|
|
|
|
ALL
ABOUT JANE ARTISTIC
VENUES BOOKS MISCELLANEOUS PHOTO
ALBUM |
JANE'S SECRETS to STAYING FIT ... AND TRIM A gentle approach to exercise.
She stars in TV movies, designs her own lines of clothing and housewares, donates time to numerous charities, pens books, paints and raises a brood of children; yet, somehow, superwoman Jane Seymour always manages to squeeze exercise into her packed-to-the-brim schedule. Despite a serious back injury, the actress has found gentle, sensible ways to stay fit. We caught up with this expert multitasker to get the dish on her thoughtful approach to fitness. Lifetime: What is your exercise of choice these days? Seymour: Isometrics. I used to throw my back out often. A couple of years ago, it got so bad that I couldn't move. It turned out I had a herniated disc. That's the kind of injury you expect to see in a linebacker in the Super Bowl, not in a woman who weighs 115 pounds. I had to have surgery. My doctor recommended isometrics to help my recovery, so I've been doing it for two years. Lifetime: How would you describe isometrics to a friend? Seymour: It's similar to yoga or Pilates. I lie on my back for a lot of the exercises and pull my stomach in towards my back, really making my belly button press towards the ground. I stretch my legs up at different angles and also do a bicycle-type movement in the air. With isometrics, you're isolating and engaging the stomach muscles to strengthen them. I'm thinking about my muscles and body alignment. When you bike or walk, you can let your mind wander. With isometrics, you have to focus on your body's alignment and engaging the muscles. I get more out of isometrics than crunches. It has given me really strong stomach muscles, and I have a longer, leaner look than before. I really wasn't concentrating on looking good with isometrics — that was just a by-product. The main thing is that it has helped with my back pain. I don't need a chiropractor or a masseuse. Lifetime: Are there any exercises you can't do anymore because of your back? Seymour: No biking. No Stairmaster. No intense yoga. I just don't go willy-nilly into some new exercise. I see people injure themselves in those group classes where people go crazy, and I get upset. My approach is cautious. I have a hot shower before I move my body at all. I get on the treadmill for 10 minutes to half an hour. I also do light weights very carefully. I use the Pilates machine too. Lifetime: So you've also jumped on the Pilates bandwagon? Seymour: You can do no harm with the Pilates machine. I was doing Pilates long before anyone even knew that word. I did it in Beverly Hills back in 1976, with Jaclyn Smith, Natalie Wood, Kate Jackson and Joan Collins. We were all clients of the same person, who only had three machines. Lifetime: They say a person can do isometrics anywhere. Is that true? Seymour: Absolutely. I'm always aware of my posture. If I'm sitting, I'll often tense my stomach muscles and protrude my behind to the back of the chair. If I'm out playing with my kids and they're Rollerblading, I'll do some squats or stretches. I fit in exercise even when I can't go to the gym. I did ballet moves on the set of "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"; I also used to wrap elastic bands around my legs and pull my legs out to the side. No one knew when I was exercising, because I was wearing those long skirts. Lifetime: Does staying fit help your acting? Seymour: Yes. Breathing, yoga and meditation are all really helpful. Lifetime: What's your post-workout routine? Do you reward yourself? Seymour: I do the yoga cat stretch and I drink plenty of water. I think exercise is a reward in and of itself. I feel energized afterward. I'm ready to tackle the next thing! Lifetime: How do you think a woman's age factors into her fitness regimen? Seymour: From 40 on, it's really important to protect your body, especially during menopause. A lot of people give up on keeping in shape. I want to be in optimum health until the day I die. There are things you can do to oil the machine. Sometimes, things that happen to you that could pull you down instead [spur you] to do something remarkable, [such as what happened after] my spinal surgery; I never would have discovered this workout routine without it. And as a result, my body is in better shape than that of people in their 30s — and I'm 51. Copyright © Lifetime TV |
