Week 8: Advanced fitness assignment
Hurray! You've made it to the final week. You deserve to take an extra long relaxation session. Ideally you should try to introduce at least a couple of relaxation sessions into your week in order to lower your stress levels.
Turn off the phone, switch off the TV and dim the lights. Get yourself in the mood with soft music, lighting some candles or just listen to the silence. The key to relaxation is to focus on your breathing. The deeper you breathe the more you'll relax. Wear warm, loose comfortable clothing and have bare feet. Don't rush.
Lie on the floor, (you may need a pillow to support your head and keep your neck in alignment with your spine) as you inhale your abdomen should gently rise and as you exhale your abdomen will lower and gently draw your naval towards the spine. Repeat six times. Bring one knee into your chest keeping the other leg long along the floor (or if more comfortable, bend the knee of that leg and place the foot on the floor), inhale and exhale slowly three times and repeat with the other leg. Now slowly drop the legs to one side and roll over onto all fours, knees underneath the hips and hands underneath the shoulders. Inhale and as you slowly exhale, pull the naval towards the spine and round the back into a letter C, also known as the Cat stretch. Inhale and as you exhale slowly reverse the motion, return to the start position and then arch until you are gazing upwards, keeping the neck long. Repeat six times.
Now gently sit the bottom down on the heels, bring the big toes together, taking the thighs apart slightly and extend the arms along the floor, resting the crown of the head downwards (this is known as child's pose). Focus on your breathing and inhale and exhale slowly six times.
Now turn over onto your back and lie with your knees and soles of the feet together and slowly take the knees apart as the soles of the feet come together. Arms are down by your side with palms up. Continue taking deep breaths and stay here for about five minutes. Now carefully sitting up, sit sideways very close to a wall with legs stretched out in front of you and then gently slide legs up the wall so your bottom touches the wall and you are in a `L' shape with legs resting up the wall. Stretch arms out to the side with palms upwards, chest open and free and shoulders away from the ears. Close the eyes and continue to focus on your breathing. Stay here for as long as you like!
Celebrate with other iVillagers who have successfully finished this demanding fitness plan - or inspire anyone struggling through the early weeks by visiting the Shape Up Challenge message board:
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