  4. Lift your head forward (breathe in).
  5. Press your stomach downwards towards the floor, keeping your lower back on the floor – hold for a count of 2.
  6. Slowly lower back to the floor (breathe out).
  7. Good! Now do 8 more.

Diagonal Curl – For Lovely Waists

  1. Lie on your back on the floor.
  2. Knees bent, feet flat on the floor about 30 cms apart.
  3. Place your hands at the sides of your head. Left your head forward and reach your right elbow towards your left knee (breathe in) – hold for a count of 2.
  4. Press your stomach downwards towards the floor, keeping your lower back on the floor – hold for a count of 2.
  5. Slowly lower back to the floor (breathe out).
  6. Now change sides, reaching your left elbow towards your right knee.
  7. Repeat 8 times each side.

Lower Abdominals

  1. Lie on your back on the floor.
  2. Raise both legs so they are at right angles to the floor.
  3. Keep your toes facing forward, don’t point them.
  4. Rock your legs back (breathe in) and forwards (breathe out) approximately 10 cms each way.
  5. This is a tough one, but repeat 8 times.

 

WELL DONE!

Take time to relax

Sit down on the floor, cross your legs in a semi-Lotus position, press your hands down on your knees and hold it for 10 seconds.

Take a nice clean, deep breath in – hold it for 5 seconds – breathe out all your negative thoughts.

Pat yourself on the back! That’s the first goal of the day achieved.

Well done, have a nice day – you deserve it!

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