It is important to have a healthy lifestyle to live a happy and successful life. So, it is important to improve your fitness level. There are 8 Best Exercises to Improve Fitness Levels to stay fit, but the best way of all is by doing exercises. This article will talk about the top 10 exercises that will help you improve your fitness levels:
1) Push-ups
2) Squats
3) Lunges
4) Side planks
5) Planks
6) Knee tucks
7) Glute bridge
8) Running
Pushups
Pushups exercise your upper body by working for multiple muscle groups. You’ll also work on strengthening the arms, chest, and shoulders.
How to do them:
- Starting in a plank position, keep your hands on the floor, arms straight and your body elevated horizontally. Keep your toes pointed to help you balance.
- The feet should be flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Hands should form fists and keep fingers pointed forward or pointed slightly inward
- Keeping the head in a straight line with the spine, slowly reach your hands outside your outer hip-line and bend over to touch the floor.
- Try to keep your hips and lower back aligned.
- Lower yourself down as far as possible, aiming to touch your chest or chin to the floor.
- Lift back up by using the arm muscles to push the torso upwards.
- Make sure to keep the abdominal muscles engaged throughout to help support your lower back.
Bodyweight squats
Bodyweight squats are a great exercise that provides benefits to your lower body and core. They work the abs, butt, hips, thighs, calves, and shins.
How to do them:
- Stand with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart and point the toes out.
- Keep your hands to your sides, with the palms facing inward, and also keep your shoulders back.
- Engage your core muscles when you’re sitting to get the most support in the back.
- Lead with the hips and bend your knees while keeping a straight back.
- Knees should be at a 90degree angle, with experience resting on the thighs.
- Place your feet on the ground and push your body upwards, returning to the same position you were in before
- Exhale when standing back up.
Lunges
Lunges are a great way to work all the muscles in your legs, butt, hips & abdominal area.
How to do them:
- “Stand upright with the feet close together.”
- Take a long step forward and bend your knee, placing the ball of your foot flat on the floor.
- Place your supporting leg in front of you and bend it towards the ground.
- Use the muscles of your front leg to push back to standing.
- Repeat with the other leg.
Side planks
Side planks are a surprisingly effective exercise for core strength, and can help reduce low back pain. The muscles that are targeted in the side plank include the buttocks, hips, and abdominals.
How to do them:
- Lie on the right side with your legs straight out and propped up by your elbow.
- Engage your abs and lift your hips off the floor, making sure to keep your head and body aligned as you do this.
- Hold this position for at least 20 seconds. Keep your hips, head, and shoulders in one line.
- Slowly make your way to the floor, switch to the left side, and repeat.
Planks
Planks strengthen your back and abdominal muscles, as well as build core strength.
How to do them:
- Start with your palms facing downwards and then move your elbows away from the ground. Your arms and shoulders should be glued to your sides.
- Straighten up your spine by lifting the body into a straight line with the floor.
- Keep the feet together and your toes flexed to help support your body.
- Hold it for 20–30 seconds.
- If you’re feeling stiff, you can use this 1-minute exercise (repeat 3-5 times) to help loosen up: Slowly lower your body to the floor and rest for a minute, then repeat. You’ll want to be gentle on your joints during this routine.
Once you have mastered the low plank, try moving your arms to the high plank. It uses the same body positioning but the palms are on the ground, about two inches in front of the shoulders.
Knee tucks
Knee tucks work abdominal muscles, the calves, and the shins. To perform this exercise, you will need an exercise ball (sometimes referred to as a stability ball).
How to do them:
- Get in the starting position so that the hands and feet are on the floor and the stomach is on top of a stability ball.
- Stand in front of a stability ball. Put your hands on the ground, just in front of your feet, and walk forward until your knees are resting on the ball. Put your hands underneath your shoulders.
- Curl your knees in and tuck your legs into the chest.
- Kneel on the floor so that your knees are about two feet apart. Slowly push your knees back to return to the starting position, being careful not to let your back hurt.
Glute bridge
The glute bridge is a great way to work the muscles located in the back of our body called the posterior chain.
How to do it:
- Lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, swing your feet to stand up.
- Correct the lower back, making sure you don’t arch inwardly. The pelvis should be aligned with both knees & shoulders. Lifting your hips off the floor, contract your glutes and muscles in your abdomen to keep balance.
- Breathe deeply and as you exhale, slowly lower your upper body back to the starting position.
Running
Running is an aerobic activity that can help you improve your cardiovascular fitness and strengthen your bones. It’s a low-intensity activity that is best for beginners.
Intervals in running – alternating the intensity of your workout by alternating between jogging, walking, and sprints can help in increasing your endurance. You can also alternate between distances like 150m followed by 300m or something similar.
Sprint interval training might be a good way to get a little fitter. It may improve aerobic capacity and increase your top running speed, too.
Summary
Getting regular exercise is an important aspect of a healthy lifestyle. A combination of both resistance and cardiovascular training can be very helpful in preventing many health problems.
Aim to slowly increase the amount of exercise in sessions and repetitions to your ideal workout routine.
