Many people find it difficult to find time to exercise. Without frequent exercise, your body will begin to lose muscle tone and strength. Most look at exercise as a way to lose weight or just maintain their current weight… Or to gain weight.
Each of these exercises can be performed in a small space with little to no equipment. Most will rely on your body's own mass to build muscle and break down fat.
1. Push-ups
Ah yes, the push-up: The exercise you were forced to do or even threatened with all through grade school. Push-ups are a great chest exercise and even work the shoulders, biceps, and triceps.
I recommend three sets of 10-15, depending on your strength.
2. Resistance Pulls
This is sort of my own creation. I did it because I am lazy and wish not to go to the gym or stand while exercising my traps (upper back). To do this exercise, you will need some sort of resistance band. (I use large rubber bands that a physical therapist gave me.) You will need to sit down with the resistance band held by your feet. Now you should push your feet and legs outward to create tension in the band. Pull with your arms away from your feet.
Do three sets of 10-15.
3. Shoulder lifts
Once again, this is an exercise for which you will need some sort of weight or resistance (resistance band, a jug of milk, books, a backpack). For this, I will use the books as an example.
Take two books (heavy ones) and hold them at your sides, with one book in each hand. Now attempt to bring your arms completely flat, like a cross (perpendicular to your body). It is hard to do this. Modify this movement by bending the elbows 45-90 degrees. These angles will give you more support and allow for a full range of motion in your shoulders.
The exercise can be modified to strengthen your traps, triceps, biceps, or forearms
4. Dips
Dips target your triceps (the muscles on the back side of your arms). All you will need is a sturdy surface that can support your weight (a bed, bench, couch, staircase, box, desk, or table). Once you have found a place to perform your dips, you can now face away from your object. Place arms on the surface with palms down. Now, extend your legs and drop your bottom until you feel tension in your arms. At this point, you can begin the exercise by pushing your self vertically, using your arms.
Do three sets of 15-20.
5. Planks
Planking is a very simple exercise requiring no movement, just stability of the abdominal muscles. You need to be in a push-up stance, except you must rest on your forearms instead of your palms.
Hold this position for 30 seconds then rest and repeat two more times.
6. Crunches
This is another exercise that we have been forced to do through most of our grade school years. It works! Of course, doing crunches alone will not lead to a tighter tummy or even toned abs.
To do this, you will lay on your back with knees bent and feet as close to your bottom as possible. Now raise your upper body off of the ground and toward your knees.
Try to do three sets of about 15-30 reps.
7. Core twists
You will, once again, be sitting, but put your body in a sort of V-shape with your body raised, knees bent and off the ground. Now, you will hold this position while you twist your upper body from left to right. You will feel this in all of your abdominals–front, back, and side.
Do three to five sets of 20-30 reps (with one rep for each side).
8. Shadow punches
This one is probably the simplest of them all… Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Now, PUNCH the air! Make sure to tighten your core with each punch. Also, keep your arm straight and punch in the same direction every time.
Do three or four sets of 30-40 reps (15-20 per arm).
9. High knees
High knees are typically used to stretch, but if you increase the total amount of reps, it can be used to strengthen the core and quadriceps.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your knee as high and close to your core as possible. Hold for a count of three and return to the original position.
Do three sets of 10-15 reps. Increase your reps as you gain control and balance.
10. Hip thrusts
You will need to lay on your back with your knees bent. Also, have your feet as close to your bottom as possible. Now, try to lift your stomach as high off the ground as possible. This exercise strengthens your lower core muscles, or as I call them your "back abs". This can also help strengthen your glutes.
Do three sets of 15.
11. Squats
Squats target your quadriceps and your glutes. These can be performed without additional weight, but you will see much better results when adding weight to the exercise.
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and drop your bottom below your knees. Hold for three seconds, then come back up to the original position.
Do three sets of 15-20.
12. Lunges
All versions of this exercise will target each muscle group in the leg and improve balance.
For the forward lunges, you will stand up straight, bring one leg forward, and bend at the knee as far as you can without your other knee touching the ground.
For backward lunges, it is the same, except in the opposite direction.
For side lunges, you will do the same, either to your right or left side.
Do three sets of 14 (7 for each leg) and increase as you get better at the exercise. Lunges also work better with additional weight.
13. Calf raises
Remember when I said punches were the simplest of these exercises? Well, I lied. It's actually this one…
Stand straight up (if you are like me, find a wall to put your hands against to keep your balance) with feet shoulder-width apart. Get on your tip-toes! If you don't know what I mean by that, here is a better explanation: Push your body upward, like you are reaching for something on a tall shelf. Hold this position for three seconds and then return to the original position.
Do three sets of 20-30 reps.
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