training or muscle-building exercises, here are a couple of exercises you can perform efficiently from the comfort of your home. MOST EFFECTIVE WORKOUTS THAT REQUIRE NO EQUIPMENT Some days you just can’t seem to get out of bed. Just the thought of getting up as early as 6 am to go to the gym can be weighty, dreadful even. Maybe your gym is closed for the holidays, and you just don’t have access to the necessary equipment. Well, guess what? You don’t really need them. RUNNING/JOGGING As a very popular cardiovascular exercise, running offers many benefits like helping to lower blood pressure and resting heart rate, lower cholesterol, improve blood sugar control, etc. SQUATS Squats are considered by many one of the best ways to strengthen your legs. Squats, as a workout exercise, take advantage of your body weight and the gravitational pull in order to deliver effective strain to your leg muscles. For beginners, 10 may be enough, but if you feel it’s too easy, you may increase that to 20 or 30 till your legs begin to feel rubbery. PUSHUPS Push-ups are as effective as they are popular, more so even. What makes push-ups such an effective workout is that you work out and build your back, your biceps/arms, and your chest all at once. You can strengthen your entire upper body just by performing one workout. Who wouldn’t love that? Plus, there are different variations from just basic pushups, e.g., crisscross, wide, narrow, clap push-ups, one-handed, etc. So you can
including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, several forms of cancer, hypertension, anxiety, depression, high cholesterol, etc. Other benefits of a regular workout schedule include helping your skin health, reducing pain, and it can also boost your sex and social life. Now that you know why you need to exercise, you also need to know the difference between regular cardio exercises (endurance training) and strength training/workouts. CARDIO TRAINING VS STRENGTH TRAINING A major difference between the two is the intensity. While the exercises involved in strength training aim to build muscle by pushing the body to its limits, thereby expanding them, cardio exercises are more low-key. Cardiovascular exercises tend to focus more on the building of stamina. As the name implies, these exercises deal primarily with the heart. They are usually designed to include a lot of movement to get your heart racing. A common example is running or jogging. Cardio workouts pack a bunch of health benefits as they promote a healthier heart, serving to regulate your blood sugar levels, thereby reducing the risk of diabetes. Also, cardio exercises help boost endurance. First, identifying your workout goal is key, as this would enable you to design a well-thought-out workout plan with a series of optimal workouts that would efficiently guarantee the best results. Now that you understand the importance of exercising regularly and the difference between cardio exercises and strength
222
Powered by FlippingBook