7 exercises to teach your mom on Women's Day

These short exercises are specially designed for women who don't have time to visit the gym, says Sharmilee Agarwal Kapur.

Photograph: Iveto/Wikimedia Commons

For most women, especially mothers, the day begins with an alarm clock.

Mothers race against time to get children ready for school, packing lunch boxes and running after them.

Those who work have to manage everything at home and rush to reach the workplace on time.

It's not easy coming back from a tiring day to prepare dinner, help children with their homework and tuck them to sleep.

Between balancing a career and a family, a mother seldom gets time to relax, let alone set some time for exercise.

Here are some simple exercises specially designed for working professionals and mothers.

1. Stationary Lunges

Keeping feet at a hip distance apart, stand on a yoga mat.

Place your left foot about 3 feet behind your body, making sure both feet are parallel to each other and knees bent at 90 degrees.

Straighten up, switch legs and repeat.

You can challenge yourself by holding weights.

2. Pushups

Start by adopting a face down position on the floor with your feet kept together and the weight of your body on the chest.

Keep your palms on the floor, distance should be shoulder width apart.

Elbows should be pointed towards toes.

Curl your toes upwards and the ball of your feet should touch the ground.

Then raise yourself using your arms.

Contract your abdomen while you do this.

Make sure your head, hips and heels are in a straight line.

3. Bridge

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet on the ground.

Slowly raise your hips while squeezing your butt and keeping the spine straight.

Make sure your feet, shoulders and head remain on the floor.

Hold about three counts and slide back into original position.

Go on increasing counts as you progress.

You can challenge yourself by lifting one leg off the floor.

4. Planks

Lie face down with your forearms on the floor, elbows under the shoulders and legs extended.

Slowly lift your hips and knees above the ground.

Make sure your hips, head and heels are in a straight line.

Hold this position for 25 seconds.

Rest for 10 seconds and repeat.

5. Butterfly Abs

Lie on your back with the soles of your feet placed together.

Your knees would be relaxed out to the sides.

Place your hands behind the head with the elbows out. Just like the knees.

Tighten your abs, lift your chest and shoulders up and then release them.

Repeat 10 to 12 times.

6. Step Ups

Stand with the platform with a short height in front of you.

Place right foot on the platform.

Step down with your left foot sliding behind (about 12 inches).

Keep chest lifted while you’re doing this.

Repeat with the left foot and repeat the entire set 10 to 12 times.

You can challenge yourself by carrying weights as you get stronger. 

7. Oblique Crunches

On a yoga mat, lie on your back with knees bent.

Place left ankle over the right knee and have your right hand cup your head.

Slowly lift your right shoulder towards the left knee and then come back to original position.

Repeat 10 to 12 times, switch sides and repeat again.

 Lead image published for representational purposes only.

Sharmilee Agarwal Kapur is founder-director, Atmantan Wellness Centre, Pune.