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Regardless of your age or level of fitness, weight training or strength training should be a part of your workout routine. It is important for better sports performance and a lower risk of injury in addition to improved mobility and flexibility. You do not need to reach a certain level of fitness before searching gyms near me online and starting strength training. And once you start, you do not have to spend 2 hours 5 days a week at gyms in your city.
You can workout at home with minimal equipment like dumbbells, kettlebells, resistance bands, etc. Or you can simply use your bodyweight. The efficacy of your workouts does not depend on the equipment you have but by increasing the number of reps or slowing down or speeding up the tempo of the exercises. If you think bodyweight exercises don’t build muscle, think again. According to studies, pushups offer results as good as bench press in some regard. If you feel the need for expert advice and access to professional equipment, you can visit gyms in Bangalore and other major cities of India with FITPASS.
Top 5 Bodyweight Exercises
Skipping or jumping rope is one of the most effective workouts when it comes to cardio workouts. Several studies over the years have proven that 10 minutes of jumping rope equals the benefits of a 30-minute-long jog. Apart from improving your cardiovascular capacity, skipping burns belly fat, builds stamina, improves coordination, boosts mental health, strengthens your bones, and improves concentration and coordination. Flick your wrists (and not arms) to move the rope round your body and jump high enough to clear the rope as it hits the ground. If you want to challenge yourself, try double unders – let the rope pass twice under your feet with a single jump.
Squats work the most powerful muscle groups in your body – legs and glutes. We perform this action several times in a day but find it hard to complete a few repetitions when doing it as an exercise. It is a functional exercise that improves overall body strength and movement. However, some people have to avoid this exercise due to problems in their knees. Therefore, ensure that you do it correctly.
Push your butt backward while going down as you do while sitting. Do not let your knees go farther than your feet anytime while performing the exercise. When pushing yourself back up, use your hips and thighs as well. You can make the exercise much more challenging by adding plyometric motion by jumping from the lowest position to up in the air and back into the squat again.
This exercise is anything but fun or easy because it really tires you out. However, it is really effective. It is a full body exercise that gets your heart racing and burns a ton of calories. But you must focus on form rather than on speed; keep control of your body throughout the entire exercise. Try to pace yourself while doing this exercise or you will be out of breath soon and won’t be able to complete enough reps. Breathe deeply before starting the squat and breath out during the push up. If you can complete a number of decided reps on this exercise without stopping, consider yourself fit. And if you feel adventurous, add a leg variation while in the push-up position. Bring your reg leg to your side and back and repeat with the left leg before going back to the squatting position. You can also do mountain climbers after going to the push-up position. Do not let your back arch throughout the move. Stretch your legs before the workout to go faster through the reps.
This is an especially good exercise for increasing core strength and you do not even have to get up from your yoga mat. It is good for your lower back provided you move your legs in tandem throughout the exercise. Engage your abs and press your lower back to the floor. You can also keep a towel under the small of your back for support. Doing this makes the core put in all the effort instead of the hips. Doing this exercise daily tones your legs as well as your lower abs in addition to strengthening glutes, hamstrings, and lower calf muscles.
This plank variation targets the quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle in your lower back. This muscle gets the worst of it when you sit hunched forward for hours on an end in front of your laptop or desktop. When this muscle gets tense, it bends the spine and that is where all the pain begins. Strengthen this muscle with side plank for good spine health and toned obliques.
Ensure that your elbow is directly under your shoulder to avoid any problems in that area. Keep your legs straight to form a straight line from your feet to your shoulders. Don’t let your hips sag toward the floor. Keep your core engaged throughout the exercise. Hold for at least 30 seconds on each side for every set.
