Let’s get down to business right away. Are you reading this article because you want to start exercising, but you hate working out? If so, you have come to the right place.
Anyone can start exercising anywhere, anytime. Does that sound a bit preposterous and unrealistic? But, think about it – all you need is fifteen minutes and some space. It could be at your home or in your office or just outdoors in a park.
If you are just starting out, try to avoid the sweaty, hardcore sessions of exercises. You need to ease your body into the movements and get used to the sensations. If you start with a hard session of workout out of the blue, it will, no doubt, leave your body intensely sore and aching.
Along with the physical benefits, beginning-level workouts are great for building self-confidence, and you can create a life-long habit to keep your mind and body in great shape.
Low-intensity workout sessions can burn calories, and if you keep your diet in check, you will start losing weight. But, a beginning-level workout is not just for shedding the extra pounds; they are the building block of your fitness routine.
Aside from boosting self-confidence and losing weight, the habit of working out can tighten your muscles and make them strong, improve your sleeping habits, and lower your stress and anxiety level. Studies have shown easier workouts benefit more than high-intensity workouts for different segments of people, especially those who are suffering from high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Before you start working out, you will need some gear to get the best result out of the exercises. For low-intensity workouts, you don’t need equipment, but you do need a set of activewear and good shoes. Go here to find out reviews about shoes and running accessories that you may need in your workout sessions.
Easy Outdoor Exercises
Walk
There’s no easier exercise than walking. We can easily incorporate 15 to 30 minutes of walking into our daily routine. For instance, maybe you need to run an errand to the grocery store, why not walk to the store? Or maybe walk the last 15 minutes from your office to your home on your way back.
You can get the best out of walking if you follow a certain regiment. The first five minutes, walk slowly. Quicken your steps for the next twenty minutes, and walk briskly. For the last five minutes, slow down your pace again to cool down.
Jog or Aqua Jog
If walking feels too slow for you, try jogging in the morning or in the evening. Jogging has many benefits – it helps to build strong bones and strengthens the muscles. It also improves cardiovascular fitness. Not to mention, jogging helps you lose weight as it burns plenty of kilojoules.
But, if jogging and long periods of walking create aches in your joints, try aqua jogging or as it is sometimes called pool running. Many pools offer a blue belt to keep your upper body afloat. With your upper body floating, you need to just keep jogging without letting your feet touch the floor. If you do not have access to the belt, just walk inside the pool in the water.
Easy Indoor Exercises
Bodyweight Training
There are varieties of exercises you can do when you are practicing bodyweight training, and they have an abundance of benefits. Apart from the fact that you can easily do them at home, there are hundreds of online workouts you can choose from. Some of them are even free.Some exercises you can do at home are –
Plank: Planking is a great way to build core strength. Imagine you are doing a pushup, but instead of doing a pushup, rest on your forearms and not on your hands. Keep your back straight and taut with your abs and glutes tense. Don’t let your hips sag.
Side Plank: It is just like a plank but done on your sides. Keep your legs straight and on top of the other one and push your hips up and rest on the side of the forearm. Keep raising your hips till your body forms a straight line. Breathe deeply and brace your core. Repeat on the other side of your body. Side planks target a small group of muscles in the lower back; they can help you avoid back pain and strengthen the spine as well.
Press-ups: Get down on a push-up positing. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart, and keep your whole body straight. Lower yourself down and stop when you are an inch away from the ground. Push yourself back up with all the strength in your arms and hand. Remember to extend your arms fully. Press-ups strengthen the shoulder joints and can slowly prepare you for more demanding exercises.
Squats: Keep your head and back straight and position your legs shoulder length apart. Sit back into a squat, and focus that your knees are over your toes and push out your chest. No need to arch your back; just keep it straight. Straighten your legs while you exhale. You can also use dumbbells to work out your arms as well.
If you want to begin with a set, try this routine: five push-ups, five squats, and five lunges, and hold yourself in a plank for one minute. You can also do walking lunges instead of stationary lunges for better results. Repeat this sequence a few times, as many as you can fit in 15 minutes. This set will slowly make your body stronger, and your body can always use some extra activity.
Bottom Line
You don’t have to follow a strict regimen to exercise. You can also put on some music, grab a partner, and dance away for fifteen to thirty minutes. And, if anyone asks, tell them all about the benefits of low-intensity workout and invite them to join you!
