KEEPING FIT WITH TM!

Darius Toh Zheng Ting, Ng Li Xiang, Palinya Sengdalavong (Owen)

We have interviewed Ahmad Fahmy from 20S207 about his workout routine during HBL and May Holidays. Hope you learn something new and even implement these into your daily workouts!

Alternatively, you can read what he has said here:

What have you been doing recently that you would like to share?

One thing I would like to share with all of you in terms of exercise is the use of progressive overload. I have only been using this since the start of the year so its been about 4 months now. In Progressive overload, you have to have to decide on a specified time period to do a chosen set of exercises. After that period ends, you would have to increase the repetition or the weight of these exercises. In the workout, you usually need about 8 to 10 exercises based on your stamina and level of comfort. What is good about these exercises is that it keeps the intensity in your workouts high, and it helps you push your limit so you won’t be stuck in that level of comfort and fitness. You won’t quickly come to the point where you can’t see any progress but instead you will see gradual progress and feel increasingly better over time. This method has actually been very effective so far. It has helped me lose some weight and it has helped me build up a foundation of muscle that I have been missing for a while. For those who are looking to start on their exercising journey and for those who just want to tone your body, I think the progressive overload approach would be beneficial for you. It seems like you have been exercising a lot, how have you kept yourself motivated?

I have been doing this for such a long time that it just seems so fun to me now. To me, what is very attractive about exercising is that it has helped me develop mentally and physically. I have lost weight and gained some muscles; it has also been a really good stress reliever in my case. During an exercise I am more focused on the exercise alone so I won’t be overwhelmed by any other duties that I have. Another good thing about the exercise that really motivates me is when you have other people joining you. When others join you it actually feels more fulfilling because you are working together to accomplish that same goal.

How long have you been doing bodyweight? I have been doing bodyweight exercises since the start of my Secondary School so it’s been about 5 years. I find it very useful in my case because I had a chubbier and more plump body back then, so I took on something that helps me build a basic foundation in muscles and I just want it to be something more functional. Bodyweight exercises are a good option as it allows me to move around more easily and I won’t find much problems in sports. It is very prevalent in school life where we have Physical Education (PE). Bodyweight exercises are actually a good start for me, as they build up my stamina and improve my cardiovascular system, so I am not as unfit as before. Even if I gain weight again t, I wouldn’t be that unfit to the point that I was back years ago when jogging would take a toll on my body.

Can you demonstrate some of your exercises for us? Though there are very limited bodyweight exercises, it is easy to adapt them to different people by switching up the variations to activate different muscle groups. In my case, I am going to show you two variations of a push up. First will be the military push up, which will activate the tricep more, and it is more functional in daily life because you can choose to push off of any other surface. This makes it easier for you to get about. The other method is the windshield wipers, which is the more advanced version, as you need a stronger foundation in muscles to carry out the exercise. Military Push up - Ensure hands are shoulder width apart, stay in push up position. Activate core to ensure it won’t droop, keep elbows aligned with shoulders . Go down, maintain position if you like, then come up and repeat!

Windshield Wiper Push up - Try only when you have a stronger foundation! Assume wide push up position, with hands outside of shoulder width. Go down, then bring your chest from palm to palm, then push your head up! This is for non-beginners who want a more defined and toned chest. Could you recommend some light, simple exercises that our fellow TMJC students can do at home? I have gone through some upper body exercises, so let’s go through some lower body exercises, shall we?

• Squats, though not everyone likes it, it’s crucial for basic development of thighs. Useful for running which requires thighs and calves. Engage hips and get down! 90 degrees or lower if you have better stability! Do 15-20 for good body weight

• Many neglect calves, but it’s important for running, so I will introduce an exercise that will train your calves! For that, you can do calf raises! It’s the action of tiptoe-ing on a flat surface. Have your legs shoulder width apart, and tiptoe! Due to the simplicity of the exercise, you should do more reps or find a way to increase the weight acted on your calves.

With these light two exercises, they should be exercises that everyone can do and will definitely be an integral part of your workouts if you implement them in your daily lives!

What would you like to say to the TMJC family to encourage them during this period?

Even though we are in a very tough time right now with Circuit Breaker, I feel like we are doing our best and I believe that the situation will be better soon. Please remember to exercise, I think a healthy body will be the start to a healthy mind. If you find exercising fun, it will just be a lot better for you and everyone around you because it really does help you mentally and physically if you carry out exercise routinely; just do not overwork yourself. Have a nice holiday!

#TMfriends