Category: Exercise

Many people struggle with lower back pain, often caused by sitting for long periods hunched over at a desk and weak muscles. There are a few easy moves to incorporate into your weekly routine to help improve posture and reduce injury.

The lower back is actually part of the core and building core strength can help to prevent injury as well as create better overall posture and back health. These moves specifically help to strengthen the lower back area.

Move 1: Bridge

Start by lying on your back on the floor, bend your knees and place the soles of your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart directly under the knees. Allow the palms of the hands to rest on the floor beside the torso. Lift the hips and lower back off the mat, pressing into the soles of the feet. Continue to lift the upper back and chest, roll the shoulders under, lifting onto the back of the shoulders, protecting the neck. Breathe in this pose holding for up to 20 seconds. Exhale and release down by moving the shoulders and rolling the spine down onto the mat from the shoulders to the hips. Repeat this up to 5 times and then hug your knees gently towards the chest and rock from side to side.

Move 2: Cobra

Start by lying on your stomach, place your hands under your shoulders drawing the elbows close in towards the body. Inhale and slowly press into your hands, lengthening the arms, drawing the chest up. Do not extend your arms fully if you feel pressure in the lower back. Draw the shoulders back.Ensure you are feeling the back muscles working rather than just the arms.
Hold for 10 seconds and lower back down gently. Repeat 3 times.
If you’re a beginner, start by holding Baby Cobra, just by lifting your chest up off the mat, keeping your arms bent at the elbow.

Move 3: Locust

Start by lying on your stomach. Sweep your arms so that they are extended out in front of you. Firm your butt and lift your head off the mat followed by your chest, arms and finally lifting the legs. Lengthen and stretch through the toes. Working with the breath, continue to raise your arms encouraging the shoulders and chest to lift further off the mat. Keep the head neutral, chin down to allow for length through the spine into the neck. Breath here for 15 seconds and release with an exhalation. Repeat up to 5 times.
Stretching the arms out in front of you means an added arm workout. Make the move easier by sweeping the arms back or even by alternating sweeping arms backwards.

Want to get stronger arms, but you don’t have access to weights or a gym? We’ll show you how with these five moves. Each move has options for beginners and more advanced fitness levels.

Do 10 reps of each move and then three sets overall, taking a short break in between sets to catch your breath. Add this to any workout or get it done after your runs or walks 3 times a week.

Move 1: Push-Up

A push-up is one of the best body-weight workout moves as it targets more than your arms and back, but also your core.
If you’re a beginner, start by doing these on your knees. Slowly progress to being able to do 10 full push-ups. Make sure that you keep your body in a straight line and lower down to the mat until your body is parallel. Do these slowly and with intention (it will burn more). Do 10.

Move 2: Triceps Dip

Tricep dips work the muscles in the upper arm, specifically the triceps, and are one of the best exercises for toning the arms.
Find a bench or even a large log in a park. Face away from the bench, placing your hands on the bench behind you. If you’re a beginner, bend your knees, otherwise keep them straight out in front of you. Press into your palms to lift your body and slide forward just far enough that your bum clears the edge of the bench. Lower yourself until your elbows are bent between 45 and 90 degrees. Push yourself back up slowly until your arms are almost straight and repeat 10 times.

Move 3: Reverse Plank into Crab Crawl

You’ll need a bit of space for this move. Crab walking will help you burn fat and tone your back, arms, shoulders, core, legs and even hamstrings!
If you’re a beginner, hold a reverse plank for 10 seconds to complete one rep, lower yourself down to rest between reps. Do 10.
If you’re more advanced, start from a reverse plank move and then bend your knees up to the ceiling to form a crab. Move forward by advancing your opposite hand and foot simultaneously, alternating sides. Move four paces forward and then four paces backwards. This is one rep. Repeat 10 times.

