Tackling Problem Areas Of Your Body

Exercises For Specific Problem Areas:
Add these basic exercises to your general fitness routine to give special problem areas extra work, or do them on their own as an isolated routine. If you do them on their own, use the abdominal muscle exercises from the general fitness plan for your stomach, and remember to warm up first and cool down afterwards.

Thigh Muscles:
Exercise A:
1. Lie on your back on the floor with your arms resting straight out at right angles to your body and your feet apart in line with your hips.
2. Hold a cushion between your knees and , keeping your back pressed into the floor, press your knees together 10 times quickly and 10 times slowly, keeping the cushion in place throughout.
3. Now repeat the sequence from step 2 again, but this time holding a tennis or golf ball between your knees.
Exercise B:
1. Lie on your back on the floor with your legs straight and your lower back pressed to the floor. Put your arms along your sides, palms to the floor.
2. Stretch your arms out to the side at right angles to your body. Bend your legs and bring your knees in towards your chest.
3. Keeping your legs together, steadily straighten them so that they are pointing up towards the ceiling. Keep your feet relaxed, do not point them.
4. Slowly open your legs out sideways – as wide as you can – then close them again. Repeat the exercise 4 times. When you feel completely comfortable with this exercise, you can try doing it with small weights tied to your ankles.
Exercise C:
1. Stand alongside a chair or table (lightly holding the edge to maintain your balance), with your shoulders down and relaxed. Have your knees slightly bent and your feet facing forwards.
2. Lift your left hip slightly and slowly move your leg out and up (no higher than 45 degrees), keeping your foot and knee facing forwards. Make sure you do not let your body tilt – keep it as straight as possible. Carefully lower your leg. Repeat the whole exercise 10 times, then turn and repeat with the other leg.

Exercise D:
1. Lie on your right side on the floor with your legs out straight. Support your head with your right hand.
2. Bend your lower leg behind you to maintain balance and tilt your hips slightly towards the floor, your head, hips, knees and feet should all be facing forwards. Balance yourself with your left hand on the floor in front of you.
3. Slowly lift your upper leg, then bring it down until it touches the lower one; raise it again and repeat this movement 6 times. Turn over and repeat steps 1-3 on the other side.

Ankle And Calf Muscles:
Exercise A:
1. Sit up straight on a chair, with your knees together and heels on the floor and slightly apart, in line with your hips. Bring your big toes up (as high off the floor as possible) and roll your feet in towards each other.
2. Now tilt and move both feet down and outwards from the ankle, keeping your big toes raised as much as possible as you roll your feet on to their outer edges. Repeat this 10 times.
Exercise B:
1. Lie flat on your back on the floor with your legs straight.
2. Bring one leg up and hold it beneath the back of your thigh so that it is pulled towards your chest. Rotate your foot 10 times clockwise and 10 times anti-clockwise. Repeat with the other leg. Increase the number of repeats to 20 for each foot, working alternately in groups of 7.