A healthy body is a sign of well-being. For almost all of you reading this article, you have, at least, once in your life dreamt of achieving a perfectly chiselled body. Perhaps, many of you might have also hit the gym but probably stopped going only after a brief period of regular training.
Regular exercising has abundant associated benefits. It is never too late to begin a healthy physical regime. Start slowly and gradually work your way up to increase your physical strength. Regular exercising helps you keep diseases arising as a result of inactive lifestyles at bay. Not only this, your productivity at work increases and your mental well-being is also taken care of. Here are a few advantages of exercising. These inherent benefits will convince you to introduce a regular workout regime in your daily routine.
Exercising increases and improves the blood flow in the body. Consequently, the oxygen levels are also pumped up. This further helps you keep your blood pressure in control and chances of heart ailments such as cholesterol, strokes, etc. are significantly reduced.
Regular exercising also bolsters your immune system thereby keeping common diseases such as a cough, flu, etc. away.
Regular exercising helps you keep your weight under control. It does not let fat accumulate in your body and affect you adversely. Moreover, routine exercising also helps you keep a sagging belly at bay. Specifically speaking, weight control exercises such as crunches, planks, etc. involve high-intensity workouts that help develop your core as well as strengthen other areas of the body where fat may accumulate, such as thighs, hips, and arms.
Experts suggest that medication is not the only way to cure mental ailments. In fact, a little bit of exercise each day goes a long way in fighting depression, stress, etc. Exercising uplifts your mood and increases your daily productivity as well. You tend to be happier than before and are able to think and analyse situations more clearly. Not only this but exercising also improves your retention power to a great extent.
Regular workouts help build your body endurance. In fact, intensive work out regimes are specifically designed to boost your physical strength and gain adequate muscle mass.
Regular exercising is great when it comes to enhancing the body's flexibility. Activities or workouts that stretch the body muscles aid in strengthening the back. In addition, flexibility ensures that the resistance in muscle tissues is reduced thereby helping to avoid muscle soreness or pain while performing any physical activity.
The key to good health is exercising regularly. A daily workout regime can go a long way in contributing towards the longevity of your life by ensuring your physical and mental well-being.
However, most of us tend to restrict ourselves to simply a couple of regular exercises. Certain types of workouts are designed to affect your entire body thereby greatly benefitting major muscles all at once.
Here are the 4 main types of exercises that you should accommodate in your daily regime:
Ideally, the best and the most effective way to increase the endurance of your body is by doing aerobics. Exercises under its ambit speed up your number of breaths per minute and increase the intake of oxygen into your body.
Additionally, aerobic exercises are a great way to reduce or restrict the build-up of LDL cholesterol also known as the ‘bad’ cholesterol in your body.
Include activities like swimming, brisk walking, dancing, etc. in your workout routine. If you have time constraints, you can undertake such activities during your daily tasks such as taking the staircase instead of the elevator, walking short distances, etc.
Strength training is an important part of your exercise regime. Adequate workout in this respect has several benefits. Proper strength training assists you in avoiding age-related diseases and pains such as joint pains, diabetes, etc. by lowering blood sugar.
Additionally, one feels more confident after a good round of strength training since it greatly reduces stress levels as well. For instance, a 30-minute strength training regime can certainly help you feel all-the-more fresh and productive.
For those who are beginners, a little pain in the muscles in the initial stages is normal. However, as you progress, you will feel the difference in your endurance levels for sure.
Your body should be flexible. An inflexible body can cause sore muscles whenever you force them to stretch occasionally. Over time, your muscles shorten and they become looser. The chances of muscle cramps and muscle damage increase manifold.
It is therefore recommended that people aim for an average of 3-4 days of muscle stretching in a week. While a good 15 minutes warm-up is highly recommended, it is also suggested to not stretch your muscles too much.
Balance training exercises are the ones that help strengthen your muscles, especially those located in the core area and the legs. In fact, balance exercises should form an essential part of your exercise regime. A few of the most popular balance exercises include standing on one toe for some time, walking on uneven surfaces, etc. You can also take the assistance of a therapist who will be in a better position to guide you through these balance exercises.
Now that you know about the 4 main exercises that you should perform the basis of your workout, you can also try a variety of other exercises that can be instrumental in shaping your body.
Here are the other top 20 types of exercises apart from the ones mentioned above that you can do.
You do not have to take expensive gym memberships to achieve a flat tummy. You can achieve this by doing simple exercises at home without having to go to expensive gyms.
