Kenneth Gardner - FITNESS CLUB

Warm up : Walk at a medium pace for two minutes, swing your arms alternately to make small circles and increase the size of the circles as you continue to walk. Walk for another two minutes on the balls of your feet and stretch your arms upwards alternately as you walk.

Day 1: Walk briskly for five minutes, then power walk for 10 minutes, then jog for 15 minutes.

Day 2: Walk briskly for five minutes, then power walk for 10 minutes, then jog for 20 minutes.

Day 3: Walk for five minutes, then power walk for 10 minutes, then jog for 15 minutes, then run slowly for five minutes.

Day 4: Walk for five minutes, then power walk for 10 minutes, then jog for 10 minutes, then run at a moderate pace for 10 minutes.

Day 5: Walk for five minutes, then power walk for five minutes, then jog for five minutes, then run at a moderate pace for 15 minutes.

Do about a half hour of aerobic exercises on each exercise day. You can do a combination of exercises from the list on the first prescription (Shuffle Step, Wood Chopper, Burpees, Pom Poms, etc.) and add some new ones from these listed below. (For Tanny's first prescription see March 25 edition).

Some aerobic exercises

Heel Clap Hops

Stand with your hands by your sides about 10 inches away from your body with palms down, elbows slightly bent. Raise your right heel to your right hand while hopping on your left foot. Raise your left heel to your left hand while hopping on your right foot. Repeat the routine as you alternate right hand and right foot and left hand and left foot. Do about 15 to 20 repetitions.

This exercise will improve your heart and lung function and improve your endurance.

Arm Shoot Scissors

Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and with arms by your sides. Scissor your legs forward and backward with a strong hop, putting the right foot forward as you raise your hands straight up over your head. Hop and put your left foot forward, right foot backward as you bring your arms down in front of your shoulder. Repeat, shooting your arms up and down as you alternate hopping back and forth. Do 20 to 25 repetitions.

This exercise will improve your aerobic fitness, endurance and muscle tone.

The Flyer

Stand with your weight on your right foot, left foot raised slightly out to the side. Put hands in front of your shoulders, palms down, elbows straight out to the sides, arms parallel to the floor. Hop off your right foot and place left foot in the same position as you swing your arms out to the sides. Hop back off your left foot to the right foot as you swing your hands back to the starting position. Repeat, hopping from right foot to left foot on the same spot as you swing your arms back and forth with the hops. Do 20 to 25 repetitions.

This exercise will improve your heart and lung functions and tone the muscles of your legs.

Side Leg Hops

Stand with your hands on your hips. Hop off your right foot as you lift your left leg straight out to the side. Try to get your leg as high as possible.

Turn your upper body to the side as you lift the leg. Hop off your left foot as you lift your right leg straight out to the side. Repeat, hopping on the right foot and then the left foot while raising the opposite leg straight out to the side. Repeat the routine about 20 times.

This exercise will tone the muscles on the side of the hips and help to reduce your weight.

Complete each session by slowing down the tempo and then stretching your arms, trunk and legs.

Dr Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at Holiday Hills Research Center; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.

Tanica Plummer (on the floor), winner of The Gleaner Health section's weight-management competition, working her abs with friend, Tanielle Morsby. - photos by Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Tanica Plummer (right), winner of the Gleaner Health section's weight management challenge, doing warm-up stretches with friend, Tanielle Morsby.