We all know that exercising is good for the heart, body, soul. It helps build mental and physical strength and bring in a sense of discipline. It can be random activities which interest you or it can be planned and targeted activities which are well-defined for a specific purpose.
Physical therapists look into the requirements of all individuals, ranging in all age groups. It does not only include people who want to become healthier and prevent future problems, but also those with injuries, disabilities, or other health-related issues that need exercise and therapy to recover.
With so many fitness plans and options available on the net, it can easily become confusing with respect to the efficacy of the exercises. Therefore, we will cover 9 activities and exercises which you can easily incorporate into your lifestyle and routine, that can be done in the comfort of your home.
Walking - A very common activity that we do all throughout the day, be it walking in the house or to the parking lot, or the nearby grocery store. A dedicated 30 minutes of walking can help build stamina and burn calories.
Running - A good run around a block or two can help clear out thoughts and bring about the much needed sweat to burn out extra calories and build better stamina.
Lunges - They help strengthen your lower body muscles and improve balance and core strength.
Basic Lunge:
Stand straight with feet slightly apart.
Take a step in front with the left leg, bend your knee as you push your hips back. Both feet should be flat on the floor.
Push with your left leg to return to a standing position.
Perform 10 to 12 lunges on both sides.
Pushups - The most common and easily mis-done exercise. Push ups are done for show and tell as well! A pride for regular gym enthusiasts when they touch the 100 per day mark or more. It is the most basic and most effective whole body exercise as it uses a large number of muscles.
In a plank position, bend your elbows and lower your body down to the floor.
As you reach down, extend your elbows and return to the plank position.
Focus on keeping your elbows close to your body during the movement.
Tip: If you are a beginner, change your stance by putting your knees down to help support your weight.
Squats - As with lunges, squats help increase lower body and core strength at the same time working on increasing flexibility in the lower back.
While standing straight, keep your feet slightly apart and arms at your sides.
While pushing your hips back, bend your knees as if you’re going to sit in a chair.
Do not let your knees move inward or outward, go down till your thighs are parallel to the ground and at the same time bring out your arms in front of you.
Pause for one second, then stand up straight again.
Planks - No matter how much healthy eating you do or how thin or bulky you look, unless and until your core is not strong, your foundation is still weak. Planks are the most effective in strengthening the core.
Start by going down in the pushup position, move your elbows parallel to the ground, with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Keep your back flat and head and neck in a straight line.
Move onto your toes and elbows and put all your weight on them, while squeezing your quads, glutes, and abdominal muscles.
Hold position for 60 seconds.
Lower yourself down to the ground.
Crunches - One of the most popular abdominal exercise. It helps in tightening the belly and strengthening the abs.
Lie down on your back. Plant your feet on the floor.
Bend your knees and place your arms across your chest. Contract your abs and breathe in.
Breathe out and lift your back, keeping your head and neck relaxed.
Breathe in and return to the starting position.
Jumping Jacks - A great addition to your daily exercise routine. A quick and fun way to work out a few added muscles.
When standing upright, with your feet closed, jump up while simultaneously moving your arms and legs away from body.
When your legs are apart, let your arms move above your head and clap.
Then return to standing position.
Burpees - One of the best exercises after Jumping Jacks. Enhances cardiovascular endurance and strength and moves the whole body. It can be a little tricky, but then not all that is fun is easy.
When standing upright, with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your hands by your sides.
Move your hands out in front of you and start to squat down.
Once your hands reach the ground, pop your legs back and change into a pushup position.
Once you reach the pushup position, jump up, bringing yourself to bend at the waist, and then straighten up with your arms on your sides.
Stand up straight, bringing your arms above your head and jump, then return to standing position.