For instance, commando planks by engaging your core for a little over a minute significantly helps in reducing your belly size. Similarly, cross crunches are also a great way to get rid of the extra fat in your belly.
You can also try flutter kicks by lying straight and fluttering your legs in the air without lifting your back. Ensure that your feet do not touch the ground when you bring them down.
Ab exercises form an essential part of good core training. A strong core is quite an essential component of a physically fit body. Ab exercises are, therefore, instrumental in building your core strength. Exercises such as crunches may be hard to do at first, but they surely contribute significantly towards a healthy body.
In addition, one of the most important benefits of ab exercises is that it beats back pain that is so common among people these days.
If there is one type of exercise that can go a long way in ensuring your physical well-being, it is cardio exercise. A simple cardio workout for around 30 minutes can work wonders for you. In fact, it is preferred by most people since you do not require any special equipment to do such exercises.
Cardio exercises help regulate insulin levels in the body. Those suffering from diabetes should follow a strict cardio regime to stay fit and to keep their sugar levels in control. You would find it surprising to note that a good cardio regime is quite effective when it comes to dealing with insomnia since it improves the circadian rhythms thereby ensuring alertness during the day and a good sleep during night-time. Regular cardio workouts improve sleep cycles and uplift your mood.
Chest exercises such as the seated dumbbell fly, incline dumbbell press, bench press, etc. contribute to your upper body strength to a great extent. Both men and women can benefit by doing chest exercises for such chest workouts help enhance the appearance of the body.
If you are a beginner, you can start by doing simple chest exercises without using dumbbells, such as pushups. Once you feel that your body has developed some endurance, you can move on to sophisticated or advanced exercises.
It is advisable that you undertake chest exercises under the supervision of a trainer and ensure that you do not overdo any exercise since it can cause muscle sore and unusual pains.
Most people fail to understand that weight loss is a gradual phenomenon. The right amount of exercise can effectively help you lose weight while still ensuring that you do not lose your body strength. Weight loss exercises such as planks, cross trainer, lunges, etc. help you work on your core area by helping you get rid of the unwanted fat.
For instance, a daily regime involving bicycle crunches is a good idea to reduce weight. You can also try squats. They are considered to be one of the best workouts when it comes to weight loss since doing squats help you engage the entire lower portion of your body.
It goes without saying that a regular visit to the gym definitely helps you keep your body in shape. Apart from this, it also helps you develop your overall body endurance. Working out in the gym using sophisticated equipment allows you to work on your body in a better manner since it increases the effectiveness of the exercises.
It may be mentioned here that while exercising daily is good, it is also suggested to not overburden yourself with excessive exercise. Immoderate workouts can cause your muscles to overexert, thereby leading to pains and soreness.
Another important consideration is food. An extensive workout without a proper diet is hardly effective. Make sure that your diet is rich in proteins so that your muscles get enough food to grow and strengthen themselves.
Most of us dislike abdominal exercises since they require a significant amount of effort on the part of the doer. For example, performing planks may seem a difficult task in the initial stages before you are able to adopt the exercise. However, you cannot deny the fact that abdominal exercises such as machine crunch or squats are the perfect way to maintain a healthy torso.
Cardiovascular exercises are those that involve activities like jogging, swimming, running, etc. that escalate your breathing rate. Such activities assist the body by regulating the blood flow to all parts of the body. They are also helpful in pumping more oxygen to the body. Apart from that, it has been noticed that cardiovascular exercises reduce mental diseases such as depression and anxiety as well.
Strengthening the legs requires a lot of effort. Experts are of the opinion that leg exercises benefit the nervous system greatly. Since the leg muscles are the longest muscles in the body, its exercises require a lot of extra work. However, it is undeniably true that they also increase your endurance. Exercises such as deadlift and squats improve your upper body strength and help build a strong core.
For those who cannot hit the gym regularly on account of lack of time or do not wish to pay expensive membership fees, a brisk walk is the best alternative. Walking helps in reducing the risk of heart-related ailments such as cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attack, etc. by regulating blood flow in the body. While there is no best time to go for a walk, you can either go early in the morning and enjoy the beauty of silence or go in the evening with your pals and revisit your day’s activities. A daily walk regime can go a great way in releasing stress and also improving digestion among several other benefits.
