Why heart exercises can be easy with these five simple workouts

Heart health is a life-long journey, and making small, sustainable changes over time can have a significant impact, says holistic health expert Dr Mickey Mehta

Heart health is a life-long journey, and making small, sustainable changes over time can have a significant impact. (Source: Freepik)

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Often we focus on our heart health only when we have developed a condition. But the good thing is you can rev it up with simple exercises that do not require you to sign up at a gym. Remember that it’s never too late to make positive changes, so even if you’re starting later in life, every step toward a healthier lifestyle can have a positive impact. Heart health is a life-long journey, and making small, sustainable changes over time can have a significant impact. For all conditions of the heart, one must keep in mind that any pressure, stress, strain created by any movement of super intensity against gravity, especially explosive movements and especially long range of motions where there is heavy body weight exerted, need to be avoided. Walking, swimming, cycling are common exercises that anybody can do. Other than that you can do the following exercises:

1) Knee push-ups: Knee push-ups are significantly easier to do than regular push-ups. This greatly reduces the amount of the body’s own weight being lifted, and acts as a highly accessible introduction into the world of body weight resistance training. However, if you have a history of elbow, knee, shoulder or wrist injuries, it may be best to first consult your physician prior to attempting knee push-ups.

Practice: To perform a repetition of the knee push-up, the exerciser will enter a half plank position by lying on the floor with their palms and knees supporting their body. The hands should be set horizontally parallel to the shoulders and slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with the core contracted and the back in a straight line. The ankles may also be intercrossed if it makes maintaining the stance easier. From this position, the exerciser will bend at the elbows and contract their chest muscles as they lower their torso towards the floor, stopping just shy of touching it.

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Once sufficiently low enough, the exerciser will push through the palms of their hands and extend their elbows, rising back to the starting position in a slow and purposeful manner. At this point, the repetition is considered to be complete.

2) Good morning exercise: The good morning exercise is a simple move that activates your core and engages a handful of your body’s most powerful muscles, including your hamstrings and glutes. It also strengthens your erector spinae, which are muscles that help stabilise and extend your vertebral column.

Practice: Stand with your feet hip-width apart, and place your hands at the back of your head with your elbows opened wide. Pull your abs to your spine, and keep your back neutral while pressing your butt backward, hinging at the hips, until your back is almost parallel to the floor. Keep a slight bend in your knees as you bend forward. Return to standing position, squeezing your glutes when you are upright. Repeat 10 times.

3) Box Squat: Box squats literally help because in that pose the person doesn’t go below the butt level and the stress or strain on the body doesn’t increase. Even the effort level is relaxed. For all heart patients, the effort level of exercise should be calibrated to a mid-level to lower mid-level only. A lot of movement sideways like twisting and side bends can relax the heart.

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Practice: Stand tall with your back to a knee-high bench or box, positioned 4 to 6 inches behind you. Your feet should be spread shoulder-width apart. Lower your body by pushing back your hips and bending your knees until your butt touches the box or bench. Reach your arms out in front of your chest for balance. Pause, and then return to a standing position without leaning forward. That’s one rep. Perform 8-10 reps for two sets.

4) Hip raise: This is a compound multi-joint movement, which helps with efficient and time-saving workouts as multiple muscle groups get targeted. It strengthens the muscles in the chest, back, hip and quadriceps. It is good for athletes and people over 65 years.

Practice: Lie down on your back, fold your knees facing upwards. Inhale, lift your buttocks, back and chest area. Hold the lift for 20 seconds, exhale slowly and come back.

5) Ustrasana: After doing the above exercises, yoga asanas are the best for stretching. Ustrasana is the best for stretching. Just stretch the anterior part of the body. It tones the glutes and hamstrings (back of thigh) muscles while strengthening the chest, abdomen and quadriceps, muscles. This helps in increasing lung capacity, higher oxygen absorption and better functioning of the heart.

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Practice: Stand on your knees. Keep the thighs fully straight. Keep the knees and feet together. Lean in the backward direction. Then reach the right heel with the right hand, and the left heel with the left hand. Avoid straining the body. Push the hips in the forward direction. The thighs should be kept vertical. Then bend the head and the spine as backward and as far as possible without straining. Relax the body and the muscles of the back. Support the body weight equally on the legs and arms. Balance the arms as they strengthen the shoulders to maintain the back arch. Stay in the same position for as long as you find it comfortable. Then release the hands one by one and return to the starting position.

(Dr Mehta has trained Bollywood superstars Akshay Kumar, Preity Zinta, billionaires, politicians, Miss World/Miss Universe candidates and the Maharashtra Police. A best-selling author, his latest book is called ‘Weightless.’ He has been appointed FIT India Movement Champion by the Sports Authority of India)