There is no magic to exercise: You get out of it what you put in. That doesn't mean you have to work out for hours each day. It just means you need to work smart. That said, not all exercises are created equal. Some are simply more efficient than others, whether they target multiple muscle groups, are suitable for a wide variety of fitness levels, or help you burn calories more effectively. So what are the best exercises? Here is a list of some favorites.
1. Walking.
Any exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise, which strengthens the heart and burns calories. And walking is something you can do anywhere, anytime, with no equipment other than a good pair of shoes. It's not just for beginners, either: Even the very fit can get a good workout from walking. Doing a brisk walk can burn up to 500 calories per hour. Since it takes 3,500 calories to lose a pound, you could expect to lose a pound for every seven hours you walk, if you did nothing else. Don't go from the sofa to walking an hour day, though. Beginners should start by walking 5-10 minutes at a time, gradually moving up to at least 30 minutes per session. Another tip: It's better to lengthen your walks before boosting your speed or incline.
2. Interval training.
Whether you're a beginner or an exercise veteran, a walker or an aerobic dancer, adding interval training to your cardiovascular workout will boost your fitness level and help you lose weight. Varying your pace throughout the exercise session stimulates the aerobic system to adapt. The more power the aerobic system has, the more capacity you have to burn calories. The way to do it is to push the intensity or pace for a minute or two, then back off for anywhere from 2 -10 minutes (depending on how long your total workout will be, and how much time you need to recover). Continue doing this throughout the workout.
3. Squats.
Strength training is essential. The more muscular fitness you have the greater the capacity you have to burn calories. Squats, which work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals, are an excellent example of strength-training exercises that target multiple muscle groups. They give you the best bang for the buck because they use the most muscle groups at once. Form is the key. What makes an exercise functional is how you perform the exercise. If you have bad technique, it's no longer functional. For perfect form, keep feet shoulder-width apart and back straight. Bend knees and lower your rear: The knee should remain over the ankle as much as possible. Think of how you sit down in a chair, only the chair's not there. Practicing with a real chair can help. Start by working on getting in and out of a real chair properly. Once you've mastered that, try just tapping the chair with your bottom, then coming back up. Then do the same motion without the chair.
4. Lunges.
Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of the lower body: gluteals, quadriceps, and hamstrings. A lunge is a great exercise because it mimics life, it mimics walking, only exaggerated. Lunges are a bit more advanced than squats, helping to improve your balance as well. Here's how to do them right: Take a big step forward, keeping your spine in a neutral position. Bend your front knee to approximately 90 degrees, focusing on keeping weight on the back toes and dropping the knee of your back leg toward the floor. Imagine sitting on your back foot. To make a lunge even more functional, try stepping not just forward, but back and out to each side. Life is not linear, it's multiplanar and the better they prepare you for the various positions you'll move in during the course of a day, the more useful exercises are.
5. Push-ups.
If done correctly, the push-up can strengthen the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the core trunk muscles, all at one time. Push-ups can be done at any level of fitness .For someone who is at a more beginning level, start by pushing from the kitchen-counter height. Then work your way to a desk, a chair, the floor with bent knees, and, finally, the floor on your toes. There are always ways to make it harder. Once your form is perfect, try a "T-stabilization" push-up: Get into push-up position, then do your push-ups with one arm raised out to the side, balancing on the remaining three limbs without rotating your hips.
6. Abdominal Crunches.
Who doesn't want firm, flat abs? When done correctly, the familiar crunch (along with its variations) is a good choice to target them. For a standard crunch, begin lying on your back with feet flat on the floor and fingertips supporting your head. Press your low back down and begin the exercise by contracting abdominals and peeling first your head (tucking your chin slightly), then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor. Be careful not to pull your neck forward of the rest of your spine by sticking the chin out; don't hold your breath, and keep elbows out of your line of vision to keep chest and shoulders open. You can also do crunches with your feet off the floor and knees bent. With feet kept on the floor, many people tend to arch the back and engage the hip flexors. Crunches can be excellent, but if they're not done correctly, with the back arching, they can actually weaken the abdominals and strain the back. To work the obliques (the muscles on the sides of your waist), take the standard crunch and rotate the spine toward one side as you curl off the floor. Twist before you come up. It's really important that the twist comes first because then it's the obliques that are actually getting you up. But keep in mind that you won't get a flat stomach with crunches alone. Burning belly fat requires the well-known formula: using up more calories than you take in. Crunches work the abdominal muscles; [they're] not to be mistaken as exercise that burns the fat over the abdominals.
7. Bent-over Row.
Talk about bang for the buck: This exercise works all the major muscles of the upper back, as well as the biceps. Here's how to do it with good form. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then bend knees and flex forward at the hips. (If you have trouble doing this exercise standing up, support your weight by sitting on an incline bench, facing backward.) Tilt your pelvis slightly forward, engage the abdominals, and extend your upper spine to add support. Hold dumbbells or barbell beneath the shoulders with hands about shoulder-width apart. Flex your elbows, and lift both hands toward the sides of your body. Pause, then slowly lower hands to the starting position. (Beginners should perform the move without weights.)
Technique
These seven exercises are excellent, efficient choices. But with just about any strength or resistance exercise, the question is not so much whether the exercise works as how well you execute.Done with good technique, all exercises do what they're supposed to do.The trouble is that poor form can change the whole exercise, putting emphasis or even strain on different areas than intended. This can hurt, rather than help you.So especially if you're a beginner, it's a good idea to seek the advice of a fitness trainer or a professional in the field (Athletic Trainer, Physical Therapist, etc) to be sure your form is safe and correct.
Please consult with your physician prior to beginning any exercise program.