12 Easy Exercises To Get In Shape Fast
12.
Lunges- Lunges are an awesome way to work out your calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quads
but this type of exercise involves balance and coordination.
Each individual lunge works your body independently aiding out possible imbalances between your
right and left sides.
Start off with a basic alternating lunge without weights first to check your form.
Then slowly move up to walking lunges, weighted barbell lunges, and dumbbell lunges.
Remember to make sure that your leading knee stays behind your main toes while also trying
to keep your knee aligned with your toes.
One of the best ways to guarantee that you’re retaining form is to stabilize your weight
in the heel of your front foot while doing lunging exercises.
Lunges are one of the most effective lower body exercises.
They strengthen large muscle groups like your buttocks and legs which can speed up your
metabolism, which is awesome if you’re trying to shed any extra pounds.
Lunges can even improve your core strength as it works to keep your body upright.
11.
Speedwork- Speedwork has a high advantage, especially when it comes to high-intensity
interval training.
In a 2012 study, several volunteers performed five 30 seconds sprints on a stationary bike
with each sprint being separated by four minutes of active rest like stretching or hydrating.
After the task had been completed, the volunteers had burned an average of 200 calories.
By incorporating three sprint workouts in your weekly routine, you’ll be amazed at
the results.
You can jump rose, run or even use an elliptical.
After about spending five to ten minutes warming up, go as fast as you can for about thirty
seconds.
Then follow up by one to four minutes of active rest at a slow pace.
It’ll take some time to get used to, but it’ll feel good once you get your heart
rate going.
Yes, your body will feel worn out in the end but your efforts will pay off fast and you’ll
feel better knowing it too.
10.
Squats- Just like lunges, squats are one of the best functional exercises that promote
balance and mobility.
Doing squats also help your more body fat as it continually burns more calories by developing
muscles.
When done correctly, squats are so intense that it triggers the release of the human
growth hormone in your body which are essential to improve muscle mass.
So squatting can contribute to improving both your upper and lower body strength at the
same time.
Squatting tones your abs, backside and virtually your entire body.
It builds your leg muscles, and this type of exercise has even helped athletes jump
higher and run faster too.
To do a simple squat start off by warming up and stand with your feet just over your
shoulder.
Keep your back in a neutral position with your knees centered over your feet.
Then slowly bend your knees, ankles, and hips until you reach a 90-degree angle.
Repeat this at least fifteen times for two or three reps.
Don’t forget to breathe in as you lower yourself down and exhale when you return to
your starting position.
9.
Push Ups- For many people, the thought of push ups brings back unpleasant memories of
gym class, making it a hated activity.
But push-ups are one of the easiest exercise movements that improve your flexibility, enhances
your cardiovascular system and improves posture.
If you sit all day all day with minimal activity, then improper posture can take a toll on your
back.
When pushups are done properly, the muscles responsible for supporting your pose are fine
tuned.
Besides, your back muscles and biceps are adequately stretched which helps prevent injuries.
Push ups stabilize muscles and conditions shoulder muscles.
This is a quick and excellent way to workout if you’re busy and don’t have time to
head to a gym.
It can be done in just under ten minutes a day during your break all while saving you
time and money!
8.
Pull Ups- Pull-ups are one of the most beneficial exercises around since you can do them everywhere.
All you need is a bar!
Pull-ups engage your upper body and build muscle in your arms and back with increased
intensity.
Not only are you targeting your core, shoulders, and forearms, but you're gaining wrist and
grip strength too!
Even though pull ups don’t burn as many calories as jogging on a treadmill, it does
boost your metabolism and makes your back stronger.
Doing pull ups builds your functional strength and leaves you in a better mood by releasing
serotonin.
Even if you can only do one or two pull ups, for now, remember that practice makes perfect.
Before you know it, you’ll be executing ten to even 15 pull ups in a routine with
no hassle.
7.
Plank- Here’s an easy exercise you can do without even breaking a sweat.
With exercise, sometimes it's the simplest of all movements that are the greatest gain
to your fitness.
To do a plank, all you have to do is hold up your body off the ground and keep it stationary
in a straight line.
This type of exercise is increasingly popular for strengthening your core and for several
good reasons too.
It engages your deep core muscles that build the groundwork for that six pack look.
So as your abdominal muscles grow stronger, your midsection will tighten as well.
Planks also increase flexibility.
The muscles around your shoulder blades and collarbone will expand as well as your hamstrings.
In addition, the arches of your feet and toes will even out.
To increase stretching benefits, you can also try a rocking plank.
Once you get into form, rock your body back and forth by moving your toes a few inches
up and down.
6.
