There are many things in life that you should do, but perhaps nothing is more important than staying fit. Getting fit and staying fit for life can extend your lifespan, make you feel better, and give you a positive outlook on life.
However, even the most active among us can at times stagnate when it comes to fitness and it is easy to lose motivation if you see fitness as a burden or something that you do not look forward to.
If you are the type of person that is looking to get into fitness and you want it to last for life – we’ve got 5 great choices of exercise you can do regularly that will help you accomplish this.
Let’s get into it!
1. The Push-Up Jump
Once you’ve got yourself into an area with plenty of space, this exercise can greatly improve your fitness and works a majority of your muscles, and will get you on a path to a great level of fitness.
The nice thing about this exercise is that it is a bodyweight exercise, which means you don’t need additional equipment and you will see the benefit in many areas including in your core, arms, legs, and back muscles.
The push-up jump is pretty simple to do but very effective. All you have to do is the following:
Begin by standing straight and prepare yourself to get into the push-up position
Place your hands down first then move your legs back
Straighten your body out into the push-up position
Do one full push-up
After the push-up, drive your legs and feet toward your chest and propel yourself vertically into a jump
Jump with your arms lifted over your head and your hands as high in the air as possible
Repeat for a set of 5
If you find this exercise is a little too much for a beginner, you can choose to either do fewer sets or simply do the push-up and then move to a standing position. Over time, you can work yourself up to the full move.
For the more advanced fitness goer, you can challenge yourself further if you wish and begin to incorporate burpees or walk-out push-ups.
2. Squats
Squats are perhaps the most simple exercise you can do, but the best thing about them is that you can perform them just about anywhere and also add a number of variations if you want to!
Squats work many different muscles in your body and they are a great way to keep your fitness level up, even when you have very little time on your hands.
You begin a squat by standing straight with your legs in line with your hips and shoulders. You need perfect balance, so think about what stance you would use to remain balanced.
Place your hands behind your head and keep your chin up. Maintaining a straight back, slowly bend your knees as far as you can and return back to the starting position. After every squat, say the number of the completed rep to keep track of your workout.
Squats can be done anywhere and will give you a great leg workout in just a short amount of time. Think about your day and all of the short breaks that present themselves throughout the day which are all excellent opportunities to squeeze in some squats! Here are a few ideas where you should consider doing squats:
During commercial breaks on TV
While you brush your teeth
In the shower while conditioning your hair
While waiting for food to cook
Waiting for an elevator
On hold during a call
If you find you need a little more of a challenge with your squats, you can incorporate a barbell or dumbbells and add more weight to the squat. This will really get a sweat going!
3. Planking
Planking is simple and nearly anybody can do it, but it’s how you do it that matters. It has a lot of advantages and despite not looking as if you’re doing too much, this exercise works nearly all of your muscle groups.
The way to do planks involves starting in a push-up position. Now, move to your elbows and tighten your core while staying up on your toes with your legs straight behind you.
The idea is to hold your body weight up for 60-90 seconds. If you find this difficult, make the challenge to keep yourself up for as long as you can and try to add a little extra time each time you do the workout.
Ensure when you are planking that you are as low to the ground as possible and your back is straight, with your head looking directly forward.
It’s critical that you get the technique correct, because if you do not – the exercise loses a lot of its benefits.
4. Sit-Ups and Crunches
When you think of doing any sort of exercise, you’ll likely think of sit-ups and push-ups. There is a reason that they are used so regularly in fitness – because they’re simple and they work.
When it comes to sit-ups, you can make them more challenging if you turn them into crunches. The main difference involves moving your feet off the floor, close to your chest and you can adapt this further by twisting your hips.
Try to do 15-20 reps and 5 sets. If this is too much, do as many as you can and then rest briefly and repeat.
5. Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks, otherwise known as star-jumps, used to be a fun game on the playground, but little did we know that it was a great way to burn calories and improve general stamina!
While this may seem a little juvenile or too basic – trust us when we say that this type of exercise can certainly keep you fit for life. It can be done by people of pretty much all ages, so it makes perfect sense.
For those who may not know, jumping jacks involve you moving your arms and legs out straight, in the shape of a star, and back together again.
Do this for 3 sets, targeting 50 reps or so in each set. You can also set a timer and do as many jumping jacks as possible in the time you have set for yourself. For example, do as many jumping jacks as possible in 2 minutes.
Fundamentals To Remember
To stay fit for life, these exercises will certainly help – but you will also need to remember other key fundamental principles. These include:
Diet
Losing weight involves burning more calories than you consume, but whether you’re trying to lose weight or not – you should always pay attention to your caloric intake. You should always include foods high in protein and other nutritionally valued foods.
Speak with an expert on a proper diet for more information and to get it right.
Consistency
Consistency is key to fitness, and you’ll want to ensure that you’re returning to these exercises on a daily basis. Therefore, find a duration of time and the types of exercises that work for you.
If you can return to them every day, you know that you can keep up the good work and progress further.
Record Your Progress
Always record your progress and keep up to date with where you’re going and where you have come from.
Remember, you’ve got this! Pay close attention to what you’ve eaten throughout the week, what workouts you have done, and how you’ve generally been feeling.
The Bottom Line
Staying fit is simple and you can follow these choices of exercises to carry out throughout the week and you should be able to remain fit for life. And don’t forget to get your diet right, too!
Hi, my name is TJ Daniels. I am a certified personal trainer dedicated to health and fitness for the past 20+ years. We have found that consistency is the key to wellness and our company is founded on this philosophy. If you would like to learn more, please see our About Us page or Contact Us with questions, feedback, suggestions for future content, or collaboration opportunities. Let’s enjoy this journey together!
Latest posts by TJ Daniels, Certified Personal Trainer (see all)
