Evening leg lifts - exercise plus television...

Submitted by HighMaintenanceMom on June 23, 2005 - 21:24.

One of the ways I try to squeeze exercise into my day while also enjoying a favorite vice is to do leg lifts while watching television. I understand that real exercise requires focus and that I'd be smarter, more efficient, [insert adjective here], etc., if I didn't watch tv, but I do. So here is my leg routine based on some Pilates exercises...

All of the exercises below are done balanced on one side with the bottom leg piked or bent a little for stability. I hold my abdominals in (trying to bring my abs to my spine) and breath in through my nose and out through my mouth. I do about 20-50 reps focusing on making the movements as fluid as possible. I did all of these exercises throughout my pregnancies with lower reps and some modifications to move my legs around my stomach.

  • Lie on side with top leg resting on bottom leg. Raise top leg leg up and down with knee facing forward.
  • Bend top leg so the knee moves in towards the chest. Straighten leg out to starting position, above lower leg and in line with the rest of your body. Keep the leg the same height through the entire exercise and the knee facing forward.
  • Bend both your bottom and top leg into a chair like position (on your side with a 90° angle between your torso and thighs and a 90° angle between your hamstrings and calves). Raise and lower your top leg.
  • Starting in the chair position, rotate your top leg such that your top knee touches your bottom knee and your foot is up in the air. Raise and lower your top bent leg touching your knees together each time.
  • Straighten your legs out. Raise and lower your leg as high as you can with your knee facing the ceiling.
  • Switch sides and repeat

    • After completing the leg lifts, I either stretch or do a few Pilates full body moves like the Roll Over (more on those later).

    If you don't want to watch your own shows, there are lots of great Pilates videos you can use. I find it easier to squeeze in exercise if I think I am going to do 20-30 minutes instead of a full hour.

    468 x 60 Animated - Pilates Products

    If you live in the Bay Area, check out A New Being Birth and Postnatal Fitness.

    previous forum topic | next forum topic
    ( categories: Fitness and Exercise )