Your health is your main asset. Without it, you can’t do much. So it only makes sense to take care of your fitness and work to improve it through exercise. Luckily, several exercises and workouts exist to help you do just that. You can choose one that fits your routine and body type and get started.
Here are the top 10 exercises to help start a passion for fitness in you. Keep reading.
Increased Stamina And Speed With Running
If you are busy and don’t have any time to hit the gym but still want to keep fit, take up running this instant. This is one of the most feasible exercises that you can do almost anytime without needing any special equipment or training. All you need are good running shoes and you can start at your own pace right outside, in the park, or even on a treadmill, if you have one.
As research has shown over and over again, running has tremendous benefits including giving you an instant feeling of elation. If you have been down, anxious, and feeling depressed for days. Push yourself to go and run and you will get a rush of endorphins or the happy hormones. Not only this but running outside in nature also helps with your mood. Moreover, this exercise helps keep your cardio health in check, increases your stamina so you can gradually do more, and is also great for shedding pounds.
Running is truly a package deal with all benefits fit into one exercise.
Swimming For A Total Body Workout
This one is considered a full-body workout as it engages all major muscle groups in your body. So, it not only works your core but also builds endurance by strengthening your muscles as well as improving cardiovascular health. It also builds your lung capacity. Besides this, people who swim have a 50% lower chance of dying than inactive individuals.
And the benefits don’t just end here. Swimming is ideal for those who cannot tolerate heat as this exercise has a cooling effect on your body. Moreover, it is easy on the joints, so if you have joint issues, are a senior, or just hate jumping, swimming can be your way to channel your energy.
Stretch And Relax With Yoga Poses
Yoga is a very misunderstood exercise, albeit a different one. It might not be the usual sweaty and messy workout, but this one has immense benefits. It is a holistic approach to well-being that improves your balance, flexibility, and endurance. Moreover, yoga also helps with cardio health, lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels as well. More than anything else, yoga focuses on mindfulness and developing a connection between mind and body.
With regular yoga, you can improve your posture and deal effectively with mental health issues like depression and anxiety. This exercise also helps with chronic pain, such as lower back pain, and improves movement. So, don’t throw it out the window just because it is different. Try it and you will be hooked to the calm and peace.
Check Out: Yoga for Beginners: 3 Different Types of Yoga You Should Try
Build Muscles And Get Toned With Strength Training
Strength training is possibly one of the most popular exercises. You may directly get images of bulging biceps and huge muscles when you hear the name of strength training. But this is not all true. Sure you can get big muscles with this, but this workout is basically about building strength and power. Whether you want to burn calories like crazy or improve your slow metabolism, this workout is the answer.
Strength training will turn your body from flabby to toned but it is not all about the looks. This exercise is recommended for people with insulin resistance or for those looking to improve type 2 diabetes. Besides this, it also reduces your chances of getting osteoporosis as you age and increases bone density.
You may be scared of starting with strength training as it will take a certain amount of mental resilience to begin but once you do there will be no stopping you.
Get Punching With Boxing
This one is a high-power sport and exercise. Boxing doesn’t just work on your physical health but it will also build your discipline, mental strength, and agility. It will sculpt your body and make you fierce like a lion. Whether you work with an opponent or on your own, you will develop fast reflexes, coordination, and unbeatable confidence in boxing.
You may see this sport on digital media and may associate aggression, fighting, and building big muscles with it. But there is more to it than this. Boxing has uncountable health benefits including positive effects on your cardio health, mental health, endurance, weight loss, and even your mood.
Start as light as you want, don’t jump in with full intensity as you might hurt yourself. So, if you are ready to be a warrior, get punching.
Also Read: What Are the Benefits of Cardio Kickboxing?
Dance Your Way To Fitness
So, you want something fun and quirky to improve your fitness? There sure is a workout that will have you grooving to the tunes without straining too many muscles and joints – dancing. This exercise is a perfect way to kick out the stress and anxiety as you glide across the floor. Dancing builds and improves movement in your body and it helps you loosen up. It’s a fluid exercise that lets you be creative.
Furthermore, dancing helps with cognitive function, heart health, strength, flexibility, and more. And you also burn calories while having the time of your life on your favorite tunes. A simple 30-minute session can give you all those benefits. So dance your worries away.
Cycling For Better Endurance
You can do this one both outdoors and indoors. Cycling is considered a low-impact exercise for your joints as there are no sudden shocks involved. However, cycling has innumerable benefits such as a strengthened core, legs, glutes, and a sculpted physique. The benefits are even greater if you do it in nature. Studies have shown that cycling improves your creativity, sleep, and reduces stress as well.
For more effect on weight loss, you can cycle uphill or at a fast pace to get in a good cardio session. Don’t sleep on it and paddle up.
HIIT For Muscles And To Torch Calories
High-intensity interval training or HIIT is considered a top way of cutting fat and losing weight all the while building strength. The underlying concept for this workout is that it increases your heart rate at intervals and then lets it rest. By doing this, your body keeps burning fat even when it is resting. So, by working out for shorter periods, you get larger results.
Besides this, HIIT has a huge positive effect on your cardiovascular health, mental well-being, insulin resistance, and metabolism. With this exercise, get ready to be pushed out of your comfort zone and build resilience.
Reconnect With the Great Outdoors Through Hiking
Hiking is a rock-solid stress reliever. It is not just about taking a walk in the park, rather it is about exploring the strength of your body along with the great outdoors. With hiking, you have endless possibilities of where you can go and what you can do. You can choose a rugged terrain to work your muscles more or go for a plain land but a longer one that will build your stamina.
This exercise has all the amazing physical and mental benefits as the other workouts but what is great is that you can explore this in nature. And nature is a stress buster as well as a productivity booster. So, get ready to sweat.
Also Read: 15 Incredible National Parks to Visit
Pilates For The Mind And Body Connection
Pilates is another low-impact exercise that focuses on flexibility, balance, and posture. It works on balance and coordination to give you a more graceful appearance. The primary focus is on helping you improve your alignment and stability. This is known to help with lower back pain, improve endurance, and also give you more control over your breathing. Not to forget mindfulness gives you a sense of endless calm and peace thereby reducing stress.
Also Read: 6 Ways To Look Younger In 30 Days
Wrapping Up
The thing to understand about fitness is that it is more about consistency than intensity. No matter what exercise you choose, you have to show up regularly and with all your energy. Moreover, exercise is different for each body type. What you others find effective, you may not. So, listen to your body and know what works for it. Try out different workouts and versions. And remember you don’t have to choose just one. Mix and match it for a well-rounded exercise routine. Just don’t give up.