It is well-known that exercises are extremely beneficial for optimum physical health, while physical inactivity triggers an increased risk of chronic diseases, cancer, mental health problems, etc. We have become habituated to live a sedentary lifestyle due to the urbanism where the jobs are automatically done with machines. Plus, the dependence on fast food, late-night parties, excessive stress, smoking, and drinking alcohol on regular basis, inadequate sleep, and many other aspects have shortened our life expectancy by taking a big toll on our mind and body. However, you can still be the owner of super-fine health just with some simple exercises, if done regularly.
Advantages of exercising:
- Rejuvenates our overall health and keeps you radiant. Glow Pink!
- Get rid of several health complications like diabetes, obesity, injuries, etc.
- Add years to your life – you don’t have to consume any magic pills or spend several hours. Just 40 minutes to an hour and a half spent on exercising works wonders!
- Increases bone density, muscle strength, stability, and flexibility, preventing the body from an easy injury as strong muscles render you proper balance, so you won’t slip or fall quite easily. Moreover, strong bones mean there is less chance of fracture.
- Workouts improve mental health and boost mood along with other health benefits and promote improved quality of life.
- Possess a gorgeous physique and supreme health including toned muscles and bones
- Maintain great respiratory and cardiovascular functions
You can reap the above benefits by doing certain simple exercises without equipment at home, thus saving money.
So, want to know some simple exercises that you can do at home? And, guess what…. you do not need any equipment! How cool is that?
Ok, then…Let’s start with cardio!
Here are some cardio exercises:
1. Jumping Jacks:
Jumping jacks are the ultimate plyometric cardio workouts often called by the term ‘jump training’.
While doing jumping jacks, make sure that you are raising your hands over your head every time and continue doing it as far as you can stretch. Now, rest for 30 seconds and then start the second set.
Benefits:
- Weight loss- Effective for whole body weight loss. The movements work best on the legs, belly, and arms.
- Increase in metabolism
- Improve bone density- save you from osteoarthritis and osteoporosis
- Build stronger muscles – hamstrings, glutes, calves, quads, etc., strengthen your muscles
- Flat stomach – As your core muscles are working during this particular exercise, you are likely to get a flat stomach.
- Prevents heart attacks – increase blood circulation throughout the body, balance the heart rate, control blood pressure, and reduce bad cholesterol levels making you less prone to heart attacks.
- Expand lung capacity – Slow jumping jacks increases the capacity of lungs to absorb oxygen to a greater extent.
2. Planks:
One of the simplest exercises to do at home, the plank is great for every muscle group of your body.
You need to rest on your elbows and toes keeping the rest of your body held up from the ground. Always keep your back and legs aligned. Hold for a minute or two.
Benefits:
- Muscular body- better muscle mass, strong skeletal system, ability to focus better, breath in the right manner, improve posture, align the vertebrae, and arrange your ligaments.
- Strong Spine – spine, trapezius, and abdominal muscles get stronger.
- Maintain Balance – Aids in keeping up an efficient balance in physically tiresome situations. Also, better focus and coordination are the gifts of planks.
3. Burpees:
It’s like the plank. So, first, you do a plank and add a jump to it. Get up, jump again, and return to plank position.
While jumping, stretch your hands upwards in the air. Initially, keep it slow and then increase your speed gradually.
Benefits:
- Burn a good amount of calories – With this intense whole body workout you can lose at least 50% more fat than what other moderate exercises allow you
- Be stronger with full-body strength training
- Better body conditioning – These moves increase your heart rate, develop endurance, and are great for body conditioning.
Now, some upper body home exercises for you:
4. Push-Ups:
If you are a beginner, balance your body by keeping your knees touched to the floor, otherwise, keep your palms and fingers of your feet on the floor.
Move your body down towards the ground only with the support of your hands. You can add forward push-ups, backward push-ups, typewriter push-ups, diamond push-ups, knuckle push-up, finger push-up, etc. slowly taking the time to master each one. Keep your back straight.
Benefits:
- Make muscles strong – Push-ups strengthen and tone your muscles surrounding shoulder joints. Again, various kinds of push-ups increase the strength and activation of major muscles of the pectorals, triceps, back, and abdominal muscles.
- Improves cardiovascular health
5. Dips:
Sit on a chair and hold the front edge of the seat with your hands. Now, push your bottom forward. Do it till it gets suspended in the seat’s front. Support your weight with arms. Bend your elbows and lower your hips towards the floor. Get back to your previous position. Repeat at least 10 times.
Benefits:
- Burn calories abundantly
- Possess Strong Joints – Nourished shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints.
