By healthiergang writer , former competitive athlete and currently bodybuilding athlete (Bikini category).
Gentle Gymnastics
Gentle gymnastics is a free or non-free body workout based on the philosophy of tranquility. It consists of a whole series of exercises designed to train both the body and the mind, in a balanced and conscious way. No extreme gestures, no series brought to failure, no breathlessness and stress!
The key to reading this training method is the ability to maintain a natural and sustainable rhythm during the workout.
The secret to making the most of this technique is to work hard on the mind-muscle connection. This will allow you to maintain focus on the muscle groups involved, to fully perceive their activation and relative contraction.
Gentle gymnastics will teach you to perform the exercises in a clean way, improving the execution technique and modulating your breathing according to what you are doing.
Therefore gentle gymnastics consists of slow and progressive exercises, and for this very reason it is often associated with people with orthopedic or related problems, as well as with elderly people who have to keep moving.
This is true but only partially. In fact, this type of gymnastics is also particularly recommended for sedentary, overweight or normal weight subjects, who for whatever reason spend many hours of the day sitting, often and willingly feeling neck pain, a sense of numbness, heavy legs and similar symptoms.
Is it effective?
Contextualizing it all, yes, of course it is. Especially if those who practice it find real benefits.
We all seek "well-being", especially physical and psychological. Each of us has his own individuality and his own path, and in the world of physical culture this implies understanding what actually needs to be done to achieve one's goal.
Anything can be done but it must be done with logic!
Gentle gymnastics has proven to be the optimal solution for many people.
What should you expect?
- Improve your posture
- Keep stress away
- Avoid overexertion
- Tone the body
- Improve coordination
- Increase flexibility
Gentle gymnastics can be practically safely at home or in the gym. Since it is mainly based on bodyweight exercises, it is not essential to go to a well-equipped gym. Just bring a mat and other simple accessories that do not take up much space and you can safely keep at home.
Some exercise routines can be done using specific machines. In this case, in addition to the equipped gym, I recommend that you rely on a trainer who will be able to guide you in the most correct execution.
At any rate it is still a relatively light activity! Which is why there are no particular contraindications for these exercises! Avoid sudden movements and always seek stability with each exercise!
Always start your workout with a general warm-up session and some aerobic stretching involving all the muscles.
The main focus will be on the leg muscles and postural muscles such as hamstrings, adductors, erector muscles of the spine. Strengthening these muscle groups allows elderly people or people subject to particular postural problems to preserve their mobility and not walk.
The Best 5 Exercises
Here are the 5 gentle gymnastics exercises that you need to know at all costs!
1. Neck
Standing or sitting in a chair. Be careful to keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed throughout the exercise.
Turn your head towards your shoulder, both right and left, as if you want to look behind you, being careful not to make any sudden movements. Continue the repetitions until your neck feels loose and relaxed.
Return to position and bring your chin towards your chest, then back into position, and then your head back. Return to position and repeat the exercise taking care not to shrug your shoulders.
2. Back
On the ground, kneeling position.
Hands at shoulder height.
Bring your pelvis back by extending your spine as much as possible and keeping your arms straight, palms on the ground, applying light pressure, exhaling, to further stretch the back. Maintain the position for about 20/30 seconds.
Return to the starting position and inhale, bend your back into a “C”, contracting the abdominal wall and bending your head down.
Maintain the position 3/5 seconds and exhaling bring the head upwards, bring the spine to maximum extension arching the back. Return to position and repeat everything 10 times.
3. Abs
Lie with your back on the ground, arms extended along the body and knees flexed. Breathing in, lift your torso and arms off the ground, being careful not to arch your shoulders and exhaling contract the abdominal wall bringing the hands towards the knees. Inhale and exhale, return to the starting position while maintaining the contraction of the abdominals throughout the descent. Repeat for at least 10 times.
4. Shoulders
Standing or sitting, arms raised, fists clenched at shoulder height.
Do upward stretches until both hands touch above your head. Return to the starting position with your hands slightly above shoulder height and repeat.
Once warmed up take two light dumbbells and perform the same movement! Inhale and exhale in closing, inhale and then exhale bringing the arms down.
5. Hip Thrust
Hip thrust is a wonderful exercise! Doing it at home is very simple. Lie with your back on the ground, arms along the trunk, legs bent and feet slightly apart.
You will have to put some leverage on the soles of your feet, especially on the heels, and lift the pelvis upwards. Stay a few seconds at the point of maximum contraction looking for the focus of the buttocks. The pelvis plays a fundamental role in the execution of this exercise!
To move to a higher level you can use a lift (eg a step) under the feet and / or a weight to be placed on the lower abdomen. In this case you will have to hold it with your hands while performing the exercise.
Conclusions
In addition to being an excellent activity for the mind and body, gentle gymnastics can prove to be a wonderful habit to repeat in everyday life!
You can stay comfortably at home and dedicate half an hour of your day to these exercises! My advice is to carve out a time window every day in which to insert your exercise routine. You can divide the workouts according to the muscle groups and organize a circuit for each training session that involves them, varying the exercises from week to week to avoid the monotony and economy of the gesture, as well as intensify the difficulty!
