Handbook for successful ageing - 3.3.2 Exercises 11 - 23

Preface for 11. And 12.: don’t wrap the band which you will use for the following exercises round your hands but hold it with both hands, this way the blood flow won’t be interrupted. At the same time this will allow you to strengthen your hands for daily activities; if your hands become cramped let the band go and move your hands.
  

11. Sit down and grab the band with both hands at the upper edge, bend forwards, bend your legs and feet and throw the band under your feet; it should not touch the toes but it shouldn’t be too close to the heels either; spread your legs slightly, while still seated grab the band in a way that it is tight when your arms are extended and lay down on your back.
  

a) Bend your elbows, the upper arms still resting on the floor, and extend them;
 

b) lift your extended arms and use them to pull your extended legs upwards; also lift your head and shoulders; breathe out when lifting and breathe in when lowering. Important for the back!
 

Draw up your legs so that the bow falls down, take the band and place it on your chest.
  

Now you should turn your head!
  

12. Clasp the band in shoulder-width and do the following exercises until e) inclusive with your wrists extended.
 

a) Stretch your arms upwards and then to the side until the band touches your chest.
  

Practise the following exercises only half as often:
  

b) Stretch your left arm forth and the right arm to the back;
  

c) place your elbows next to your body on the floor, to shoulder height, and stretch the arms to the side;
  

d) shorten the band, stretch both arms forth towards the feet and from there on to the sides until the band touches the groins;
   

e) now shorten it in a way that the hands rest on the sides of the upper legs; tighten it and lead it via the chest and the head to the back; breathe in on 1 and breathe out on 2; make sure that the wrists stay stretched out.
 

f) with your arms still extended lead the band via the head to the back and pull your hands respectively to the opposite side with it.
  

13. If you want to get up from lying on the back bend your right leg, with the left hand push your body off from the floor and with the right hand you press against your knee; if you have problems keeping your equilibrium you should balance with your arms while getting up; if this is not sufficient you should turn around, facing the floor and proceed according to exercise 20.
  

14. Lay down on your left side, extend your left arm, palm facing upwards, rest your head on your upper arm, bend your left leg and place your right hand, on the fingertips, in front of you. This exercise also strengthens your fingers for your daily life.
  

a) bend the right leg, too, lift it and push it away horizontally, lower it and bend it again; the movements should be flowing;
 

b) again in a flowing movement throw the extended leg upwards, bend it, lower it and stretch it again.
  

c) place your right foot on the inner edge just under your upper left leg, stretch the leg and lift it.
  

d) stretch your right leg and swing it forth and back, swinging forth draw up your toes and stretch them while swinging back; stretching your right hand to the front and your left leg to the back make sure that you don’t roll over the muscles of your upper legs; breathe in on 1 and 2, breathe out on 3 and 4.
   

e) bend both legs, place the right leg in front of or behind the left one, draw up your left arm and lift the upper body, resting on your left palm and the fingertips of the right hand; from this position lift and lower your pelvis;
 

If you want to get up from this position do it as described in no. 20.
  

15. come into a quadruped position, extend your arms to the front, turn your upper body - not the pelvis! - to the left, with your left hand grab your heel, extend the arm to the front again and repeat the exercise with your right arm. Breathe in while doing the exercise with your left and breathe out while doing it with your right arm.
  

16. Come into the press-up position, extend your arms and breathe out when lowering and breathe in when lifting; if you are not able to come into a complete press-up position immediately try to do this exercise kneeling on the floor (womens’ press-ups) but keep trying time and again to do the complete press-up. If, at first, you are only able to do it with your pelvis sagged you will be able to overcome this sooner or later.
  

17. Stand on the tips of your feet and your hands, stretch one leg to the back, lift and lower it six times without touching the floor in between and draw up your lower leg after each lift.
   

18. Come into the position for knee push ups, draw the legs up further and by doing to pull your pelvis to the back and relax your torso.
  

19. Lay down on your belly and glide forwards with your hands until your chin touches the floor.
   

a) Draw up you lower legs alternately with a sweeping movement and breathe in on 1-6 and breathe out on 7-12 or, alternatively breathe in on left-right-left and breathe out on right-left-right;
  

b) now draw up both lower legs, grab your ankles and extend the legs in order to lift the torso; if you aren’t able to grab both your ankles immediately for starters you can grab one after the other, however you should try time and again if you are to grab both at the same time in the meantime; breathe in when lifting and breathe out when lowering; do this exercise only half as often since it is exhausting;
  

c) rest your arms next to your thighs, palms facing upwards and lift your torso as high as possible; breathe in on 1 and breathe out on 2. Important for the back!
  

d) place your arms in front of you, palms facing downwards, fingertips aiming at each other, lift your torso with your own strength and draw, again half as often, big circles on the floor with your hands; three to the right and three to the left; breathe in when drawing circles to the right and breathe out when drawing circles to the left. Spread your legs slightly in order to lie firmly. Important for the back!
 

e) lift your left arm and your left leg, respectively your right arm and your right leg several times alternately; make sure that you keep your arm and your leg straight, don’t turn your head but lift your chin a bit; breathe in on 1,2 and 3; breathe out on 4,5 and 6;
  

f) lift your left arm and your right leg at the same time and other than that proceed as described in exercise e).
  

20. In order to get up come into a kneeling position first, then bring your right foot forwards and press your body up with the help of your hands.
 

21. Sit on a chair, feet apart, with your left leg grab the bow of the band between your legs, pull it slightly forwards, place your right leg in it and after you let go also your left leg, sit on the edge of the chair, extend your legs to the sides, breathe in on 1 and breathe out on 2.
  

22. Take the band off your feet, extend your legs forwards and turn your feet several times; from the inside, up, to the outside and then from the outside, up and to the inside, and finally both feet together from the left, up, to the right; and from the right, up to the left. Now stretch your feet alternately and draw them up again.
  

23. Stand up quickly, hold that position for the blink of an eye to make sure that you don’t fall back immediately and sit back down. This decreases your risk of falling. Breathe in on 1 and breathe out on 2.

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