Boxing- Never undermine the power of a punch!
Boxing is, in fact, an incredible full body workout.
It’s both an aerobic and anaerobic workout that incorporates speed, strength, powers
and improves your metabolism.
Boxing is a high impact exercise and includes training methods that can work for anyone
who's looking to get in shape and it’s good cardio.
If your primary goal is to shed some weight, take into consideration of how many calories
you want to burn.
According to Nutristrategy.com, a 155-pound person will burn anywhere from 420 to 650
calories in an hour boxing workouts, depending on the activities given in a session.
In comparison, it’s relative to the burn of moderate rowing or jogging.
5.
Side Crunches- If you want to burn off a little belly fat and vanish those love handles, incorporate
some side crunches in your routine to get a flatter stomach.
Side crunches work the external and internal oblique muscles, and they’re easy to do.
Start by lying down on your left or right side of your yoga mat with both knees bent
and your body in a straight line.
Your head should face forward aligned with your shoulders.
Curl your arm up to your head and bring your elbow as close to your hips as you can, while
lowering and repeat.
Do two sets of 10 to 15 at a time.
Fitness experts recommend small amounts of crunches performed a controlled and slow pace
to engage and target those abdominal muscles.
Just ten minutes of crunches can potentially burn 54 calories if you’re a 160-pound person!
4.
Bicycle crunches- Bicycles crunches are another great way to flatten and tone your tummy.
However, this type of crunch is little tougher than side crunches.
But it’s proven to be one the best ab exercises that’ll be sure to get your blood flowing.
Aside from targeting your abs, your glutes and thighs come into play too.
Start off by lying flat on the floor with your lower back flat and contract your core
muscles.
Gently with your hands, lift your knees to a 45-degree angle and start pedaling like
you’re on a bike.
Start off slow at first and alternately touch your elbows to the opposite knees back and
forth.
Remember to breathe evenly through this exercise as most people tend to hold their breath when
they first start off.
If you start feeling the burn immediately, then you know you’re doing something right!
3.
Biking- What better way to shape up and tone your body than a nice bike ride outdoors?
It’s an effective way to shed body fat, improve cardiovascular health and burn extra
calories.
The motion of bicycling especially high-intensity cycling and going uphill is a great way to
develop muscle leading which strengthens your quadriceps, hamstrings and your calves.
Cycling is very beneficial if weight loss is your primary objective.
Assuming you burn approximately 500 calories on a 60 minute bike ride so a daily ride would
equate to a one pound weight loss after just one week!
In addition, bicycling tightens your abdominal and back muscles.
A strong core is crucial for proper posture and balance.
Once you have established a regular cycling routine, you can also build on more intense
bike rides, and in time you’ll feel stronger and leaner too.
2.
Walking- Getting fit is a lot easier and enjoyable than you may think.
This is good news for people who don’t like to work out, but walking is an awesome aerobic
activity.
A combination of healthy eating and walking is a good way to tone your body and be fit.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity
aerobic exercise a week, so about twenty-two minutes a day or thirty minutes five days
a week.
The Center also suggests this is the minimum amount of time you should walk if you want
to maintain your weight.
Now if you want to lose a couple of pounds, then you walk for a minimum of 250 minutes
a week.
Of course, your body will adapt with every workout, so you will need to change the mileage
or intensity to get better results.
You can start off by walking a moderate speed, usually about 145 steps a minute and increase
your pacing after a few miles.
Speed walking is a good workout that boosts your cardiovascular strength and your legs.
If you want to improve your metabolism, you can also add in some weights or opt walking
on a treadmill or Stairmaster for a challenge.But nothing beats a nice brisk walk and the smell
of fresh air.
1.
Swimming- Swimming is proven to be a great activity for the mind and body.
First off swimming is an excellent way to manage weight, in fact, you can burn around
367 calories after just thirty minutes of breaststroke- that beat cycling, walking and
even running!
The opposition of water can be forty-four times greater than air, so this means that
you have to work even harder to move through it.
So think of it as working out machines or weights without the use of expensive equipment.
Plus it’s an affordable and great alternative to strengthen your muscles, and it’s a low
impact exercise!
It has less strain on your bones, and with a greater ease of movement, swimming has a
lower risk of damage than other many forms of activity.
Swimming is also a great mood booster.
It supplies serotonin, which is a feel good hormone responsible for happiness.
In a survey conducted by Speedo based on 4,000 participants, 70% of them felt mentally refreshed
after taking a swim, 68% said being in the water helped them to feel good about themselves
while 74% agreed swimming released tension and stress.
So take a quick dip in the pool to help clear your mind and lose a couple of pounds!