My Lower Body Workout Routine
It is hard to say which part of a whole body exercise is paramount. My main focus is always on the upper body, lower body, and cardio and breathing.
Below are the three main areas that help me conquer my workout. Warming up is important, too, because getting ready to work out and warming your muscles helps you get into the zone.
Upper body excercises
I have shared an upper body exercise routine before. It’s worth a mention because strengthening my upper body helps me to carry my compromised lungs and to maintain control over my balance. I am being mindful of my posture by consciously standing upright.
As I do, I lower my shoulders and rotate them back. Lowering and relaxing my shoulders helps relax the muscles in my neck, allowing me to breathe easier.
Lower body exercises
Here is my lower body exercise routine. I start with my toes and move upwards.
Toes
I do lower body exercise while watching TV. It makes good use of the time I waste watching television every day.
From a comfortable sitting position, I start by wiggling my toes, up and down, side to side. If I do it properly, I should feel it slightly in my calves and my shins.
Ankles
After toes, I start moving my ankles. Catching my breath, I begin slowly by making large circular motions and gently rotating my ankles, clockwise and counterclockwise.
I do one ankle at a time, keeping my breath in mind and exhaling on exertion. It is hard when you are going in circles, but when I begin bending my foot at the ankle down and then up, I have the advantage of mastering my breath.
I can feel the stretch in my calf when my toes are pointing down and in my shin when pointing up.
Knees
Moving on to the knees will include moving larger muscles, so I make sure to catch my breath. There is no hurry. The slower I move, the easier it is for me to have total breathing control.
Moving these large muscles can sometimes cause an increase in your heart rate. That is OK, provided you can maintain the rhythm of the breath. Your heart is a muscle, and as with all muscles, it needs to be exercised.
With my knees bent and my feet flat on the ground, I extend my leg upward until my leg is parallel with the ground. Now I can feel those big muscles in my upper leg working. I do ten reps, one leg at a time.
Then, lifting my legs and thighs off the chair, remembering to inhale to begin and exhale as I exert.
Moving and bending your leg at the knee will allow you to work all those thigh muscles. Once these steps have been mastered, you may find it is time to move to a peddler, a treadmill, working with elastic bands, or walking outside.
Lower body exercise is not meant to induce pain like the upper body. If done correctly, there should be no pain. I find that if I can just learn to slow down, plan my next step, and then slowly execute, I am more likely to be successful.
Editor’s Note: We are extremely saddened to say that on January 7th, 2024, Barbara Moore passed away. Barbara’s advocacy efforts and writing continue to reach many. She will be deeply missed.
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