- Build robust muscle mass
Moving on to Core training at home:
6. Sit-Ups:
At the start, keep the counting to 20 and moderately increase the number. You can do several types of sit-ups without using any equipment at home. If you wish to get a rapid, maximum effect, do not stuff your feet under a chair or other furniture.
Benefits:
- Strengthened core- Sit-ups give you the ultimate strong core. Risk of back injuries and pain are reduced if done properly
- Built up muscles –Your abdominal and hip muscles will be strengthened, when sit-ups are practised consistently
- Averts sarcopenia – Arrests loss of muscles with ageing.
- Better stability and balance – Succours in the stability and balance of your body during athletic as well as daily activities. Your hip muscles, pelvis, lower back, and abdominal muscles will jointly work better.
- Enjoy flexible back and hip – Your hips and spine loosen up, removing stiffness, providing relief from tension with increased mobility.
- Enhanced flexibility boosts energy levels and concentration.
- Healthy diaphragm – Promotes improved patterns of breathing, reduced stress, and augments athletic tolerance power. Sit-ups are a good medium for practicing diaphragmatic breathing due to the abdomen’s compression.
7. Bicycle Crunch:
Lie down on the floor on your back and keep your feet up in the air with knees bent. Place hands behind your head or on the side. Start moving your leg as if you are riding a bicycle in the air.
Benefits:
- Activates rectus abdominis – Bicycle crunches activate rectus abdominis which is your upper abdominal muscle, obliques or your side abdominal muscles, and transverse abdominis or deep ab muscles.
- Tone your thighs – Your thighs will be toned because of the involvement of quads and hamstrings.
Focusing on simple exercises for the lower body:
8. Lunges:
Lunges are the best quad toner.
Stand keeping your feet parallel.
Now, take a big step forward with one leg (left or right). Keep your knee bent. You need to raise your back leg heel and be on your toe. The knee of your back leg should be dropped down towards the floor.
Simultaneously swing your opposite hand (right leg forward-left hand and left leg forward-right hand) for maintaining balance. Then, push your front foot back to your standing position.
Benefits:
- Develop a stable and strong core – Improves your balance and posture. Your back pain will reduce significantly.
- Healthy bottom and legs
- Aids in hip flexibility by working on flexor muscles
- Enhances metabolism – Targeting large muscle groups of the lower body, lunges increase metabolism.
- Encourages quick weight loss
9. Squats:
Keeping your back straight, and feet turned out a little bit, sit in the air like you are sitting on a chair.
Sit up at least to your knee level, that means your bottom and knee should be parallel to each other.
Benefits:
- Toned legs – Squats help in attaining toned legs and build strong bodyweight muscle as they work well on hamstrings, quadriceps, abdominal muscles, calves, butt, and lower back.
- Burn calories and get slimmer
- Ameliorates flexibility – The stretching and bending moves make you more flexible.
- Strengthen muscles and tissues – Squats strengthen and stabilise cardiac muscles, leg muscles, improvise brain and muscle groups communication, and give strength to supportive tissues and joints.
- Better circulation and digestion and increased capacity of the small intestine.
10. Calf raises:
Stand facing a wall and take support of your palms for balance.
Rise up on toes and back down to the previous standing position.
Repeat the same movement at least 20 times.
Benefits:
- Well-developed muscles – Calf raises make gastrocnemius and soleus muscles strong. This exercise restores Achilles Tendon.
- Refines the looks of the legs – The appearance of your legs get better and you will be able to do a higher vertical jump.
Still not exercising? You may be in great danger! Take a look at what all happens…
- Coronary Heart Disease
- High Blood Pressure and cholesterol
- Breathlessness
- Obesity
- Lack of energy
- Stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Bad posture
- Issues with the circulatory system
- Loss of mobility
- Diabetes
- Depression
- Poor endurance
- Growing risk of colon, uterine and breast cancers
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Substandard physical strength
- Cognitive Impairment
- Loss of balance
- Less flexibility
- Risk of chronic diseases
- Low self-esteem
- Increased risk of mental issues
Live an undisturbed life with simple exercises:
- Uplift your immunity and stay safe from harmful viruses
- Keep your mind and body stimulated.
- Exercise releases a chemical called endorphins, the natural analgesics or sedatives beneficial for reducing pain.
- Improved sleep pattern.
- Get rid of clinical depression and anxiety.
- Secretion of Dopamine and Serotonin that improve your memory, learning ability, appetite, digestion, and motor system.
- Oxytocin secretes. You develop empathy, trust, and bonding in relationships.
Simple exercises not only keep you fit and active but also give you happiness which is the prime necessity of today’s chaotic world!
