Anti-aging Facial Exercises

Cynthia Rowland is widely recognized as an expert in all natural facial fitness with over thirty years experience in health & beauty related fields. She has appeared on The View, Fit TV, HGTV and other popular shows. This author, speaker and television personality is leading the crusade to keep men and women looking vibrantly younger through natural techniques without spending their children's inheritance. She can be reached at www.cynthiarowland.com.

Facial Fitness has Become the Latest Workout Craze

Finally, fitness mania is now complete with the acceptance of facial exercise as a bone fide alternative that helps every person over the age of 25 look years younger. It's about time, after all, for the face to be included in every exercise routine because the face has muscles just like the rest of the body.

Well, not exactly. The facial muscles are structurally different than say the muscles in our arms and legs; those muscles are long and thick plus they're connected to bone on both ends. Usually there is a joint involved that acts as an anchor for the muscle and that allows a contraction of the muscle to be made. Imagine picking up a barbell, bending your elbow to bring it to your chest. Your forearm muscle and your bicep anchored by your wrist and elbow easily contract when you lift a barbell; when you conscientiously execute repetitions, you will notice how the muscle affected by the contractions begins to reshape and contour.

Muscles in the face connect to bone on one end so when exercising your face, you will need to create an artificial anchor, using your thumbs and fingers to achieve resistance. This slow and steady resistance will allow an isometric contraction to develop in the facial muscles so they reshape, lift and contour.

These movements help your face to regain youthfulness and vitality so you appear healthier, less stressed and younger. These specialized techniques are easy to learn and once the muscles are sufficiently strengthened you only need to work out several times a week to maintain your healthy and toned face.

Resistance and isometric training are essential components to lift and tone the face with facial exercise. Not all facial exercise programs offer this type of facial contouring; remember if there is no resistance, the movement is considered a contortion.

A hand-held electro-stimulation device is an example of creating a contortion of the muscle; yes, the muscle contracts when it is zapped with the specially designed electrodes or wands but where is the resistance? Even though the muscle feels exercised, there is no lifting or repositioning. No matter how many times a technician zaps and zaps the facial muscles, the face never fully returns to a youthful position.

Skincare has made great strides with new technology but it just isn't enough; no matter how many facials, exfoliations or treatments you enjoy, these delicious offerings won't change the shape and contour of your face like exercise will. The principle just makes sense; if you can reshape, tone and firm your body with exercise, you will be excited to learn that you can do the same for your face. Those little facial muscles are just waiting to be awakened and revitalized with unique exercise movements.

One interesting way to demonstrate how to anchor a muscle is by using the tongue. The tongue is certainly one of the strongest muscles in our body and if we find the skin in our neck losing resiliency or we see a wattle or a double chin developing, we can easily employ the tongue to contract those muscles in the neck and jaw so that our skin looks firm and lifted again.

The following exercise will help tone the neck and flatten a double chin. Perform the movement once a day, six days in a row. Take one day off and continue for another six days.

anti-aging facial exercise

1. Lift your chin to create a taut line between your chin and the base of your neck. Keep your shoulders erect.

anti-aging facial exercise 2. Press the surface of your tongue firmly against the roof of your mouth. (Your tongue acts as the anchor when you press it against the roof of your mouth.)

3. Allow your teeth and lips to part slightly.

anti-aging facial exercise 4. Hold the contraction for five (5) seconds.

5. Relax your face and bring your head to its level position.

6. Breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale through your nose.

7. Repeat the remaining sets three times holding the contractions for ten (10) seconds each.

8. Breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale through your nose.