Experienced fitness instructor Alex Bowman on gym ball toning, getting back to the gym and exercising in the morning.

Alex Bowman is a tutor at Lifetime Training. He has over six years experience in the health and fitness industry, including fitness instructing, personal training and studio instructing.

If you have a fitness question you would like answered by Alex, all you have to do is submit your question using the Comment on this Article box below. And remember - sign-up to our monthly health and fitness newsletter to receive your expert answer direct in your in-box.

Teresa Asks:

I’ve decided that I would like to lose weight and get fit but haven’t done any exercise for over a decade. Do you have any tips on how to break into the gym or classes that someone with a low fitness level could do with some ease?

Alex’s Answer

Teresa, well done for motivating yourself and welcome back to exercise! I think the main factor that deters people from getting back into exercise is demotivation and also the shock that it can have on the body. Most people get very demotivated about how little they can do when they first start or get back into exercise. The good news is that with cardiovascular exercise (anything that gets you out of breath), you will improve very quickly to begin with and may even see differences each session - i.e. you’ll be able to walk/jog for longer. The other main area is that people don’t see physical changes quickly enough and give up. It will take at least 6-8 weeks before you start seeing anatomical changes. Remember, you look in the mirror every day and probably won’t notice them. My advice is not to use scales but use a tape measure around the stomach, thighs, upper arms and hips. Make sure you measure in the same place each time. I would measure every 6 weeks to see improvements.

The other aspect that I talked about was the “shock” to the body. After your first bout of exercise your body will probably scream at you over the next few days. Don’t push yourself too hard to begin with and make sure you do an adequate warm up and cool down around 5-10 minutes each. After your cool down, hold some basic stretches, mainly focusing on your legs for around 20-30 seconds each.

Chloe Asks:

Is it true that you burn more fat by exercising first thing in the morning?

Alex’s Answer:

This is a great question Chloe. There have been many studies that have shown that exercising first thing in the morning can burn as much as 3 times more fat than exercising any other time of the day. One of the reasons for this is because your body's main energy source during the day comes from carbohydrates. When you sleep your body uses the majority of its carbohydrate stores. This means that before breakfast your body won’t have carbohydrates for energy so it will use fat stores to make energy. However, I would seriously recommend getting used to exercising first thing slowly as it isn’t for everyone.

Two other reasons why exercising at this time is worth a try: Your metabolism will also be increased throughout the day which means more calories will also be burnt during the day. Also, you will have your workout done and not have to worry about it after a long day at work!

Kate Asks:

I’ve recently purchased a gym ball but realised I don’t really know what to do with it. Could you recommend any particular exercises other than regular sit ups?

Alex’s Answer:

Hi Kate, this is a very common question. There are so many things you can do on a gym ball that I don’t really know where to begin. Before I start, I would recommend that you speak to a fitness instructor if you are a member of a gym as it is far more beneficial being shown the exercises and corrected. However, I will do my best to help.

The Crunch:

This works the abdominal muscles. With your feet flat on the floor, place your lower back on the ball and keep your upper body and thighs parallel to the floor. Do crunches as usual; use your abs to lift only your shoulders and upper back off the fitness ball. To make this exercise more challenging, slow it down or bring your feet closer together so you have to focus on balancing.

The Dorsal Raise:

This works the lower back. It is important to balance out muscle groups and this complements the crunch. Get down on your knees and drape your upper body over the top of the ball, with your arms lightly hugging the back of the ball or with your hands behind your head. Lift your chest off the fitness ball until your spine is straight or slightly extended. Return to starting position.

Press Up:

This exercise works the chest, shoulders, arms and abdominals. It can be made easier or harder depending on how far you roll over the ball. Place the front of your knees on the ball and your hands flat on the floor (your whole body should be parallel to the floor). Look down at the floor and lower your face to within a few inches of it, then push back up to the starting position.

Floor Bridge:

This exercise works your buttocks and backs of your thighs. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your heels resting on top of the fitness ball. Spread your arms out to your sides. Lift your butt off the floor while squeezing it, and push your hips toward the ceiling. Pause at the top of the movement, then go back to the starting position.

These should keep you going for a while. Feel free to ask if you would like some more next month. Good luck!

Alex Bowman, pictured. When taking up any new activities or exercise always consult with your GP first and ensure that you get advice from an appropriately qualified instructor.

For more information on fitness courses & more contact Lifetime Training on 0870 702 7273 or visit www.lifetimehf.co.uk