Lovely readers, you'll know that I champion the importance of strong muscles, bones and joints to avoid fractures, to offset the effects of the big ‘M’ and give us independence.
I've written in my monthly woman&home magazine columns about valuing balance and moderation, not denial and restriction, why you should love your legs in shorts, and how to boost your summer energy. I hope that you are coming to view the health of your mind and body as a 365-day project, rather than something you tackle two weeks before you jet off on holiday.
Whatever your plans, a holiday is an opportunity for a change of routine, for fresh scenery, different food, new smells and – to steal a phrase off the millennials – to ‘check in’ with yourself. And I mean literally that, checking bits of you that get ignored. Chilling on the sunlounger by the pool or in your garden is the perfect place to do this (though you can of course also do these moves indoors on your best thick yoga mat if the weather turns wet this bank holiday)!
Sunlounger workout
Calves and hamstrings first. Grab a towel and hook it round one foot, pulling toes towards you. Lie back (go on, force yourself) and raise the leg to feel those fibres stretching all down the back of your leg. Hold for around 30 seconds.
Next, draw the alphabet in the air with your big toe. That helps keep the ligaments on the sole of your feet nice and pliable, and may help keep the dreaded plantar fasciitis at bay (which may pop up if you’re wearing flip-flops all day).
Then, put the soles of your feet together and press knees out wide to encourage lengthening of pelvic and inner thigh muscles. And, if you’re feeling energetic, stay like that and roll up to touch your toes in a butterfly crunch. Repeat 10 times.
Stay seated, but swing your legs around so they’re on the ground. Place a tennis or golf ball under the sole of your foot and, pressing hard, slowly roll it up from top to bottom. Excruciating, yes, but really effective for healthy feet.
While you’re still sitting down, put your left foot on top of your right knee in a number ‘4’ shape and gently lean forward. Feel that in your hip and glute? Agonising in a delicious kind of way.
Swing your legs back on to the sunlounger (don’t want to overdo it) because now it’s time for core work. This will look like you’re just doing a bit of people-watching, but there will be fire in that belly.
Lie horizontal with knees bent and feet flat. Put your hands behind your head and lift your head and shoulder blades up a little.
Now, pull the navel in and press the whole of your back into the sun chair and then lift your feet off about two centimetres. This move is called the Hollow-Hold. Hold for 15 seconds at first (there should be no sensation in your lower back, only in the abs).
By the flight home, you’ll have one strong torso.
The cherry on the top, is of course, the pelvic floor. Draw up your internal muscles as if sucking a grape up your vagina without crushing the skin. Pause. Then slowly release. Repeat as often as the margaritas will allow you.
Next level: Try the One Dumbbell Workout
Once back from holiday and ready for a tougher workout, try these three moves. Put them together like this: 10 reps of squats and plank slides, then 50 Russian twists. Then 8, 6, 4, 2 reps each of squats and plank slides and 40, 30, 20, 10 Russian twists.
1. Squat with front raise
Stand holding a dumbbell in front of your thighs. Lower into the squat, then raise the dumbbell up and down. Return to standing position. Repeat.
2. Plank slide
Get into a high plank, placing the dumbbell near your right hand. Using the left hand, reach under the body to drag/lift the dumbbell to the left. That’s one rep. Repeat using the other hand.
3. Russian twist
In a seated position, curl your spine into a C-shape and lean back to engage the abs. Hold the dumbbell at the ends and, from waist up, twist left and right (that’s two reps).
This article first appeared in the September 2024 issue of woman&home magazine. Subscribe to the magazine for £6 for 6 issues.
