3 Basic Exercises to Strengthen your Whole Body
We???ve been asked many times about what exercises are best to target and strengthen the whole body. Often times, people are running short on time and want to do a few exercises that will take care of their whole body. Well if you are looking for 3 basic strength exercises to strengthen your whole body then here they are.
Squats. A properly executed squat can work your quadriceps, glutes, calf muscles and even your hamstrings. Start off in a standing position with feet shoulder width apart and hands on your hips. Bend your knees and flex forward at the waist as you lower your body towards the ground. Make sure to keep your butt back as if you are sitting deep into a chair. You should able to look down and see your toes so make sure your knees don???t move too far forward. Your shoulders should be back and head level. Once your butt gets down to the level of your knees pause for a split second and then work your way back up to a standing position. Breathe in on the way down and breathe out on the way up.
Pushups. These are great for working your chest, shoulder and tricep muscles. Start off with your hands on the ground in a wide position. Your elbows should be aligned over your wrists. You can have your knees and feet on the ground (easy intensity), knees on the ground (medium intensity) or feet on the ground (high intensity). Lower your upper body towards the ground. Stop when your elbows get to a 90 degree angle and then work your way back up. Your stomach and low back should remain straight and tight through the whole motion. Breathe in on the way down and breathe out on the way back up.
Chin Ups. Although tough, this exercise will strengthen your back and bicep muscles in your arms. Reach for a bar that is over your head and pull your chin towards the bar lifting your body off of the ground. Use a grip with your hands shoulder width apart and palms facing towards you for an easier version of this exercise. If you want to make it harder then use a wider grip with palms facing away from you. Focus on using the muscles in the side of your back doing the majority of the work. Your biceps will do the secondary work after your back muscles fatigue. Always keep the bar in front of your body rather than pulling up with the bar behind your neck. This will help avoid shoulder impingement issues. If you find it too hard to do even one of these then get a partner to help assist you or have a chair nearby where you can put your feet on to assist in lifting you.
There you have it – three exercises that will target all of the major muscle groups of the body. If you???re looking for something simple then these will help you get stronger in the shortest period of time.
About the Author: Alex K is an online Fitness Professional providing health and wellness to the world through his online workout program Cardio Blast. Members of www.Cardioblast.com receive new cardio workouts every week, strength training programs, 50 page meal plan, fitness tracking and personal training included with their membership.
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