Senior fitness Archives - Online Personal Trainer for Women

March 30, 2020January 22, 2021

Home workout equipment

What equipment do I need to workout at home?

I know a lot of you are unsure of what you need in terms of equipment to workout at home, so I created this blog with my favorite at home workout equipment. All of our lives have changed dramatically and suddenly in the past few weeks. With so many aspects to rearrange and figure out, it’s easy to let exercise fall to the wayside. But I believe that now more than ever we need to prioritize exercise because much of our movements of daily life have been reduced or eliminated, and our stress levels are at an all time high.

There are a lot of exercises you can do at home with just your body weight. So the first piece of workout equipment I would recommend is a good yoga mat. Here is a helpful article about different types of yoga mats so you can find the one that best fits your needs. Additionally, yoga blocks, and a strap are useful items for stretching at home. For help with very tight muscles, try a foam roller. There are a lot of options, but here’s a good all purpose foam roller.

Bands are the cheapest, easiest to store, and most versatile piece of exercise equipment for at home strength training. I recommend two types of exercise bands to create a pretty complete at home workout series. There are circular bands you can put around your legs to create resistance for your hips. These can be used for clamshells or side stepping. They come in a variety of resistances so I recommend getting a package. The long bands with handles can, to a large extent, replace weights which saves a lot of space. You can attach them to doors or pin them under your feet and then pull on the handles for exercises like bicep curls, rows, and overhead presses. Again they come in a variety or resistances, so get a few options.

Adjustable dumbbells are a bigger financial investment, but are definitely a good choice if you prefer to lift weights and don’t want to take up your whole living room with a weight stack. These allow you to recreate a lot of the gym experience as the weights typically range from 5-50 lbs, but only take up the space of one set of weights. This will give you a lot more versatility for your home workout.

For more ideas on building a home workout, I recommend this article from The New York Times Wirecutter.

October 16, 2017October 18, 2017

Hip and Glute Exercise Tutorial

October 9, 2017November 18, 2017

Why exercise is a longterm investment

As an independent personal trainer, Pilates, and Yoga teacher my work is largely to help people learn how best to take care of their bodies through physical exercise, and breathing techniques. Over the years of working with people in this capacity I have noticed that many people seem frustrated by the fact that they have to keep up so much regular care and maintenance. They are annoyed when their body seemingly “fails” them by not always being ache free and perfectly functional. I often hear things such as, “I went to physical therapy, and it got better, but now it bothers me again.” The idea seems to be that all physical issues should be “fixable” and then easily ignored. My experience working with people is that it takes regular, committed, and focused attention to our bodies in order to maintain some semblance of functional movement as the decades continue on. In other words it takes an investment of your resources over a long period of time to work towards longevity and a continued rich quality of life.

The next time you feel frustrated that your body doesn’t run perfectly all the time pause for a moment and consider the following two things:

Our bodies last a long time. Think about the life span of most other animals. While there are exceptions such as the Bowhead Whale which often lives about 200 years, elephants 60 years, and some species of Gorillas living for around 50 years, these examples are not the norm. Humans can live an unusually long time in comparison with other creatures.
If you owned one house for your whole life, you would expect to have to clean, repair, and do other maintenance on the house. Why would you expect that your body wouldn’t also need regular upkeep and care?

If you want to feel good in your body, thereby being able to enjoy life with regular movement, travel, outdoor adventures, dancing, and just being relatively pain-free as the years go by, you need to think in terms of a committed, regular, sustainable, and enjoyable plan for body care.

A well-rounded program includes being aware of your posture, balance, bone density, muscle strength, heart health, joint health, diet, hydration, and mental well-being. It may seem like a lot to think of, but it is your body! However you treat it now, it will pay you back in the short and long-term.

Fortunately, what is good for one part is usually good for another. For example, strength training is good for your muscles, and your bones. Eating fiber is shown to not only improve digestion, but also help with weight management, and heart health. It is never too late to start as even small improvements can make a big difference to quality of life.

The beautiful thing about taking small steps towards a healthy lifestyle is that like any good investment, it grows on itself. When you do something simple, like going for a walk, you feel better, which enables you to have the energy to make a healthier dinner, which could mean a better nights sleep… and so the cycle continues, building on itself to make you feel and look your best.

June 21, 2017January 22, 2021

Balance series for better walking

Do your summer goals, or life goals for that matter, include being able to go where you want feeling confident that your legs are underneath you, and will carry you as far as your heart desires? The following balance series, which can be done anywhere, may be what you’re looking for. *

This short series will help you get ready for your summer trips to far away cities, the mountains, or the beach. Often these fun trips involve a lot of walking on uneven ground, such as cobblestones, hills, rocks, or sand. Getting in shape for summer isn’t just about looking good in a swimsuit, it’s also about balance, and being able to walk with confidence on all the rough terrain you may be hoping to cover. Focusing on balance develops the strength to balance and walk with more ease, and as an added bonus it will tone the hips and engage the abdominals, giving you a more sleek look.

Important set-up: All exercises should be performed with a sturdy chair or wall within reach. You can choose to hold onto the chair/wall at any time during this series. Start with your feet parallel and hip-width distance apart. Repetitions range to accommodate all levels. Choose the level of repetitions where you feel the muscles activating, but not exhausted. Try the advanced options once the initial exercise becomes easy.

Practice every day for 5-10 minutes for best results

Heel raises

Slowly rise onto the balls of your feet then slowly lower back onto your heels.
Important cues: Think of your navel lifting up to the top of your head. Look straight ahead. Keep your knees straight.
Repeat 10-30 times
Advanced option: Try doing heel raises on one foot

Leg lifts to the back

Slowly lift one leg behind you, then slowly lower the leg until your toe touches the ground.
Important cues: Keep your foot flexed, and your knee straight. Pull your navel to your spine to support your lower back. Gently squeeze your glute as your leg goes behind you.
Repeat 10-30 times on each leg

Leg lifts to the side

Slowly lift one leg to the side, then slowly lower the leg back to the starting position.
Important cues: Keep your foot flexed, and your knee straight. Pull your navel to your spine to support your lower back. Keep your hips even so as to activate the side hip muscles rather that the side waist muscles.
Repeat 10-30 times on each leg

Standing on one foot

Lift your knee up in front of you and hold the position.
Important cues: Pull your naval to your spine. Keep your standing leg straight, but not locked out. Focus your gaze on something that is not moving.
10 seconds to a minute on each side
Advanced option: progress to closing your eyes

Leg swings

Standing on one leg swing the other leg loosely.
Important cues: Focus on the leg you are standing on by gently tightening the glutes, and keeping the leg strong and straight. Pull your naval to your spine.
Repeat 10-30 times on each leg

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Heel to toe walk

Walk as if on a tightrope, in one straight line, with your heel coming in front of your toes.
Important cues: Look straight ahead rather than down at your feet. Pull your naval to your spine.
Practice for 1-2 minutes.
Advanced option: Try going backwards!

*As with any exercise routine, please consult your doctor before to make sure this is safe for you. If you experience pain, discontinue the practice.

Morgana Tessler is a Certified Orthopedic Personal Trainer, Yoga, Pilates, Meditation and Barre Instructor based in NYC. Morgana offers private and group fitness sessions. For more information visit www.morgana.nyc Facebook, Instagram