Move 4: Walking Plank

This not only builds great arm strength, but is great for building a strong core!
Start by getting into a forearm plank position. Start by pressing into your right palm and straightening your right arm, followed by your left. Lower your right forearm back down, followed by your left, so that you’re back into a fore-arm plank. Do 5 starting with the right side and then 5 starting with the left side. Keep your hips square and core engaged.
If you’re a beginner, place your knees on the ground like an assisted push-up.

Move 5: Inch Worm

To activate the shoulder, arms, and core, start standing, then exhale into forward fold and place your palms on the floor. Walk your hands out one at a time until you arrive in a high plank position. Then walk your feet forward one at a time to meet your hands. That’s one rep.
Bend your knees to make it easier.
If you’re a beginner, stand in front of a chair, bend forward and place your hands on the front edge of a sturdy chair or couch. Walk your hands from the front to the back, rear of the seat and back again.

There are a number of reasons why exercising with your partner can strengthen your bond as well as help you stick to your fitness routine and goals. Here’s why you should give it a try…

Despite the hashtags on instagram – #CoupleGoals #CouplesWhoTrainTogetherStayTogether – there is actual science behind why training together can be great for your relationship and your health.

1. Training together with your significant other means you automatically have an accountability partner in each other and are more likely to go get your workouts done, which is better for your long-term health and you’re more likely to achieve your goals.
2. Studies have shown that exercising with your partner can be a great way to effectively spend time together and bond, especially if you’re already feeling time-strapped.
3. Being fitter literally makes you feel better (read: more attractive) and this alone can be beneficial for both partners in a relationship. This is because of a number of factors, including an increase in testosterone, which happens when you’re active, and those feel-good endorphins which you get after exercising – these naturally boost your mood and release stress, making for a better loved-up environment.
4. Having a shared goal can bring you closer together. That goal doesn’t have to be running a 10km race at the same pace, but it can be about both getting the race done and supporting each other through your training. Waking up early together and hitting the gym or park or taking a walk or a hike can all work wonders.
5. There’s nothing like completing a challenge together to give you a real sense of “team” and joint achievement. The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that couples reported feeling more positive about their relationship or more in love after jointly completing a physical activity or a physical challenge.

Races are back and we can’t be more excited, including the Pirates 21km on 20 February – Gauteng’s hardest half marathon. Here’s a handy race-day check-list plus tips to ace race day!

With all the big races set to come back this year, many South Africans are entering and committing to those events as means to get back on the fitness wagon and find that training community again. Setting a race goal is a great way to maintain fitness and work towards that next achievement.

How to ace race day:

Race day is around the corner and you want to do well! Here’s some great advice to ensure you have the best race day possible.

1. 1. The week before race day, make sure you are hydrating enough, eating healthy, nutritious foods. If it’s been very hot and you tend to suffer from cramping, tke electrolytes two to three days in advance.
   2. Prioritise your sleep in the days building up to race day. You want your body to be well rested and ready to perform! If you’re the kind that gets race nerves the night before, don’t worry: It’s really the sleep two nights before that counts.
   3. Two days before race day, make sure that you get in enough carbohydrates so that your body is appropriately fuelled. Potatoes and pasta are great examples. Avoid foods that are very spicy or high in fibre 24 hours before racing as this might impact how your tummy feels when you run. Read more: Runner’s Stomach – What It Is And How To Prevent It.
   4. Work out your pacing. Generally with a half marathon you don’t want to push too fast in the first half, going about 10 or so seconds slower than your race pace fpr the first 5km. Then begin to push in the second half, really taking it home in the last 3km to finish strong. Use this pacing chart to work out how fast you need to run to achieve your goal:

      • Your Pace	Your 21km time
        5min/km	1hr45min29sec
        5.15min/km	1hr50min46sec
        5.30min/km	1hr56min02sec
        5.45min/km	2hr01min19sec
        6min/km	2hr06min35sec
        6.15min/km	2hr11min52sec
        6.30min/km	2hr17min08sec
        6.45min/km	2hr22min24sec
        7min/km	2hr27min41sec
        7.15min/km	2hr32min57sec
        7.30min/km	2hr38min14sec
        7.45min/km	2hr43min30sec
        8min/km	2hr48min47sec

