Posts from — December 2009

Target: Legs, varicose and spider veins
Move: Inversion pose against a wall

Tired, heavy legs will benefit from anti-gravity poses that prevent blood pooling in your lower limbs, which can cause bulging veins, pain and leg numbness. Inversion poses are wonderful at-home exercises that, when performed regularly, will let you skip expensive laser varicose vein treatments.

In addition, you’ll won’t have to muster the strength to do this workout because all you do is rest. By using a wall as a prop to shape body alignment when upside down, your inactive muscles facilitate circulation and deep relaxation for you.

Set-up: Lie on back with buttocks as close to a wall as possible.

Action: Extend legs up on the wall, keeping feet relaxed and hip-width apart; rest for 15 seconds. Next slowly bend knees out to the sides and bring soles of feet together, sliding them down the wall as far as comfortable letting sides of feet rest against the wall. Hold for 30 seconds; bring legs off the wall to the floor and rest one minute; repeat sequence. Perform inversion poses daily, but hold the pose no longer than three minutes.

Try this inverted leg pose, and then post your comments below.

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A version of this article appeared in Sun Media’s 24 Hrs. commuter newspaper.

Whether you save or splurge, these holiday gifts for the fitness buff will help her train smart, feel strong and look sexy. From now on all bulges will be out of sight.

1. ABS

SAVE: Portable abdominal trainer
The Power Wheel abs trainer includes a surprising feature that your hard-to-please friends will appreciate: It targets the front and back of the body. Grasp the foam cushioned axle with hands to do such demanding crunch-free exercises as ab rollouts and pike-ups, and then secure heels in the unique foot straps to draw knees up and under body for leg rollouts, which boost eccentric strength in hamstrings, responsible for running speed and jumping power. Paired with an instructional DVD of progressive training plans, it’s an impressive frugal fitness find. $59.95 at www.performbetter.com and www.fitter1.com.

SPLURGE: Get svelte around the belt
Help a desk jockey cinch a waistline by targeting upper, middle, lower and side abdominals from a seated position in a comfy chair. All movement begins at the core so newbies need a base level of abdominal strength. Aussie Abs’ unique plunging action targets job-related jiggle by allowing the rib cage and pelvis to move toward each other and contract, engaging deep ab muscles. She’ll expect an easy-to-follow DVD, but will be surprised by its charming instructor. $89.99 exclusively through www.theshoppingchannel.com.

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