This week I’ll get right down to it ladies! The following are the 8 best exercises you can POSSIBLY do, both to freshen up your same-old-same-old workout routine and improve your health overall! Read on – then go try them out!
1. Squats
These are definitely integral to my daily workout regimen. Squats work the major muscles in your lower limbs—the quads, the hamstrings, the calves and the glutes. They are an excellent method of preventing joint pain, particularly in your knees, which would not have to compensate as much if you have stronger leg muscles. Just remember that your form is key, as is the case for any exercise that you do. It is really important that when you bend your knees to squat position, your knees should be behind your toes. Keep it all 90 degrees. Make sure your back and torso are straight, your abs are tight, and you’re good to go with 12-16 reps.
2. Lunges
These movements work the same muscle groups as squats, but they’re also adding balance to the mix. Remember the 90 degree rule when bending your leg, and go for 12-16 reps. There is also some variation you can do with lunges: the classic static lunge; a sliding lunge; a side lunge; a sliding side lunge; a low lunge; and a cross-over lunge. Change it up a little to keep things interesting!
3. Push-ups
Think squats for your upper body. Push-ups work your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core all at once. Keeping your torso tight is important for overall stability, strengthening your abs and easing the work done by your arms and shoulders. Like with lunges, there are multiple variations to perform, especially dependent on your status as a beginner or a pro push-upper. Google it.
4. Ab crunches
Obviously the Internet is full of a gazillion different ab workouts, and it can easily be overwhelming. I suggest finding a few particular movements that target each of your main abdominal zones, i.e. your obliques and your rectus abdominus, and building your ab workout around those. When it starts to get too easy, find some new moves to try and your body will welcome the change. The biggest thing in doing your abdominal movements is not to engage and pull with your neck, or to arch your back. This may leave you feeling sore and/or actually weaken your ab muscles. Also, know that ab crunches are not the answer to a flat stomach. They may strengthen your muscles, but if you want to blast that fat, you’ve got to remember the magic of cardiovascular exercise.
5. Plank
Oh, the plank. So much harder than it sounds. That’s because it’s putting most of your major muscle groups to work, in the back, the arms, the legs, and the abs. I’ve always had a problem with getting sore elbows because I don’t engage my abdominals well enough, so this is something to keep in mind—work that torso! Hold the plank for 30-60 seconds and repeat several times. Think about doing a side plank position, too.
6. Deadlift
I love the deadlift. Ever since I’ve incorporated this exercise into my workout, I’ve noticed a significant difference in the tonicity of my hamstrings. Don’t lift with your back, but rather be sure to engage the targeted leg muscles. Go with 12-16 reps, and also add some variation with the amount of weight that you’re lifting. You can use a barbell or just simple hand weights.
7. Walking
Whether you run or not, walking is your fundamental source of cardio activity. According to Robert Goitlin, DO, director of orthopedic and sports rehabilitation at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, “Doing a brisk walk can burn up to 500 calories per hour,” and you could end up losing one pound for every seven hours you walk if you did nothing else. Living on a college campus like ours, I think we’ve all got this down, so maybe add some fitness walking at the gym or add a few laps of jogging.
8. Interval Training
From my understanding, this is one of the best ways to lose weight, and you can build interval training into anything your doing and no matter your fitness level, whether it be the elliptical machine, walking or jogging around the track, etc. Variation in pace stimulates your aerobic system and boots your level of fitness, ultimately helping you to shed pounds because you have a greater capacity to burn calories. Perform at a high intensity for one to two minutes before slowing down to a normal pace, anywhere from two to ten minutes, repeating throughout your workout.
Good luck and let me know what you try out!