There is no denying that the lockdown has confined us to our homes with limited interaction with the outside world. Apart from official work, most people also have to take care of household chores. But this should not stop you from being regular with your fitness routine as it is extremely important to maintain your health. So if you have been thinking of taking up a fitness activity or continuing with your daily fitness routine but somehow have been unable to do that, you can take your cue from actor Gul Panag. Fighting fit at 41, the Turning 30 actor gave us a glimpse into her daily routine during the lockdown.
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In the midst of cooking, feeding her child, cleaning and working from home, Gul managed to squeeze in a workout. Inspiring much?
She captioned the post on Instagram, “Quick workout in the midst of household chores, before I settle down on my desk to attack work. Have gotten better at managing household work including but not limited to cleaning, cooking, laundry, work- emails, calls, prepping for a new launch, press for my new show, and managing to squeeze in exercise too. I try to be on my desk (dining table) by 11 AM. Dressed for ‘work’. Get down to cooking at 1PM to eat at 2 PM.”
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In the video, she can be seen acing push ups. Gul also shared that she is all set to undertake the #see10do10challenge. “In one of my earlier posts on WFM, I got an interesting tip- do 10 push ups every hour on the hour. I’m going to try that,” she added.
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Here’s how push ups do the trick for you
As a core exercise that helps build upper body strength, push ups work the triceps, pectoral muscles, and shoulders. When done correctly, they also help engage the lower back and abs.
For those looking for a consistent exercise routine to follow, including push ups can turn out to be effective. Adding variety by doing various types of push ups can save your body from plateauing or when the body stops gaining benefit from the same workout.
While push ups with proper form can be effective in building strength, improper form can lead to injury or pain in the shoulders and lower back.
So, if you are beginner, it is a good idea to start push ups on the knees or against a wall.
When you are performing a push up, make sure
*You keep the back straight and have your core engaged.
*The buttocks are down, not lifted with the body forming a straight line. Don’t arch the back or let the body sag down.
How to include push ups in your daily routine?
The trick is to test how many push ups you are able to do in a minute with proper form and by not rushing, like the actor. Slowly, increase the number you perform each or alternate day to build up strength and challenge yourself anew.
It is a good idea to start with vertical push ups against a wall and then slowly work your way to horizontal ones on the ground. Start with the wall, then do push-ups against lower surfaces like a chair, then go to the ground.
