You have been on the treadmill for months now and the weighing scales don’t support your effort. Or have you been through the whole circle of fitness choices- Zumba, aerobics, Pilates and more and apart from dashed hopes and exhaustion there is nothing to show for it? Before you head off to sign up for another gym membership or you give in to the abject dejection and hang your fitness books forever, take a look at our compilation on seven exercises that work. Really.
- Plank
Planks are tough. But that is because they work so well on your abdominal muscles, butt, thighs, back, and arms. Start slow and as you build upon strength, you could add more repetitions or hold the pose for longer. The exercise tightens the core and brings stability to the posture.
How to Do It: Prop yourself on your arms, bending them at the elbows, and your feet. Try to keep your back straight. Hold the pose for about 10 seconds and repeat.
- Push-Ups
Push-ups are perhaps the most well-known exercise world over. Made famous by movie celebrities and all fitness experts, they are almost a yardstick to measure how fit your upper body is. The exercise works on the arms, chest, and shoulders.
How to Do It: Start the exercise by coming in plank position but with straight arms, lower your torso and raise it again. For those who are doing push-ups for the first time, they can bend their knees for support. Start out with as many repetitions as you can do. Once you get stronger, you can add more.
- Squats
These are the last word in lower body workout. What push-ups are to the torso, squats are to the bottom half of our bodies. Squats tone up buttocks, legs, and thighs.
How to Do It: Widen your feet about shoulder-width. Lower your body as if sitting on an imaginary chair. Keep your lower back straight to avoid injury. Stretch your arms in the front to balance your body.
- Abdominal Crunches
The name is enough to instill fear in those who do not exercise regularly but crunches are one of the most effective exercises. Doing crunches regularly can show results within a month, sometimes. Abdominal crunches work on the core and the stomach flab.
How to Do It: lie down on your back with your knees folded. Raise your upper body so it touches your knees. Go back to lying down position. Repeat as many times as you are comfortable.
- Downward Facing Dog
Inspired by one yoga pose, this exercise builds stability and tones up arms, legs, butt and the abdomen.
How to Do It: stand straight. Make a ‘V’ position with your upper body bending and touching the floor. Raise one leg and bring it forward to touch your nose. Go back to the original position and repeat with opposite leg.
- Lunges
Lunges are a bit tougher than squats but they tone up all the major muscles of the lower body. They improve balance and stability of the body.
How to Do It: Keep your spine straight and take a big step ahead. Bend the knee at 90 degrees and lower the behind knee as you go down. Repeat with the other leg.
- Walking
You don’t need anything more than a pair of walking shoes to do this quintessential exercise. A brisk walk is a wonderful cardiovascular workout. If you haven’t ever walked as an exercise, start slowly and build it up as you gain strength.