   5. Pack out your race gear the day before so that you don’t have to look for anything in the morning and also check that all your kit is in order.
      Race checklist:
      • Appropriate running shoes
      • Socks
      • Your running outfit plus a jacket if the mornings are cool before you start
      • A race/ running belt to keep your phone and keys
      • Emergency tissues (you never know when you may need them)
      • A fully charged fitness tracker / watch
      • It’s often good to pack a plaster or two in case you get a blister (place in your running belt)
      • A bag with a change of clothes, water, electrolytes and a protein shake for afterwards
      • Anti-chafe cream for those areas that can get tender during a long run
      • A squeezy running bottle with some water (and electrolytes or race fuel as needed) so that you don’t have to stop at water stations if you don’t want to.

You might have noticed a lot more people feeling depressed in winter, or suffering from ‘the winter blues,’ even in sunny South Africa. Days are shorter, darker and colder and we’re generally cooped up indoors, now even more with National Lockdown. This can start to have an impact on one’s mood. Here we look at how Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) occurs and what we can do to combat it.

While some cities like Johannesburg and Durban can still enjoy gorgeous sunny afternoons, cities like Cape Town and other parts of South Africa are grey with regular rainfall. In winter, the sun rises in The Mother City around 8 am, while it pops above the horizon before 7 am in Durban and Johannesburg. These changes can make it increasingly harder to get out of bed and to get a morning workout in, adding the winter blues.

Let The Light In

A theory on how SAD works is based on shorter daylight hours. It suggests that light entering the eye changes hormone levels in the body. In our bodies, light functions to stop the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, causing us to wake up. In winter, we produce higher melatonin, which may result in lethargy and symptoms of depression. Below are behavioural tips that form part of what psychologists call ‘Light Therapy” and are beneficial for getting more light into your life.

• Go for a midday walk
• Sit, work or read near a window
• On weekends, spend more time outdoors
• Replace your alarm clock with a dawn light. Set the light to a traditional sunrise time and slowly the light will brighten at your dedicated time in the morning, waking you up.
• If your home generally gets a lot of shade and is thus quite dark in winter, it might be worth investing in a daylight therapy lamp that mimics sunlight to boost your exposure to light.

Move That Body

Another saviour from the seasonal slump of SAD is to get active. Even if the weather is miserable and you don’t feel like heading outdoors, there are several ways to stay active in winter. Thirty minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week is effective against depression and is beneficial for healthy muscles and joints.

• Take a walk whenever you can during the day. Don’t forget your face mask.
• Have a standing meeting.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.
• Check out free online classes that you can do from the comfort of home. Visit the Medshield Movement portal for free exercise classes or consider our ClickFit programmes.

If the winter blues are affecting your day-to-day life, speak to your doctor. If you need a quick mood boost right now, click here for five ways to lift your mood instantly.

For those who have tested positive for COVID-19, it can be tricky to know what’s safe in terms of when you can begin to exercise again and how you should go about it. Here we break down how to start exercising safely after you’ve recovered.

Please note that the tips provided are simply guidelines recommended by professionals for people who have had mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms. Before beginning any new exercise routine – and to clear up any personal queries – it is always advisable to consult with your own doctor.

Once you have recovered and no longer experience COVID-19 symptoms, it is advised to begin with low-intensity exercises and less sedentary behaviour that will reduce blood clot risks.

