Nick the Expert

Most people neglect stretching, a very important component of physical fitness. The reason why may be that cardio and/or weight training take most of the time they have for activity. However, with a few simple stretches lasting only minutes, you can improve how you feel and become more limber in daily activities.

When at work, home, or the gym, you can perform the following stretches that complement Your Plan for a Balanced Life:

• Chest stretch ¿ Standing in a door frame, reach behind you with both arms and grasp the frame at shoulder height, and lean forward with upright posture to stretch your chest and shoulders. (Keep your hips straight and bend only at your ankles.)
• Hip flexor stretch ¿ Sit in a lunging 90 - 90 position on the floor (one leg extended and the other bent at the knee so that your foot is about level with your hip). Bend at the hips over the extended leg, keeping your upper body in an upright position. Repeat on the opposite leg.
• Calf stretch ¿ Leaning on a wall, arms extended to the wall, and one foot back and one foot forward, bend the front leg to stretch the calf of the back leg. Keep your heels on the floor. Reverse the position of your feet and repeat.

These stretches can be helf for 10 - 13 seconds on each side/leg. Repeat for a total of 2 - 3 times.

Balancing your work schedule and exercise can be a daunting task. Time management is an important aspect to achieving a balanced life. In order to gain more free time to spend with family, friends, or yourself, exercising during you lunch hour can be a time saver.

Here are two simple, fast, and easy exercises you can incorporate into your Balanced Life Activity Program. Count the time you spend doing either as part of your daily training schedule.

1. Brisk walking. At work, walk outside of your office building with a co-worker. You'll not only get in some exercise time, but also get some fresh air to help clear your mind of job-related stress.
2. Stair climbing. If your office building contains several flights of stairs, simple climb up and down for exercise. Stair climbing does not have the scenery of walking, so try it with a co-worker or use an MP3 player for motivation.

Fitting quick and easy exercises into your lunch schedule is a great way to get in 15 or more minutes of quality, stress-relieving exercise.

Beginning Your Plan for a Balanced Life with walking is a simple and effective way to exercise regularly. Starting slowly and using a proper warm up and cool down are two important keys for a safe walking program. The following tips can also help you walk safely and get the most out of your program.

• To avoid knee problems, walk on balanced, level surfaces such as sidewalks, treadmills, or tracks. Walking on grass, which may have divots, can cause acute ankle injuries. Walking on sloped surfaces, such as a cambered road, can also cause or exacerbate knee problems. Finding surfaces that have cushioning, such as a treadmill or rubberized track surface, can also help absorb some of the shock and can help with knee problems.
• Avoid walking with hand weights. Hand weights can cause shoulder problems, and therefore should not be used when walking. To increase the intensity of walking, increase your speed or use an incline when on a treadmill.
• Use a walking pack that has a slot for a water bottle so that you can stay hydrated during longer walks.