Shawn Clark |
Being physically fit is a way to promote several health advantages to your life. However, being fit does not only involve physical aspects of the human body, but also the mental state of the individual. However, mental fitness is an effect of being physically fit for the body to function well. This can be attained by eating right and exercising regularly.
Optimum weight can either be earned by reducing body fat or gaining lean muscles, hence, becoming physically fit which can be achieved through exercise. This physical activity can benefit the human body for many reasons:
- Look better
- Sleep better
- Decrease the possibility of having diseases (as studied by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Have longer life (According to American Journal of Preventive Medicine)
- Feel great
- Be in shape
- Have a stronger body (both muscles and bones) to avoid injury
- Increase mental and social well-being
According to the University of Minnesota, the lack of exercise can increase the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, osteoporosis, Type 2 diabetes, and breast and colon cancer which can easily be prevented through active physical activities. Studies show, that physical inactivity causes 6-10% of non-communicable diseases. Another disadvantage is that individuals having less or no effort to becoming fit to tend to have the feeling of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Becoming physically fit has easy ways to attain which can greatly affect your lifestyle positively. To move towards a healthier lifestyle, one must eat the proper diet, avoid bad habits such as smoking and drink alcohol), have plenty of rests, and take part in healthy outdoor activities or simply exercise regularly.
To become one step closer to your physically fit lifestyle, here are the only nine exercises that you need to get in shape fast:
- Push-Up
Develop a stronger upper body that would exercise your chest, triceps, and shoulders by doing push-ups. It is an exercise that resembles a pressing movement. Here are some tips on getting a push-up right:
- Start and end every push in a plank position.
- Keep your neck in line with your shoulders.
- Your feet should be positioned the same distance as your hip’s width.
- Hands should be placed on the shoulders.
- The movement after the push should have the elbows be closer to the body.
- Shoulders should come toward your ears.
- Plank
A plank exercise may look easy from afar. However, this attests to the constrain of holding the position of elbows carrying the trunk portion of the body off the ground, and keeping in mind the posture you must retain. As this is executed, an increase in flexibility of your posterior muscle groups will improve. It also causes several muscles to stretch and expand.
This exercise takes strength and endurance from your core, back, and abdomen. Planking can give you a toned stomach which can tighten the mid-section of your body. It can also reduce back pain as it strengthens your core by making your upper back muscles to be stronger.
Different kinds of the plank are the following: Rocking Plank, Knee Plank, Side Plank
, Forearm Plank Reverse Plank, and much more.
- Walking
As you walk, muscles from the butt and at the back of your legs (hamstrings) are being tested for work-out. Shifting the weight of the body from one leg to another will also exercise the oblique muscles in your sides, lumbar and multifidus muscles that support your lower back, and the erector spinae located at either side of your spine.
Walking is also considered as an aerobic exercise which is considered as a great cardio workout. This exercise should at least be 5 minutes as a start, and be done regularly to achieve 30 minutes of walking workout on most of the days of the week. These precious 30 minutes of brisk walking can burn 150 calories a day.
- Squats
Aside from eliminating the extra fat that lies around your thighs and butt, squats can benefit the body by building up a stronger lower body, improve core strength and boost flexibility. Deep squats benefit the human body by reducing back pain. This kind of exercise also reduces the chance of inflicting an injury when jumping, running or any kind of activity as it strengthens your muscles, especially in the lower body.
As this exercise let you strengthen your hips, this would result in an increase in vertical leap. With this, it helps you produce power and absorb impact. Squats differ from the variety of activity including Plie squats, pulse, plyometric, plié, goblet squats.
In doing squats, one must remember to keep your chest tall, to look ahead and slightly up, and that your feet should be planted between hip- and shoulder-width apart. It is advised by health trainers to squat as deeply as possible depending on your flexibility. Also, one should avoid shifting your weight to your toes as you squat, and always have your heels stuck to the ground for you not to lose balance.
