Brittany St. Louis | Fulcrum Contributor
WE’VE ALL BEEN there—you wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and realize you aren’t as slim or fit as you once were. Still, you’re far too lazy to actually get off the couch, unless, of course, your roommate proposes a trip to McDonald’s followed by dessert at the Beavertail stand. The solution: following these six easy exercises, perfect for someone who hates fitness; no weights, sweat, or pesky gym visits required.
Sleeping warrior pose
The sleeping warrior is a variation of the traditional warrior poses often found in yoga. Sleeping warrior differs from other yoga poses in its lack of lunging or bending. The sleeping warrior aims to loosen the muscles in your body and awaken your energetic spirit. The pose is achieved by standing up and stretching one’s arms out to the side as far as they will reach, resembling the stretch that generally accompanies yawning. If this is too hard, try it sitting first.
Baby’s pose
Find a spot to lie down—a couch, bed, or floor will do the trick. Assume the fetal position. Baby’s pose is best to do at the end of a workout as a relaxation technique, and also as a tool to stretch out the spine. This is a movement guaranteed to help with the transition into the child’s pose, which you can attempt once you become more advanced in the art of yoga.
Tossing and turning tummy tucks
Tighten the abdominals without leaving your bed! The idea is to simulate the tossing and turning from side to side that often occurs as the result of insomnia or a worrisome nightmare. Achieve that flat stomach and tight abs overnight.
The button cruncher
This exercise caters to the often overlooked fingers and wrists. No lazy person’s workout is complete without paying careful attention to stretching the fingers and wrists to encourage proper blood flow. Through typing or texting daily, you can ensure you have adequately exercised these ever-important appendages.
Tree trunk pose
Stand up straight and as still as possible, as if you were the stable trunk of a tree. Focus on steadying your breathing and heart rate while developing your centre of balance. This is an alternative to the tree pose, because why go to the trouble of standing on one foot when you can stand on two? If it’s been a long day, try the fallen tree trunk pose.