It is said that the most effective fat burning exercises force you to get out of your comfort zone. Weight reduction exercises demand that along with proper exercise, you also ensure that you take healthy meals at regular intervals during the day. These exercises are high-intensity workouts; they provide greater strength to the body and also improve the body’s agility in the long run. Examples of fat burning exercises include cardio workouts, plank push-ups, candlestick dips, etc.
A chiselled body is a result of years spent in the gym sweating and sacrificing tempting food items. Bodybuilding is an art in itself and requires a different level of determination. You cannot expect to achieve a body that you admire in magazines in just a couple of months. It takes far more than that. Bodybuilding, in addition to strengthening your muscles, is also a great way to build body endurance.
Strengthening your core muscles is very important. In fact, core exercises are a part of a well-rounded workout regime.
Core exercises such as ab workouts strengthen the muscles located in the pelvis area, the back as well as the hip area. A strong core certainly helps you keep excess fat in the stomach area at bay.
One of the greatest benefits of core exercises is that these can be done without going to the gym or having to use any hi-tech equipment. They are simple and can be done at any time during the day. Examples of the most effective core exercises include abdominal crunches, alternate toe touch, etc.
Irregular sitting habits and arduous working hours often lead to back pains in people. In order to strengthen the back, exercises that focus on the upper and lower back are a must. It is advisable to keep the assistance of a physical trainer while performing back exercises so as to do them under able guidance. Exercises such as pull-ups or lat pulldowns increase the strength of your back. In addition, deadlifts are also a great way of avoiding backaches.
Slim body exercises are more or less similar to fat burning and weight loss exercises. You can undertake simple and easy slim body exercises in your home and work towards achieving a great looking body.
Slim body exercises like the cross trainer, triceps kickbacks, etc. are instrumental in ensuring a fit body. Apart from these exercises that target specific muscle classes, you can also opt for cardio exercises such as jogging, swimming or cycling that help you focus and target different muscle classes all at once. Along with that, make sure that you skip fatty and junk foods to make your exercise regime all the more effective.
Kegel exercises help make your pelvic muscles stronger. Such exercises aid bowel movement and bladder functions. Interestingly, Kegel exercises can be done anytime during the day. In addition, such workouts have been proven effective in controlling urinary incontinence.
A good Kegel exercise is to lie down on your back on an empty bladder and tightening your pelvic area. Retain the posture for a few seconds. Repeat the exercise for a few times in sets of 3-4 reps.
Planks are often considered as one of the most challenging exercises of all. Holding your body straight on your forearms for some time may sound easy but is extremely difficult when you get to it. However, one cannot deny the inherent benefits of planks. They help reduce belly fat to a great extent. In addition, plank exercises are quite instrumental in strengthening your core area too.
Once you are comfortable doing normal planks, you can proceed to perform advanced plank exercises as well. Examples of such exercises are plank push-ups, elbow plank bend, etc. Such advanced variations help improve the effectiveness of the workout.
While it cannot be argued that your height is strongly affected by genetic and hereditary factors, there are several exercises too that can help grow your height.
Various stretching exercises such as bar hanging or forward spine stretch are instrumental in increasing a person’s height. Apart from these exercises, you also need to maintain a diet rich in protein and calcium so that your muscles get adequate fuel to expand and grow. However, we strongly suggest that you avoid height increasing pills since they affect your body in a very adverse manner.
In recent times, Zumba is becoming quite a popular form of exercise among people. Zumba is a form of aerobics which is inspired by Latin American dances. The exercise involves doing various aerobic activities to dance music. One of the major reasons why people have begun to choose Zumba is that it helps them target several muscle groups all at once. This further assists in body toning. Apart from that, Zumba also improves the blood flow in your body.
Belly fat is something none of us like. It makes us look aged. Exercises such as squats, cardio workouts, cross trainer and crunches are extremely beneficial in reducing the excess fat around your belly. Weight reduction exercises can also be performed at home during any time of the day. However, it is recommended that you follow a strict diet regime alongside exercising so as to witness better and quicker results.
Exercising is one of the best ways to ensure physical goodness. Do not let long work hours or procrastination stop you from undertaking physical exercises. After all, a healthy mind resides only in a healthy body. Find time from your daily routine to work out. While you might find it physically challenging at first, you would gradually get used to it. In fact, the difference in your body shape will become evident in a few weeks.
So, what are you waiting for? Put your exercise gear on and get ready to undertake the journey of physical and mental well-being.
Disclaimer: The tips & exercises suggested are the personal opinions of the writer. Kindly consult a licensed physician/dietitian/practitioner before implementing the same.
