Tips from a fitness summit

An online platform for health and wellness information, Happiest Health organised Move Summit 2024 in Bengaluru recently. A few takeaways:

Dance fitness expert Shwetambari Shetty said five minutes of exercise a day is good to begin with. After 10 days, you can increase it to 15
minutes. The home workout can be a mix of malasana (deep squat), planks, and standing leg raise exercises. Hold the plank for 30 seconds each, and raise each leg for 20 seconds.

Powerlifter and strength coach Raghu Hondadakeri said hitting the gym daily is unnecessary. If your aim is to just be physically active, three times a week is ideal. If you have a specific fitness goal, then make it four-to-five days a week.

Dance movement therapy practitioner Preethi Rajagopalan asked the
audience to move their arms and ankles, breathe deeply, and hug
themselves. Preethi says movements can boost cognitive, physical and emotional health. If one is feeling emotionally overwhelmed, she suggests shaking one’s arms and legs. It can release muscular tension and help calm the body. 

Inconsistency causes injury

Fitness professional Wanitha Ashok expressed concern over the rising injuries among fitness enthusiasts. These commonly occur on the ankle, shoulder and face, noted Dr Ayappan V Nair, shoulder surgeon and sports trauma specialist. This is seen in people who work out infrequently, like those who play football once a week, he added.