15 March,2014 12:16 PM IST | | Anu Prabhakar
Physique Elite Master trainer Marika Johansson tells us how to get innovative with weight training equipment at home or at the workplace
Is it possible to do a workout without any fancy exercising tools?
Yes. One can use a yoga mat or even a towel for their floor exercises. We can use water bottles, cans or coconuts instead of dumbbells to work on the arms and shoulders. And a person's own body weight can be used for doing sit up and push-ups. One can use more everyday objects. Men can lift chairs for the biceps. They can do lunges. They can also tie towels together and pull themselves back and forth for stretching exercises.
Bend knees, keep your heels flat on the ground. Place hands on opposing shoulders or behind head. Slowly lift your head, followed by shoulder blades, till you're at a 90-degree angle/ when the elbows are on or past the knees. Hold the position for a second. Bring the torso to the floor, but keep slightly elevated. Use a coconut instead of a medicine ball.
What if one wants to do a workout at the office?
I would recommend a break every hour for a quick walk. Also, one can do push ups, squats, lunges, biceps curls with water bottles, shoulder presses with waterbottles and leg raises for abs on your chair. All this helps in blood circulation and burning fat.
Stand upright, with your legs spread out in such a way that it corresponds to the width of your shoulder. Or, take a narrower stance. Keep knees straight and lower the bottle towards your feet by bending hips. Once the hips can no longer flex, bend your waist till the bottle approaches the top of your feet. Slowly go back to your original position by extending waist and hip. Pull shoulders back slightly, if rounded.
And is there anything called an ideal diet for losing weight?
You know, when people approach me, I am often shocked when I look at their diet chart. Most diets include a lot of carbohydrates and fats but no proteins. Initially, you may be able to lose a lot of weight, but such a diet is detrimental to your health. You need to maintain your body weight and not starve yourself. It is all about eating a balanced diet with the right amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Everything must be had in moderation.
Grab the seat of the chair at home or at work. Raise legs by flexing hips and knees until thighs are completely flexed. Return until hips and knees are extended. All exercises must be done in 2 sets X 15 reps for maximum results.
So, what is your new cookbook about?
Apart from my recipes, Marika's Healthy Kitchen will educate readers about nutrition. I also have also added a training regime ... The recipes include those created for Hrithik Roshan's transformation in the Hindi movie Krrish 3.