Research published in the review article: Considerations for Return to Exercise Following Mild-to-Moderate COVID-19 in the Recreational Athlete offers us the following information:

• Physical inactivity is a well-recognised risk to physical and mental health that is associated with increased all-cause mortality. The effects of inactivity can rapidly change the body’s metabolism. A two-week reduction in daily steps from 10 000 to 1 500 steps has been shown to impair insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism and increase visceral fat in otherwise healthy adults. So, it’s important to start moving your body again when you can safely do so.
• Various cardiac complications have been associated with COVID-19, including arrhythmia, myocarditis and acute myocardial injury. While regular exercise improves cardiovascular health in the long-term, each session of exercise stresses the heart and can trigger potentially lethal arrhythmias in the context of underlying cardiovascular disease. Many non-hospitalised individuals with COVID-19 will likely not develop cardiac manifestations and be able to safely return to exercise. Despite this, care must be taken to ensure the absence of persistent cardiac complications related to COVID-19 prior to returning to exercise.

Cape Town-based Orthopaedic and Sport Physiotherapist, Genine Manchip supplies a 6-step guide to returning to exercise after COVID-19. She advises to begin this programme only when you no longer have symptoms and to progress to the next stage as your body adapts.

6 Stage Guide To Return to Exercise:

1. Return to activities of daily living (ADL) and walking. Min duration: 10 days.
2. Low-intensity cardio (under 70% HR max, under 15 minutes). E.g. stationary cycle, swimming, aerobics, yoga. Min duration: 2 days. Try our Brand Ambassador Amy Hoppy’s yoga routine here.
3. Moderate-intensity / increased frequency of training (under 80% HR max, under 30 minutes). E.g. running drills. Min duration: 1 day.
4. Duration increases and you can start with more complicated sports (under 80% HR max, under 45 minutes). Min duration: 1 day.
5. Intensity increase; normal training commences (under 80% HR max, under 1 hour). Min duration: 2 days.
6. Return to sport as normal.

You can calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you’re 45 years old, subtract 45 from 220 to get a maximum heart rate of 175. To work out 80% of your max, you simply multiply 0.8 x your max (175) = 140BMP.

The overarching recommendation? Take it slow and gradually reintroduce physical activity to your routine. Don’t forget to consult your doctor with any queries or for a tailor-made approach to exercising after COVID-19 recovery.

Even before the COVID-19 third wave hit, many of us continued to work from home – even if only part-time. However, as many can attest, working from home has had negative health side effects, one of which is back pain. Without ergonomic work chairs at home, it’s easier to sit on soft couches that don’t offer proper back support for an 8-hour workday, causing lower and upper backaches. Lack of movement also leads to the body stiffening up and all kinds of little pains.

To get your body moving again, here is a list of beginner-friendly yoga poses that you can do in the comfort of your home. The moves will help to ease and release tension in the upper back and iron out any painful kinks. If you don’t have a yoga mat, place a large towel over a flat carpeted or grassed area.

Cat & Cow

Think of this as your gentle warm-up and a nice release for the back. This gentle, accessible backbend stretches and mobilises the spine. Practising this pose also stretches your torso, shoulders, and neck. Start on your hands and knees in a Table Top position, with shoulders directly over wrists and hips over knees.
Inhale and lift your head, chest and tailbone towards the ceiling as you arch your back for Cow pose, sticking your bum out. On the exhale, round your spine and drop your head towards the floor for Cat pose. Tilt your pelvis and gaze towards your belly button.

Slowly repeat, moving on the breath for 30 seconds or up to 1 minute.

Downward-facing Dog to High Plank

This traditional forward bend can be restful and rejuvenating. Practising this pose can help to relieve back pain. From Table Top position, as you inhale, curl your toes and lift your knees up off the mat. As you exhale, extend your hips up towards the ceiling so that your body forms a triangle-like shape or inverted V. Bend your knees slightly if needed, especially as your body warms up. On your next inhale drop your hips and move into High Plank. Adjust your hands if you need to for the first transition, then keep them where they are as you exhale and come back into Downward-facing Dog.

Slowly repeat, moving on the breath for 30 seconds or up to 1 minute.

Cobra

This gentle backbend stretches your abdomen, chest and shoulders. Practising this pose strengthens your spine and may soothe sciatica. From High Plank, lower your body all the way down to the ground. Place your hands directly beneath your shoulders, tucking your elbows into your waist.

