HWA wrestlers helping the community to stay active

During the national lockdown and the negativity surrounding it, we should try to stay positive. What better way to get your mind off it than to exercise and feel good?

Being locked down can really affect a person mentally if you do not do everything possible to remain positive.

Nathan Govender, well known as Honour Wrestling Association’s Ultimate Nathan, shared some of his tricks and exercises to stay positive and active in one’s own home.

“I see it as an opportunity to rest and go back to the drawing board. We chop down the trees in the forest every so hastily and vigorously, but sometimes our blade gets very blunt. This 21 days should provide enough time to sharpen that blade – by this I mean study something new, discover your talents and get some rest,” he said.

1) Create a routine and plan your activities for the entire day. Time is precious, so make sure you use every minute wisely. 2) Maintain personal hygiene because often, when nobody is looking, we tend to let ourselves go. A regular wash will keep you feeling confident and fresh. 3) Talk to someone every day. Even if you can’t see them, we have the gift of social media. Let’s use our favourite social media platforms to interact with friends. 4) Plan your meals. It’s easy to eat all the junk we can find, so stay healthy and draw up a nutritious meal plan. 5) Have fun during this time and do what you enjoy – watch movies or play video games, and get some you-time. 6) Exercise during the day, and set a specific time for training.

“Let’s use this opportunity to get ourselves in shape. Working in the fitness industry can be amusing. I’ve come across the most ridiculous excuses why people cannot come to the gym (no offence). I find that most people are intimidated by the gym because they don’t have a workout programme or someone to show them what to do. Now is the perfect opportunity to ease into the gym and change your mindset. A simple home workout can take 25 to 40 minutes. I keep the energy levels high by doing home workouts and being creative,” he stated.

Here’s a quick, full-body home workout that Ultimate Nathan does to stay active.

The first thing you need to start with is warming up before exercising. After warm-up, the first exercise is 10 Spider-Man push-ups. “Get in a regular push-up position, palms on the floor, hands slightly more than shoulder-width apart. Take the weight on your arms and lower the body, keeping the elbows fairly tucked in (don’t flare them), while simultaneously bringing the knees out to the side of the body and up to meet the elbow – like Spider-Man climbing up a skyscraper. Alternate left and right sides with each rep.”

The second exercise is 10 jumping lunges. “Stand in a split-squad position, right thigh at a right angle to the floor and left leg extended behind you with the ball of your left foot on the floor. Lower the torso towards the floor, bending the right knee so it doesn’t wander over your toes. Now explode upwards and jump, swapping the legs in the process.

The third exercise is 20 Russian twists. “Place a mat or a towel on the floor to protect your coccyx. Get in a sit-up position, but extend your legs out front and raise your heels off the floor. Find a balance point and then rotate the torso so you can touch the fingertips onto the floor by your side. Keep your balance and rotate in the opposite direction; tap your fingers and repeat.”

Next up is 10 Plyo push-ups. “Essentially, this is a push-up with a more explosive second phase, meaning that when you press the torso and chest upwards, you do so with enough force to allow your palms to raise off the ground. If this is too tricky in standard push-up pose, try doing it on your knees instead.”

After the Plyo push-ups, start with 10 jump squats. “Stand feet about shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly outwards. Squat down so the thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping the black straight, hinging through the hips and sticking out your booty. On the way up, press through the heels with enough force to jump off the ground.”

The sixth exercise is 20 wall mountain climbers. “This will take some practice and serious upper-body strength, but you’ve got time to develop those, right? Get in a push-up position near a wall, and climb that wall with your feet. Now, bring a knee up towards your chest and lower back towards the wall in a smooth, controlled motion. Repeat on the other side, and be prepared to touch up the paintwork.”

The seventh exercise is 10 Ninja squats. “Assume a kneeling position, as if you were praying at an imaginary alter. Ensure the balls of your feet are in contact with the floor, and then leap explosively from this position to the bottom phase of a standard squat, and stand.”

The last exercise for the day is 10 Pike push-ups. “From a standard push-up position, walk your feet backwards and rest your weight on the balls of your feet. Stick your butt in the air, creating a nice, straight line running down your back towards the floor. Now attempt to lower your forehead to the floor, pressing with your arms but ensuring the elbows are tucked in and point directly behind you, rather than flaring out to the sides.”

“And there you have it – energy levels heightened and your body feeling great. With a routine in place, I know I can keep myself healthy and mentally focused. After these 21 days I’ll be more than ready to take on the rest of 2020’s challenges. Stay updated with weekly workout session by following the Ignite Fitness Instagram handle (@ignitefitnessglobal),” Nathan concluded.