- Crunch
The abdominal or core muscles are improved and strengthened by executing some crunches. This is commonly used for the purpose of flattening the stomach. This improves balance. The best results can only be seen by doing crunches in the proper form.
The basic crunch needs the individual to lie on their back with the hands at the back of the head and the knees forming a 90-degree angle. Hips together with the shoulders will be lifted off the floor to execute a basic crunch.
The different kinds of crunches are cross sit-up, scissors, side v-crunch, reverse and vertical crunches.
- Reverse Dip
Also known as bench dips, reverse dips can develop three heads of the triceps located at the back of your upper arms. This is simply often done with two stable chairs. However, with poor form and incorrect execution, one can lead to injury.
Place your hands with the palm down on two stable chairs, have your feet placed where the legs are straight and forms a 45-degree angle with the floor. Raising and lowering your body is the goal of the exercise.
- Lunge
A lunge is performed by placing a foot forward and bending the corresponding knee together with it. Once the first half is executed, drop the other knee directly towards the floor. Though having the torso straight should always be kept in mind. Return to the start, and repeat the steps. This exercise promotes an increase in muscular strength of the lower body, especially the legs. This would also improve balance and coordination.
A variety of lunges are performed having the forward lunge as the most common, there is also a backward, side, and walking lunges that you can choose from.
- Pull-ups
Using a low bar, pull-ups are executed by pulling yourself up until the bar passes across your chest, with the shoulder blades squeezed together at the same moment as the elbows fully bent, then, extending the elbows lower.
Pull-ups differ from equipment used or the difficulty to perform. The kinds of pull-ups are the chin-ups, Australian, Behind the Neck, Dead Hang, Kipping, Plyo Pull-ups, and many more.
Pull-ups are compared as squats to the upper body. Its target muscles to improve are the back and the biceps. Bodybuilders want this exercise to improve their grip strength. It also quickens your heart rate.
- Zumba
Zumba is a full-body workout incorporated with dance. Each session consists of a high-energy instructor and participants joining together for an upbeat dance. This exercise focuses on improving flexibility, serves as a cardio workout, and emphasizes one’s core strength.
According to a study conducted in the year 2012, a 39-minute Zumba session burns an average of 9.5 calories per minute, having a total of 369 calories. This fast-paced workout can improve the endurance of the members of the class, the cardiovascular fitness, an improve blood pressure, can increase pain threshold, and uplift the quality of life as it involves the social benefits of a group workout.
These 9 ways can only be successful through the help of the self-discipline of the interested individual on being physically fit. Together with these well-defined exercises, here are additional tips on becoming more fit which include eating a healthy diet:
- Cannot avoid coffee or tea? Have it black. Meaning, no sugar and cream.
- Always pick non-processed snacks and meals since processed food contain fat, sugar, artificial dyes, preservatives, and salt)
- Stay hydrated by having a glass of water between every drink of alcoholic beverages.
- Have a packed-up lunch that is much healthier for you.
- Eat all vegetable portions on your plate before anything else.
- Eat proteins and vegetables instead of sweets and carbohydrates.
- Use smaller plates to reduce appetites.
- Not fry.
- Cook eggs by having twice of whites than yolks.
- A piece of fruit. Not a glass of juice.
- Eat meals that are at least of the proportion are vegetables.
Conclusion:
While exercise has to have the proper posture and procedure, a meal should also have a proper portion. A way to a healthy lifestyle does not require expensive training, gym facilities, and gourmet dishes. Self-discipline is the key to get in shape fast with the help of proper exercise and a balanced diet. With exercises to get in shape fast, you can boost your testosterone levels.
Shawn Clark is a Health, Beauty and Fitness Adviser. For the past 5 years, he is providing nutrition counseling, fitness training and health advice all over Phoenix, Arizona. Shawn is committed to providing modern, relevant and reliable health information in all its complexity, perpetuating positive messages about sexual health, joint pain, diet and exercise. The views expressed in this article are authors own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Global Village Space.