Once upon a time you were sixteen and more than anything else you wanted a driver’s license. You signed up for Driver’s Ed, you practiced in the vacant parking lot on weekends with whoever you could corral, and you drove around your yard and up and down the drive. You practiced parking and found deserted streets for more practice. You studied the manual of laws and rules until the pages were frayed. Your reward was your license.
Now you are 30, 40, 50 or more. Someone has suggested you try the fitness test which includes sit-ups, chin-ups, and push-ups. Have you practiced, studied and prepared?
OR maybe you are in elementary school, junior high or high school. You’ve studied for your history, spelling, and math tests. You’ve tried out for the school play and studied your lines. There is no gym and no PE teacher or maybe there is. In any case it is announced there will be a fitness test. Have you practiced studied and have you been prepared? Throughout our lifetime there are always tests of one kind or another that we must study and prepare for in order to pass. That is except for fitness tests which are announced out of the blue and in which we are expected to participate without preparation.
WE WERE ALL PRETTY MUCH PHYSICALLY FIT UNTIL THE 30s at which time our muscles gave way to washers, dryers, cars, elevators, TV, vacuums, buses, trains, air conditioning and heating and we no longer had to chop, walk, scrub, sweep and more. And we were so happy with our newfound freedom that we didn’t replace those muscle activities with planned activities to take their place and maintain our fitness levels.
At the same time old time gym which included calisthenics, tumbling, gymnastics, and equipment like hoops, rings, ropes, stall bars, Indian clubs, wands, ladders, poles, flags, and marching drills to music all of which prepared muscles was replaced with basketball, football and baseball which required muscles.
A TEST WITHOUT A PROGRAM IS USELSS.
If you are stuck to the floor unable to perform any of the three UPS don’t give up. Each is valuable and you should be able to do them. Here’s how. Can’t sit up? Start by rolling down. Can’t chin-up? Start by letting down. Can’t push-up? Start at the top and let down.
By performing the exercise in reverse you are providing the needed resistance for strengthening the muscles, but you are doing it when the muscle is lengthening. This is four times as efficient as when the muscle is shortening or contracting. Thus your three DOWNS movements, let-downs and roll-down are more important to your improvement then your three UPS movements, chin-ups, push-ups or sit-ups.
HERE IS YOUR PROGRAM. HERE YOU GO!
Sit-ups: 1. Start sitting up, knees bent, feet held down, arms out in front. Roll SLOWLY down. Get up any way you can. Repeat 5 times morning and night. 2. When this is easy cross your arms in front of your chest and roll down slowly. Swing up. 3. When this is easy roll down with hands behind head. Roll up with hands across chest. 4. When this is easy roll down hands behind head. Roll up with hands behind head.
Chin-ups: Start standing on a box in a full chin-up position. SLOWLY lower yourself down to full length with the box out of your way. At first you will
come down quickly. Keep trying. Five in morning and 5 at night. Sooner or later you will be able come down slowly taking 10 seconds. At that time you will probably be able to do one chin-up.
Push-ups: The same applies here. Start at the top of the push-up and let yourself down all the way to the floor. Get up any way you can. Start at the top again and lower yourself down. As with the chin-up, when you can come down slowly taking 10 seconds you will probably be able to do one push up. Stay with your program for a month. At the end of the month then you can test.
YOU DID IT!
If you have questions or need help, email me at enid@bonnieprudden.com. For more information about Bonnie Prudden®, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®, books, self-help tools, educational videos, NCBTMB Approved Courses, videos free, for rent or for purchase, blogs, vlogs and newsletters, visit www.bonnieprudden.com or call 520-299-8064 if you have questions or need help. Enid Whittaker, Managing Director, Bonnie Prudden Myotherapy®