A set of easy exercises that yield great results
The benefits of being active go far beyond losing weight or getting a body worth flaunting just in time for summer. Routine physical exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, improves energy levels and, studies have shown that, it even prevents many chronic diseases from developing.
However, it can sometimes be tough to squeeze in the time to exercise during the week.
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But, even if your primary motive is to lose weight, you don’t have to do long, difficult workouts for it. There are simple workouts for newbies that you can do at home, in your backyard or around your neighborhood that can help you get in shape. And the good thing is that most of them don’t even require expensive equipment. Here are some exercises that you can do one after another as a part of a set workout, or on its own, each functioning as a mini workout.
Start by: Running in place
Most of us would like to get up and go for a run but the pollution and the heat make it difficult to do so anytime else other than early morning (and experts say that even that’s not a good thing, given the fact that we live in one of the most polluted cities in the world and the pollution index is high in the morning). Also, not many of us are early risers. So what can you do? You can pick a spot you like in your room or garden and run or jog on spot. It’s pretty simple and you can do it while watching TV too if that’s what you want. Start in a standing position with back straight and arms relaxed. Next, bend a knee and lift one leg up as if climbing a stair until the knee is at waist height. Bring the leg down, landing on the balls of the feet while bringing the other leg up. Running in place is best done for extended time; do at least 10 minutes per session, or as long as your fitness level allows you to.
Move on to: Stationary lunge
Stationary lunges are one of the best ways to work your entire lower body. You can do them anywhere, even on a walk with your friends, for firmer glutes, stronger legs, and improved balance. Not only that, but doing stationary lunges will, over time, help you develop more core strength and tighten your abs to keep your back aligned. From a standing position place your feet shoulder-width apart and then take a step backward until you are kneeling. Next, push up with the front leg until you are standing again. Repeat the movement with the other leg. Be sure to keep your chest lifted, chin up and abs contracted so your back stays straight. Eight sets of 10 to 20 reps per leg should pack some extra muscle right from the calves to the hips. Once you have been doing this for a while and it starts feeling a little easy, you can add to the move by grabbing some dumbbells or placing a barbell on your shoulders.
Get on the floor: Mountain climber
Mountain climber is a good form of exercise that gets your heart rate up while also working on nearly every muscle group in the body, from the deltoids, biceps, triceps and chest, to the obliques, abdominals, quads, and hamstrings. It’s truly a fully body workout. Also, you can do mountain climbers anywhere because all you require to do it is your bodyweight. For this, begin in a push-up position with arms straight, palms on the floor, back straight and legs together. Next pull one leg in and place the foot under your chest. Quickly push the leg back while pulling the other leg in. Repeat the motion. Do mountain climbers for a certain time or in numbered sets. Try doing five sets of one to three minutes each to start with and then gradually increase the time.
End with: The plank
To do this exercise, simply get into pushup position on the floor. Now bend your elbows 90 degrees and rest your weight on your forearms. Your elbows should be directly beneath your shoulders, and your body should form a straight line from your head to your feet. Hold the position for as long as you can. Your goal should be to hold it for at least a minute. This static exercise works on almost every muscle of your body. If you are just starting out then it might really be hard to hold the plank for a full minute. However, there are quite a few variations of the plank and you can start with the basic one, which is the knee plank. This plank is easier to hold than the traditional straight-arm plank, making it great for beginners because it allows them to concentrate on form. By resting the knees on the ground and holding your upper body off the ground on your palms, there’s also less stress on the lower back. You can also rest your knees on a rolled up mat or towel if they feel uncomfortable on the floor. Once you can do this and then the regular plank, you can move on to the other variations, which include the side plank and the single leg plank to name a few.