Inhale to press your chest up off the mat into a Baby Cobra. Hold for three breaths before allowing the body to come back down to the mat on the next exhale.

On your next inhale, press your upper body off the mat into full cobra position, straightening the arms. If this is too much for your body, continue only with baby cobra, repeating three more times. If you can hold a full cobra, repeat baby cobra once more and then full cobra for a second time.

Bridge

This is a backbend and inversion that can be stimulating or restorative. It stretches the spine and may relieve backaches and headaches. Turn around so that you’re lying on your back, arms alongside your body. Lift your knees and point them up towards the ceiling, keeping your feet firmly flat on the mat. As you inhale, lift your lower back first, then middle back, then upper back off the mat. Squeeze your glutes, engage your quads and lift your pelvis. Hold for three breaths, then slowly lower your back all the way down to the mat. Repeat twice more.

Spinal Twist

This restorative twist promotes movement and mobility in the spine and back. It stretches your spine, back and shoulders. It can help relieve pain and stiffness in your back and hips.

Start where you left off in Bridge pose, with your knees pointed up towards the ceiling and arms alongside your body. Keeping your knees and feet together, then slowly drop your knees over to one side, starting with your left. Lower the knees as low as your body allows and hold in this position. You are welcome to place your left hand on top of your right thigh, guiding it down. If it feels comfortable, gaze in the opposite direction (i.e. to the right). Stay here for five breaths and then change sides.

If you’d like to follow a free yoga class online, try this beginner-friendly class here. You also motivate yourself to work out by reading these handy tips.

It’s normal this time of year, as temperatures drop and we spend more time indoors, that we pick up a little sniffle, cold or catch flu. Amid COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to stay safe and healthy. With that in mind, here are some easy tips to help keep your health elevated, so that your body can fight off those nasty germs all winter long.

It’s important to remember that our immune systems already do an amazing job of keeping us healthy every day. But often without knowing it, we put our bodies under stress by living an unhealthy lifestyle. This can impact our ability to fight off germs.

While there is still much research happening in this space, there are general healthy-living strategies that can apply to everyone to promote improved wellness.

Healthy-Living Strategies

Your first line of defence against germs is choosing to live a healthy lifestyle. But what does that look like exactly? Let’s look at avoiding behaviours that lower immunity as well as include more behaviours that promote general health and wellness:

1. Get enough good-quality sleep (between 7 and 9 hours for most adults).
2. Do not smoke.
3. If you drink, only drink in moderation.
4. Eat a diet high in vegetables.
5. Exercise regularly.

If you’re wanting to get into exercise but don’t know where or how to start, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Visit our Facebook page, where Medshield Movement Ambassadors host free live workouts on Sundays that all are welcome to join. You can also find all our past video workouts here.

If you’re looking to consult with a doctor on how to help you improve your lifestyle or eating habits, visit the Medshield Network to find an expert in your area.

Diet and immunity

When it comes to diet, there are some changes that one can make to support immune functioning. Recently studies have shown a real link between gut health and the immune system. To improve and support gut health, it’s important to eat more whole foods; include fermented foods in your diet, like kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha; and take probiotic supplements.

Healthy fats, like those found in olive oil and salmon, may boost your body’s immune response to pathogens by decreasing inflammation. Make sure you get enough vitamins and nutrients, particularly Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin B. For healthy recipe inspiration and ideas, visit our Resource Hub.

Obesity may increase your risk of getting sick, so try to maintain a healthy weight. See our ClickFit Programmes – free for Medshield members – tailored to help you get fitter, with increased flexibility and strength. There are also fitness programmes designed for total beginners too, so don’t be shy – join the journey!

Additional ways to care for your health and avoid catching germs:

• Wash both hands properly and regularly with antibacterial soap and hand sanitiser.
• Stay up-to-date with your vaccines.
• Include mindfulness practices like yoga, breathwork, meditation or journaling to help ease stress.