Life is many a grand thing and with information flowing freer than ever, the infinite complexities of the universe are slowly unravelling right now. – Luka Zabkar
Workout
This is a reference list of beginner and intermediate level exercises, meant to be used at home which also includes some cardio tips.
For now the list is focused on exercises with no required machinery or specialized equipment.
Chapters:
Warm up:
Warming up is important for a number of reasons including:
- It warms the muscles and increases body temperature, which improves the oxygen supply to the body
- It helps increase blood flow to the muscles, allowing them to contract and relax more quickly
- It helps prepare the body and the mind for more strenuous activity
- It may help reduce the risk of injury
- It may increase overall exercise performance
- It increases the elasticity of the ligaments, tendons and other connective tissues
Whatever type of warm up you choose, use the following tips for getting the most of your warm up:
- Warm up for about 5-10 minutes. How long you warm up will often depend on what you’re doing and how much time you need to transition into exercise. For example, if you’re working out on a cold day or doing a very hard workout, you may need 10 or more minutes to warm up. If you’re doing a light workout or you’re already warm from doing other activities, you may need just a few minutes.
- Stretch if you need it. There’s some controversery over whether to stretch before or after your workout. I often recommend that my clients do the bulk of their stretching after the cool down. But, if you have chronically tight muscles (like your lower back or hips) doing a few stretches beforehand may make your workout more comfortable.
- Take your time. The idea is to warm up gradually. Allowing your heart rate and respiration to increase slowly will make the transition into your workout easier and give your body time to prepare for what’s to come.
Example warm – up exercises:
- March on the spot, gradually taking your knees a little higher, while at the same time working your arms, doing the finger, wrist, and elbow mobility exercises. 2 minutes.
Warm-up March
- Follow this by taking one leg to the side, alternately, while raising both your arms out to the side (no higher that shoulder level). 1 minute.
Warm-up Sideways
- Do some simple squats-holding your arms at just below shoulder level, take your hands to the front as you squat down, and then your arms to the side as you come up to a standing position. 30 seconds.
Warm-up Squats
- Simulate a swimming action, arms only-front crawl, backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke. 15 seconds each movement.
Warm-up Swimming
Body:
-
Body Weight Squats
Body Weight Squats
Key points:
- Stand with feet wider than shoulder width apart.
- Point toes out at about 30°.
- Keep your chin level with the floor.
- Put arms out front for balance if necessary.
- Make sure knees stay behind the toes, so your tights not knees are supporting the weight.
- Your buttocks extend outwards during the exercise.
-
Military Sit-ups
Military Sit-ups
Key points:
- Make sure you’re working on soft ground.
- Knees bent at 90°.
- Keep your heel on the floor at all times.
- Hands should not be helping with the raising, since that can cause neck injury.
- Inhale on your way back, exhale on your way up.
- Work slowly and don’t break your stance.
-
Bicycle crunches
Bicycle Crunch
Key points:
- Make sure you’re working on soft ground.
- Smooth and fluid movement, like riding a bicycle.
-
Push-ups
Push-ups
You should do your push-ups to failure each set. The idea is not to break your push-ups into smaller bites so you can do more the idea is to work your muscles and stimulate growth and strength and stamina. The way you do that is to push the muscle to the point of failure and then more if you can.
Do a set to failure then rest a few minutes and do it again.Key points:
- Start with hands in a diamond position.
- Separate repetitions by expanding your arms when you can’t handle the closer position no more.
- Keep your head straight, looking ahead.
The Cooldown:
This is an important time for the body because a cool down:
- Helps the heart rate and respiration slow down gradually
- Helps avoid dizziness or fainting, which sometimes happens when exercise is stopped suddenly and blood pools in the legs
- Allows your muscles time to recover and repair for the next workout
- Helps your muscles get rid of waste products such as lactic acid
Take just a few minutes at the end of your workout (particularly your cardio workout) to do the following:
- Slow down. Just like your warm up, when you get to the end of your workout, slow down and gradually allow your heart rate to lower.
- Continue moving. Give yourself at least five minutes to move around, especially if you’ve been doing high intensity exercise.
- Cool off. Keep moving until you’re not sweating anymore and your skin is cool to the touch. Use this time to sip water and rehydrate.
- Stretch. Once you’ve cooled off, this is an excellent time to stretch the muscles you’ve used during the workout. Stretching can help relax the body and increase flexibility. Make sure you hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds.
- Fuel up. Eat a light snack at least 30-60 minutes after your workout to help your body replace its energy stores and start repairing the body. Experts generally recommend something with both carbs and protein such as yogurt, a smoothie or a half of a turkey sandwich. You should also make sure you drink plenty of water after your workout as well.
Quad Stretch
Cardio:
Bicycling:
Bicycling is ideal for weight loss because it burns a lot of calories. Riding at a moderate speed 20-22 km/h you will burn approximately 235 calories per half hour.
