This is a quick routine to get you moving and sweating. Great for energizing and toning up.
References:
1. What Aerobic Exercise Does for Your Health – http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/aerobic-exercise/art-20045541?pg=2
A full body workout to tone up and lose weight.
1. Plank
2. High Knee Running in Place
3. Jump Squats
4. Push-Ups
5. Glute Bridge
Instructions:
Do 45 seconds per each exercise with 15 seconds break in between. Repeat the whole routine twice.
Tip: Use a timer to keep track of your timings.
Illustrations credit: http://www.spotebi.com/
Just as you wake up each morning, go to the bathroom and brush your teeth, make exercise become a part of your everyday routine. It can take the form of a few simple stretches after waking up, doing a brief body workout or a yoga session in the morning before starting your day; a run, a visit to the gym or doing a sport. Whatever you choose, try to do it at the same time of the day and turn this into a habit. For example, running every Saturday morning, doing an hour of Yoga every Thursday afternoon, and/or going to a Salsa class every Tuesday evening. Pick a few activities and plan your week to ensure that they are included – all that it’s left now is to start doing them! Continue reading
This weekend the winter sun decided to pay a visit to the cold and frosty London outskirts. I woke up feeling refreshed after a good night’s sleep, and was pleasantly surprised by the rays of sunshine that filled and brightened up my room after opening the curtains. It has been awhile since I have woken up to a sunny morning without a single cloud in the sky.
‘Time to put on my running shoes’ I thought. There is no better way to fully wake up than to go for a refreshing walk or run, out into the morning sunshine. It’s great because it not only allows to move and fully awaken every muscle, but it’s also fantastic for awakening all of the senses. Sunlight is particularly good for adjusting the body’s biological clock as it can be easy to oversleep or lose track of time during the long winter months, when days are shorter and there is a limited amount of daylight. Exposure to the morning sun is also great for uplifting our mood. I couldn’t help but smile once I stepped out of the door and into the brisk December morning. I almost immediately felt more energized and ready for the new day.
The entrance to the little park or rather – green fields, nearby my house. It’s my usual running place of choice. Every visit here makes me forget that I am living in the city. The only other visitors I would encounter are runners like me or the locals walking their dogs.
I only went for a quick morning run, but couldn’t help noticing how beautiful the frosty forest looked.
The autumn has gradually given way to winter. I was glad to see just how magnificent the remains of the last autumn leaves looked on a morning like this.
The air was crisp. Some of the plants around were still awakening from the evening cold, awaiting the sun’s warmth.
As I run I had to make another stop to capture these beautifully preserved tree leaves.
The frost-coated grass in the field was also slowly waking up to the bright blue skies above. It was a truly awarding morning running session. I felt happy, empowered and motivated. Having witnessed nature’s winter beauty along the way made this experience even more wonderful.
The best thing about waking up in this way is that each day is different, and each day provides a new opportunity to get out there and explore. It also leaves us feeling productive and ready to start the day with a more positive outlook.
~Don’t miss the opportunity to seize the sunny morning moments!~
Are you a busy individual, who nevertheless is concerned about your health and well-being? Do you wish you had more time to do all of those great body workouts that will help you lose weight, tone up your muscles or just distress and release some energy?
This 7-minute workout could help you achieve this. And what’s great is that it only takes 7 minutes! You don’t need any special equipment and you can easily do it in the comfort of your own home (especially during those cold and rainy winter days). In just 7 minutes you will have worked on nearly every muscle of your body.
Background:
A study published in the ACSM’S Health & Fitness Journal showed that this workout can be highly effective as it combines aerobics and weight resistance in a high-intensity circuit training (HICT) programme, with brief rest between exercise sets to allow for recovery. Because it only uses body weight as resistance, it can be done anywhere (home, office, hotel room etc.).
The benefits of this workout are that not only it is great for time-constrained people, but it also provides an efficient way of loosing excess body weight by burning fat and eliciting metabolic benefits. Moreover, the programme exerts other potential health benefits such as improved VO2 max (associated with better cardiopulmonary health) and muscular fitness, as well as protection against type 2 diabetes by decreasing insulin resistance.
The Scientific 7-Minute Workout
Instructions:
Do each exercise set for 30 seconds followed by 10 seconds of rest.
The circuit can be repeated 2 to 3 times. If you are feeling energetic you can do a 21 minute session, but I personally like to spread them throughout the day by doing one 7-minute session before breakfast, one before lunch and one in the late afternoon before dinner time.
Feel free to try this interactive on-line application to get yourself started. The workout is also available for download on iPhone and Ipad.
Precautions: Due to the nature of these high intensity exercises, individuals who are overweight/obese, have been previously injured, the elderly and those with additional health conditions should take caution. Moreover the wall sit, plank and side plank are not recommended for people with hypertension or heart disease.
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