5 Exercises you can do at Home with Proven Results
So you don’t have time to go to a gym. No problem. Here are 5 exercises that you can do at home with minimal equipment and cost, but that have proven health results.
Make at least 20 minutes of exercise a day.
1. Walking: An excellent way to stay healthy is to go for a walk. Dr. Carl Caspersen of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the health benefits of walking, saying that “walking briskly for a half hour several days a week” can even dramatically reduce your risk of your risk of disease. What can you do if the weather isn’t very welcoming outside? You can go to gym, visit the mall, hit the treadmill or try walking at home. Walking up and down a flight of stairs will even add an aerobic component to your exercise. Walking is a low impact exercise that even has benefits over running and aerobics. There is less chance of harm to your feet, knee joints and muscles. You don’t need a lot of skill to walk and walking is suitable for all ages. How many calories can you burn during your walk? This will vary depending on your size and weight and on your individual speed and terrain. The average calories burned are usually 100 for a per mile. A treadmill will help you to burn off 500 calories a day. In 5 days that’s 2500 calories. If you want to drop your weight by a pound you’ll need to burn 3500 calories.
2. The Plank: The plank is always highlighted as the best exercise you can do because it induces large groups of muscles across your entire body. It works all four sets your abdominals. Not only that but it works all the muscles running up and down your spine. Although it is mostly used to strengthen your core and abdominals it can also condition your legs and shoulders. It is also good for your upper body strength as well. The problem with planks is that they have to be done properly to get the best benefit from them. There are 3 common mistakes made while doing planks. 1) Don’t focus on holding longer, focus on holding harder. 2) Don’t raise your back too high, or bend your back down to low. 3) Don’t let your lower back take over. For a great workout watch the video above.
3. Low Impact Aerobics: Low impact aerobics are great for your health. They will get your heart pumping and help you to lose weight. Low impact aerobics are less likely to cause you injury. Plus you will be able to burn around 240-360 calories in a 20 minute workout. That’s about 15 calories a minute. Low-impact aerobics will give your increased strength, lower your cholesterol, give you a better waistline, and reduce your stress.
4. Pushups: Many people do pushups incorrectly. This can result in injury and decrease your desired result. When doing pushups your using your shoulder, triceps, back and your chest. So when done correctly your getting an entire upper body workout. To begin your pushup always start form the ground and go up. Position your hands even with your chest just below your shoulders. A common mistake is placing your hands too high above your head and shoulders and not directly under them. Or placing them too low – towards the hips. When you press up you must come up evenly as one unit. To do this you need to tighten your stomach. Make sure you don’t lock your elbows or you will put unnecessary strain on them. Keep you abs tight so you don’t sag your hips. Also, avoid sticking your but too high in the air. Now, please drop and give me 20.
5. Light Weight Lifting: Why does a heavy weight lifter succeed? Because he doesn’t approach lifting the weights with doubt. He knows he can do it and he does. Another time he may not succeed. Why? Because he approaches the weights with doubts in his mind. As a result his strength fades. Heavy weight lifters hope they won’t face one big problem – injury. Light weight training though is good for your health if done properly. And usually light weight training won’t result in injury. In fact, it can give you a better range of motion, reduce your chance of injury, rehabilitate your muscles, and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure. Light weight training will burn some of those extra unwanted calories while building muscle.
* (Before doing any exercises consult your doctor)
