Height and name recognition do not a blogger make, but thought, insight, and clear language go a long way in the blogosphere, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has all of the above. Now the bball hall of famer, who blogs for the L.A. Times, begins a series of posts that include health tips for the over 50 athlete. The man has Geezer’s attention. Kareem starts with a set of three exercises for over 50s, and recommends doing them at least three times a week:
Plank. This looks like a push-up, but with your
elbows and forearms touching the ground. Push yourself up onto your
toes, clench your abdominals for 10 to 30 seconds and lower your body
to the floor. Repeat 10 times, increasing as you get more fit.
Crunch. Lie face up on the floor with knees bent
and your hands across your chest. Curl the shoulders toward your hips,
tightening the abdominals. Unlike the sit-up, when you’re doing a
crunch, the lower back stays pressed to the floor. Start with 20 reps.
Quadruped. Get down on your hands and knees, with
your forearms flat against the ground the same as with the plank. Raise
one leg up so the thigh is parallel with the ground and the bottom of
your shoe is facing the ceiling. Keep your neck straight and don’t arch
the back. Lower leg to ground and repeat 10 to 15 times. Then switch
legs.