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Exercising body muscles we never thought about
Introducing a selection of unusual exercises for the eyes, chin, palate, fingers and feet.
Those of us who are into fitness can unmistakably point to the quadriceps muscle of the thigh and easily distinguish the triceps from the deltoid. But in the human body, according to various estimates, from 640 to 850 muscles, it is impossible to pay attention to all of them. Nevertheless, even the smallest and most inconspicuous of them can be trained. Here is a selection of strange but useful exercises for those muscles and body parts that are undeservedly forgotten.
Eye muscles
There are eight muscles in each human eye: four straight, two oblique, one circular and one lifting the upper eyelid. The muscles allow the eyeball to move in all directions. Thanks to them, we are able to move our eyes, close and open our eyes, close our eyes. Of course, you are unlikely to be able to turn your eye into a “bodybuilder” – you can only pump up your eye muscles to a certain extent. But it is imperative to train them: weak muscles cause discomfort, eye fatigue and lead to the development of myopia. U.S. Department of Health you need perform 4-5 times a day.
Close your eyes. Slowly and carefully move your gaze to the ceiling without raising your eyelids, then to the floor. Repeat three times.
Do the same exercise, only now move your gaze first to the left, then to the right. Repeat three times.
Raise your finger to eye level, about 10 cm from the eyeballs, and focus on it. Extend your hand slowly, moving your finger away from your eyes. Move your gaze to an object at a distance of 3 meters, and then back to your finger. Finally, focus on a more distant subject, 7-8 meters away. Repeat three times.
Muscles of the lower jaw and chin
As we age, the muscles on the face lose their elasticity, and the skin sags due to the force of gravity. As a result, many people after 25 years notice a double chin or so-called flews, that is, sagging cheeks. Stress, heredity, excess weight can accelerate the appearance of these aesthetic imperfections. Their appearance can be prevented by keeping the muscles of the lower jaw, neck and chin in good shape.
It can even help regular chewing gum… The fact is that during the chewing process, the same facial muscles are loaded, which form a beautiful jawline. Several important conditions must be observed.
Chewing gum should be done with your head tilted back slightly.
The exercise should be performed 8-12 times in a row for 5-20 seconds, with short pauses between repetitions.
For the effect to be noticeable, such “chewing exercises” should be performed several times a day.
Choose sugar-free gum to help protect your teeth from tooth decay.
However, know when to stop: remember that excessive training does not benefit anyone, not even your jaws.
Muscles of the palate, larynx, tongue
Have you ever heard of a snoring neighbor in a movie theater or plane? If so, you can draw many conclusions about this person – not only that he became bored or tired, but also that he most likely has weak muscles in the soft palate and back of the throat. They are the most common cause of snoring. Certain techniques can strengthen the soft tissues of the palate, tongue, and larynx. When these muscles are in good shape, they increase the lumen of the pharynx. that the performance of certain exercises leads to a reduction in the intensity of snoring by 51%. Here’s what to do.
Stick your tongue forward and downward as much as possible, feeling the muscle tension at the root of your tongue. Hold it in this position and at the same time say the sound “and”, stretching it for 1-2 seconds. Perform 30 times in the morning and evening.
Move the lower jaw back and forth with force. In this case, you can help yourself with your hand, resting it on your chin. The main thing is not to press too hard. Repeat 30 times twice a day.
Place a pencil, pen, or wooden stick in your teeth. Hold it for 3-4 minutes. If this exercise is performed right before bedtime, snoring is reduced at the very beginning of falling asleep.
Hands and fingers
There are dozens of exercises for the development of biceps, triceps and shoulder muscles, but little attention is paid to the hands and finger muscles in fitness. And in vain, because without developed hand musculature, you are unlikely to be given kettlebell exercises, pull-ups, rock climbing and other types of training, where it is important to have a strong grip. And the usual handshake will become much stronger if you properly train the muscles of the hand.
You can do this right during your regular workouts in the gym.
Include exercises such as hanging on a bar or push-ups from the floor with alternating emphasis on fingers, palms and fists.
If you want to focus specifically on the muscles of the hand, then get a wrist expander. But there is also a budget option: gather your fingers “in a bunch”, put a few tight rubber bands on them and start squeezing and unclenching them at a fast pace. After 50 reps, pause and do two more rounds.
Muscles of the feet
In everyday life and in sports, it is very important to strengthen the muscles that are responsible for a stable body position. We pay a lot of attention to the development of the muscles of the back, hips and abdominals, but we forget about the feet and as a result, we cannot properly maintain balance, or even completely twist our legs. for example, it is recommended to train large and small muscles of the foot, of which there are more than a dozen, using simple exercises.
Stand with your feet on the towel and gradually slide it under you, using only the muscles of your feet, and then unfold it back.
Lift small objects off the floor with your toes: marbles, socks, pencils.
It does not hurt to include foot exercises in the stretching complex. Stretch your feet alternately away from you and towards you, and then make them in a circular motion. Repeat 10 times in each direction.