This Monday is supposedly the most depressing day of the year - so why not do some exercise to get those endorphins going? Seeing as we're all wishing that payday would hurry up, here's the lowdown on the best exercises you can do for FREE.
The Press-Up
When performed correctly, the press-up is probably the single best exercise around. That's right - no fancy gym equipment necessary - you can do it at home or in a bit of floor space at the gym.
So why is the press-up so effective? Because it's the ultimate compound exercise. A compound exercise works several muscles or muscle groups all at the same time. And by doing compound exercises, you get the following benefits:
- you burn more calories - because you're engaging more muscle groups
- your heart rate stays higher for longer - meaning you get a cardio workout too
- you can build up your strength faster
- your co-ordination and balance improve
- you can exercise for longer - because you're spreading the effort around rather than exhausting one single muscle
Press-ups works muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps, back and even your core. Include them in any workout you're doing and it will help you get better, more visible results. Guys will fill out their t-shirts more and girls will have more toned arms to show off as the summer comes.
There are loads of variations you can try:
- Bent-knee - for people new to exercise, this involves balancing on your knees rather than your toes, so you've got more support.
- Incline - again this is primarily for newcomers and involves doing a press-up with your hands resting on a raised surface such as a bench, or a strong chair.
- Wide-grip - this works the muscles of the chest (pectorals) harder, so their strength increases and you see more definition.
- Close-grip - put your hands underneath your chest and place them together in a diamond shape, so that your index fingers are touching. This will work the triceps harder.
- Decline - by placing your feet on a raised surface such as a bench, table or chair you make the exercise more difficult and also work the upper chest harder.
- Clap press-ups - for more experienced trainers, explode upwards so your hands are off the floor and clap your in mid-air before they land again. Be careful with this one and only try it once you've mastered the others.
The Squat
When you think about the squat, some of you probably think of those big Olympic powerlifters with barbells straining under those enormous weights.
Well don’t!
The squat is another exercise you can do with any equipment. You can use barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, or even just use your own bodyweight. So you can do this exercise in a gym, your garage or even your living room - and still get tremendous results.
So why is the squat so good?
Firstly, it gives the largest muscles in the body a really tough workout. The squat works your quads, glutes, calves, lower back and your core muscles. It burns a huge amount of calories and helps turbo-charge your metabolism so that you can start shedding body fat fast.
Secondly, because it’s a really functional exercise. Think about it. Your legs are what keep you walking around and mobile, whilst your core keeps your body balanced. So many of us work in front of computers these days for long hours and these muscles get neglected. As a result, when we do have to squat down and pick something off the floor, we’re at much higher risk of injury – especially back pain. The squat reduces the risk of injury significantly.
Thirdly, because you look great when you train your lower body. Guys will get rock-solid legs (perfect for summertime) and girls will get a slim, toned torso and legs which they can show off in a bikini.
Anyway, here’s a few squat variations you can try:
- Barbell squat – with the barbell resting on the upper back and shoulders, squat in a slow controlled motion until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you push up. Keep your core tight throughout to maximise the effects. 8 – 12 reps
- Dumbbell squat – as above, but with dumbbells held with arms straight down by your sides. 8 – 12 reps
- Bodyweight squat – not using any weights at all. Hold your arms straight out in front throughout the movement. Do a higher number of reps (start with 20) for this movement. And if you’re feeling really brave, do a set of press-ups while you’re resting your legs.
- Sumo squat – using a barbell or dumbbells, this targets the inner thigh muscles a bit more and is achieved by taking a wider stance than usual and turning your feet out slightly. 8 – 12 reps
- Kettlebell squat – hold a kettlebell at chest level with both hands and perform the squat. 8 – 12 reps
So with these exercises there’s no point in making any exercise excuses – there is always something you can be doing even if you can’t afford an expensive gym membership!
Tony Stacey
Founder, Absolute PT
www.absolutept.co.uk
